From Bleeker County to Menominee County

The Short-Lived County Name That Didn’t Stick

March 19, 1863, the people of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula successfully petitioned to rename Bleeker County to Menominee County. If you’ve never heard of Bleeker County, you’re not alone. The county only existed for two years and four days before locals decided they weren’t too fond of the name.

Menominee County (/məˈnɒməni/ mə-NAH-mə-nee) is a county located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. As of the 2020 census, the population was 23,502. The county seat is Menominee.

Bleeker County to Menominee County

Originally created in 1861 from part of Delta County, Bleeker County was officially organized under that name. But when it came time to establish county government, residents pushed for a change. The new name, Menominee, was chosen to honor the indigenous Menominee people. The name comes from an Ojibwe word meaning “wild rice eater.”

With the change, Menominee County took its place on the map, with the city of Menominee serving as its county seat. Today, the county is home to over 23,000 residents and remains an important part of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. While Bleeker County may have been a historical blip, its brief existence serves as a reminder of how local voices can shape the identity of a place.

March 19, 1863—the day Bleeker County vanished from the books and Menominee County was born!

Marisa Fancy along with her husband and four children dreamt of moving “Up North”. They had vacationed for years in northern Michigan and in 1995 they finally made the move.

The family was always out exploring, but with 4 kids there was some limitations on what they could do. Marisa discovered the amazing network of trails in Northern Michigan after Steve died and she would walk for miles. The trails provided her with peace, comfort and solitude at a difficult time in her life. Later, after meeting Guy who would become her second husband, she learned to golf and found another passion she could enjoy in beautiful Northern Michigan.

Marisa has been the family historian, writer, and poet for as long as she can remember. She has always loved to write and has now found a creative outlet for it other than family. You can read her articles in Adventures in Northern Michigan, Northern Michigan History and Golf Up North.