Dakota Heights, Michigan

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This article is about the community in Michigan. For other uses, see Dakota Heights (disambiguation).

Dakota Heights is an unincorporated community in Portage Township, Houghton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is an enclave surrounded on all four sides[1] by the extreme western part of the city of Houghton (on the fourth by Portage Lake (or, depending on definition of terms, the Portage Lake Shipping Canal); it is non-contiguous with any other part of Portage Township. (However, it was formerly served by the water lines of Adams Township.)[2] Living in Dakota Heights is at least sometimes regarded as living "in town" (Houghton).[3]

Contents

[edit] History

Dakota Heights was platted in 1906 and named after the Dacotah Mining Company, which operated briefly in its vicinity.[1] It provided housing for workers on the Copper Range Railroad, which had a number of facilities immediately to the north;[4] the company owned most of the housing. It remains "primarily residential,"[4] though some businesses have opened (and closed) in it over the years, including a former motel, and currently a podiatrist's office, restaurant[4] and spa.

[edit] Geography

Dakota Heights originally sat at the west end of Houghton's Sheldon Avenue.[4] West of Dakota Heights was originally countryside, prior to the development of the M-26 corridor that began in the mid-1970s.[5]

[edit] Climate

Dakota Heights has a humid continental climate but winters are typically long and snowy with much lake effect snow.

[edit] Environmental issues

Pollution in Huron Creek, arguably from inadequate private septic systems[6] has contributed to the growth of algae.[7]

[edit] Education

The local school district is Houghton-Portage Township Schools. Students K-12 are served by Houghton Elementary (K-5), Middle (6-8), and High (9-12) schools.[1]

The Rock School formerly served Dakota Heights and the surrounding area.

[edit] Infrastructure

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Highway

In 1979 Highway M-26 was rerouted through the community, bisecting it. Park Avenue had formerly served as the main route from Houghton to Atlantic Mine, but this was replaced by the new route of the highway.[4]

[edit] Public transportation

Houghton Motor Transit operates a demand bus that serves the community, but "curb to curb" services is only for Houghton residents, and as it is outside the city limits of Houghton rates with one terminus in Dakota Heights are higher.[8] However, there are no regularly-scheduled route buses operating in the community.[9]

[edit] Snowmobile

A snowmobile trail runs along Dakota Heights' Park Avenue.[2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Dakota Heights. Developing the Huron Creek Watershed Management Plan. Retrieved on 2008-05-25.
  2. ^ a b “Shaping the Future” Survey Comments from Portage Township. Retrieved on 2009-05-25.
  3. ^ Hot-Ads MI - Dozens of Newspapers and Thousands of Ads. Retrieved on 2007-05-14.[broken citation]
  4. ^ a b c d e Gerald Greer. A Comprehensive Land Use History of the Huron Creek Watershed (pdf). Retrieved on 2008-05-25.
  5. ^ Steve Albee. A Featured River: Huron Creek and its Watershed (pdf). Retrieved on 2008-05-25.
  6. ^ SEPTIC SYSTEM: Developing the Huron Creek Watershed Management Plan. Retrieved on 2007-09-21.
  7. ^ Karen M. Gonzalez,. Huron Creek Watershed Management Plan: Technical Background (pdf). Retrieved on 2008-05-25.
  8. ^ Houghton Motor Transit Line. Retrieved on 2008-05-25.
  9. ^ Downtowner Route Schedule (pdf). Retrieved on 2008-05-25.

[edit] External links

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