Editing Bad Axe, Michigan

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Bad Axe, Michigan
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Bad Axe, Michigan along M-142.jpg
|imagesize                = 275
|image_caption            = Looking west along [[M-142 (Michigan highway)|M-142]] toward [[M-53 (Michigan highway)|M-53]]
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map = Bad Axe, MI location.png
|mapsize                  = 250
|map_caption              = Location within [[Huron County, Michigan|Huron County]]
|pushpin_map            = Michigan
|pushpin_label_position = left<!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_label          = Bad Axe
|pushpin_map_caption    = Location within the state of Michigan

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Michigan]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Michigan|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Huron County, Michigan|Huron]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Kathleen Particka
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = Incorporated
|established_date         = 1905 (city)

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_26.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=May 21, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 6.03
|area_land_km2            = 6.03
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 2.33
|area_land_sq_mi          = 2.33
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 3021
|population_density_km2   = 501.09
|population_density_sq_mi = 1297.68

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 231
|elevation_ft             = 758
|coordinates              = {{coord|43|48|10|N|82|59|59|W|region:US-MI|display=inline, title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code|ZIP code(s)]]
|postal_code              = 48413
|area_code                = [[Area code 989|989]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 26-04740<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0620421<ref>{{gnis|0620421}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|http://cityofbadaxe.com}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
}}
'''Bad Axe''' is a city in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Michigan]] and the [[county seat]] of [[Huron County, Michigan|Huron County]]<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=2011-06-07 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=2011-05-31 }}</ref> in [[the Thumb]] region of the Lower Peninsula. The population was 3,021 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], making it the largest community in [[Huron County, Michigan|Huron County]] and second largest in the Upper Thumb, after [[Caro, Michigan|Caro]].

==History==
The city was established in 1905.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.cityofbadaxe.com/|title=City of Bad Axe, Michigan|publisher= City of Bad Axe, Michigan |access-date=August 25, 2012}}</ref> The city's [[Place names considered unusual|unusual name]]<ref>{{cite book|author=Don Voorhees|title=The Super Book of Useless Information: The Most Powerfully Unnecessary Things You Never Need to Know|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QCF8FGLYvYcC&pg=PT67|date=4 October 2011|publisher=Penguin Group US|isbn=978-1-101-54513-3|page=67}}</ref> dates to the time of its settlement. While surveying the first state road through the Huron County wilderness in 1861, Rudolph Papst and [[George Willis Pack]] made camp at the future site of the city and found a much-used and badly damaged [[axe]]. At Pack's suggestion, Papst used the name “Bad Axe Camp” in the minutes of the survey and on a sign he placed along the main trail.<ref>[http://www.thehchs.org/badaxe/ba_history.htm Local History – How Bad Axe got its Name]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=21616 |title= Profile for Bad Axe, Michigan, MI |publisher= ePodunk|access-date=August 24, 2012}}</ref> The first post office in Bad Axe was established in 1870.{{sfn|Romig|1986|page=38}}

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has an area of {{convert|2.26|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110220065340/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-02-20 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2012-11-25 }}</ref>

===Climate===
This [[climate|climatic]] region has large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters.  According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Bad Axe has a [[humid continental climate]], abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=714002&cityname=Bad+Axe%2C+Michigan%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Bad Axe, Michigan]</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 190
|1890= 842
|1900= 1241
|1910= 1559
|1920= 2140
|1930= 2332
|1940= 2624
|1950= 2973
|1960= 2998
|1970= 2999
|1980= 3184
|1990= 3484
|2000= 3462
|2010= 3129
|2020= 3021
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2012-11-25}}</ref> of 2010, there were 3,129 people, 1,358 households, and 760 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1384.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,546 housing units at an average density of {{convert|684.1|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The city's racial makeup was 95.1% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.8% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.9% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.5% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.4% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.2% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.4% of the population.

There were 1,358 households, of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.0% were non-families. 38.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.81.

The median age in the city was 42.9 years. 21.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.2% were from 25 to 44; 26.6% were from 45 to 64; and 20.5% were 65 years of age or older. The city's gender makeup was 46.5% male and 53.5% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 3,462 people, 1,418 households, and 877 families residing in the city.  The population density was {{convert|1,617.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 1,545 housing units at an average density of {{convert|721.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The city's racial makeup was 97.57% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.26% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.26% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.58% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.38% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.95% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.53% of the population.

There were 1,418 households, of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.1% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.2% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.5 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males.

The city's median household income was $32,125, and the median family income was $42,650. Males had a median income of $34,758 versus $20,288 for females. The city's [[per capita income]] was $17,465.  About 9.3% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 16.1% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Bad Axe is served by [[Bad Axe Public Schools]], which consist of:<ref>[http://www.badaxeps.org/ Bad Axe Public Schools > Home<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

*Bad Axe Elementary.
*Bad Axe Middle School
*[[Bad Axe High School]]

The district's George E. Greene Elementary School was shut down in 2011; Ascent High School, an alternative high school, is in its former building.  The Bad Axe Elementary School is currently in the building which the district's Intermediate School occupied.

==Media==

===Radio===

Local radio stations licensed to serve Bad Axe are commercial broadcasters [[WLEW (AM)|WLEW-AM]] and [[WLEW-FM]].
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====FM====
* [[WCTP]] 88.5 FM, Gagetown, Christian Contemporary, ''Smile FM''
* [[WSMB (FM)|WSMB]] 89.3 FM, Harbor Beach, Christian Contemporary, ''Smile FM''
* [[WIDL]] 92.1 FM, Cass City, Classic Rock ''The Thumb's Only Road for Pure Classic Rock'' 
* [[WBGV]] 92.5 FM, Marlette, Country, ''The Thumb's Best Country''
* [[WHNN]] 96.1 FM, Bay City, Adult Contemporary, ''The Best Variety of Yesterday and Today''
* [[WTGV]] 97.7 FM, Sandusky, Classic Hits, ''The Thumb's Greatest Hits''
* [[WKCQ]] 98.1 FM, Saginaw, Country, ''The Most Country''
* [[WLEW-FM|WLEW]] 102.1 FM, Bad Axe, Classic Hits, ''Your Classic Hits Station''
* [[WIOG]] 102.5 FM, Bay City, CHR/Top 40, ''The Hit Music Channel''
* [[WQLB]] 103.3 FM, Tawas City, Classic Hits, ''Hits FM''
* [[WCZE]] 103.7 FM, Harbor Beach, Christian Country, ''Positive Country'' 
* [[WKJC]] 104.7 FM, Tawas City, Country ''Your Favorite Country Hits''
* [[WTZM]] 106.1 FM, Tawas City, Hot Adult Contemporary, ''The Point''
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====AM====
* [[WMIC]] 660 AM, Sandusky (Daytime Only), Full Service/Country, ''The Thumb's Information Station''
* [[WSGW (AM)|WSGW]] 790 AM, Saginaw, News/Talk, ''Your Connection to the Saginaw Valley and the World''
* [[CHOK]] 1070 AM, Sarnia, Full Service/AC, ''First in Local Information''
* [[WJMK (AM)|WJMK]] 1250 AM, Bridgeport, Oldies, ''MeTV FM''
* [[WLEW (AM)|WLEW]] 1340 AM, Bad Axe, Country, ''The Thumb's Hottest Country''
* [[WKYO]] 1360 AM, Caro, Oldies, ''Your Greatest Hits''
* [[WPHM]] 1380 AM, Port Huron, News/Talk/Sports, ''Where the Blue Water Area Comes to Talk''
* [[WMAX (AM)|WMAX]] 1440 AM, Bay City, Religious Talk, ''Ave Marie Radio''
* [[WIOS]] 1480 AM, East Tawas, News/Talk, ''Where Northeast Michigan Comes to Talk''

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===Newspapers===
* Bad Axe and the northern [[The Thumb|thumb area]] are served by a daily newspaper, the ''[[Huron Daily Tribune]]'' and the ''[[Huron County View]]''.
* Daily editions of the ''[[Detroit Free Press]]'' and ''[[The Detroit News]]'', as well as thrice-weekly editions of the ''[[Bay City Times]]'' and ''[[Saginaw News]]'', are also available.

===Broadcast television===
Huron County lies inside the [[Template:Flint-Saginaw-Bay City TV|Flint/Tri-Cities Television Market]]. Only stations available on [[Comcast]] in the Bad Axe area are listed below.

*[[WNEM-TV|WNEM]] 5 ([[CBS]]/[[MyNetworkTV]])
*[[WJRT]] 12 ([[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]])
*[[WDCQ-TV|WDCQ]] 19 ([[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]])
*[[WEYI]] 25 ([[NBC]])
*[[WBSF]] 46 ([[The CW]])
*[[WAQP]] 49 (Religious)
*[[WSMH]] 66 ([[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]])

==Infrastructure==

===Transportation===
*{{jct|state=MI|M|19}}
*{{jct|state=MI|M|53}}
*{{jct|state=MI|M|142}}

==Notable people==
<!-- Note:
· Only people who already have a Wikipedia article may appear here. This establishes notability.
· The article must mention how they are associated with Bad Axe, whether born, raised, or residing.
· The fact of their association should have a reliable source cited.
· Alphabetical by last name please.
· All others will be deleted.
-->

* [[Allen James Babcock]], Roman Catholic bishop; born in Bad Axe
* [[Lilian Jackson Braun]], mystery writer; lived in Bad Axe
* [[David C. Clark]], Florida state judge and legislator; born in Bad Axe
* [[George M. Clark]], Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, lived in Bad Axe
* [[Helen Beulah Thompson Gaige]], [[Herpetology|herpetologist]]; born in Bad Axe
* [[Brad Guigar]], cartoonist; grew up in Bad Axe
* [[Bob Murawski]], 2009 [[82nd Academy Awards#Awards|Academy Award-winning]] film editor (''[[The Hurt Locker]]''); high school [[valedictorian]] from Bad Axe
* [[William Potts (inventor)|William Potts]], who added the yellow light to create the modern, three-lens traffic light; born in Bad Axe

{{Weather box 
|location = Bad Axe, Michigan (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1925–present)
|single line = Y
|width = auto
|Jan record high F = 64
|Feb record high F = 66
|Mar record high F = 85
|Apr record high F = 89
|May record high F = 92
|Jun record high F = 100
|Jul record high F = 103
|Aug record high F = 101
|Sep record high F = 97
|Oct record high F = 91
|Nov record high F = 80
|Dec record high F = 69
|year record high F = 103
|Jan high F = 28.3
|Feb high F = 30.2
|Mar high F = 40.0
|Apr high F = 53.3
|May high F = 66.1
|Jun high F = 76.0
|Jul high F = 80.3
|Aug high F = 78.5
|Sep high F = 72.0
|Oct high F = 58.7
|Nov high F = 45.3
|Dec high F = 34.0
|year high F = 55.2
|Jan mean F = 21.9
|Feb mean F = 22.9
|Mar mean F = 31.6
|Apr mean F = 43.2
|May mean F = 55.3
|Jun mean F = 65.4
|Jul mean F = 69.9
|Aug mean F = 68.5
|Sep mean F = 61.5
|Oct mean F = 50.0
|Nov mean F = 38.4
|Dec mean F = 28.5
|year mean F = 46.4
|Jan low F = 15.6
|Feb low F = 15.6
|Mar low F = 23.3
|Apr low F = 33.1
|May low F = 44.6
|Jun low F = 54.8
|Jul low F = 59.5
|Aug low F = 58.5
|Sep low F = 51.0
|Oct low F = 41.3
|Nov low F = 31.4
|Dec low F = 22.9
|year low F = 37.6
|Jan record low F = -23
|Feb record low F = -22
|Mar record low F = -15
|Apr record low F = 8
|May record low F = 22
|Jun record low F = 28
|Jul record low F = 35
|Aug record low F = 34
|Sep record low F = 26
|Oct record low F = 15
|Nov record low F = -7
|Dec record low F = -8
|year record low F = -23
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 1.96
|Feb precipitation inch = 1.88
|Mar precipitation inch = 1.83
|Apr precipitation inch = 3.19
|May precipitation inch = 3.34
|Jun precipitation inch = 3.17
|Jul precipitation inch = 3.67
|Aug precipitation inch = 3.36
|Sep precipitation inch = 3.16
|Oct precipitation inch = 2.90
|Nov precipitation inch = 2.36
|Dec precipitation inch = 2.07
|year precipitation inch = 32.89
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 14.7
|Feb precipitation days = 11.2
|Mar precipitation days = 10.2
|Apr precipitation days = 11.6
|May precipitation days = 12.2
|Jun precipitation days = 10.4
|Jul precipitation days = 9.7
|Aug precipitation days = 10.0
|Sep precipitation days = 10.7
|Oct precipitation days = 13.3
|Nov precipitation days = 12.4
|Dec precipitation days = 13.5
|year precipitation days = 139.9
|source 1 = [[NOAA]]<ref name= NOAA >
{{cite web
| url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=dtx
| title = NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = September 3, 2021}}</ref><ref name=NCEI>
{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00200417&format=pdf
| title = Station: Bad Axe, MI
| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = September 3, 2021}}</ref>
}}

==References==

===Notes===
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Sources===
*{{cite book |first1=Walter |last1=Romig |title=Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities |series=Great Lakes Books Series |type=Paperback  |orig-year= 1973 |date=October 1, 1986 |publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] |isbn=081431838X |location=Detroit, Michigan }}

==External links==
{{Portal|Michigan}}
*[http://www.cityofbadaxe.com/ Official City of Bad Axe Website]
*[http://www.michigansthumb.com/ Huron Daily Tribune]
*[https://www.badaxechamber.com/ Bad Axe Chamber of Commerce]

{{Geographic location
|North=[[Port Austin, MI|Port Austin]]
|West=[[Pigeon, MI|Pigeon]], [[Sebewaing, MI|Sebewaing]]
|Center= Bad Axe, Michigan
|East=[[Harbor Beach, MI|Harbor Beach]], [[Lake Huron]]
|South=[[Sandusky, MI|Sandusky]], [[Detroit, MI|Detroit]]
|Northwest= [[Caseville, MI|Caseville]]
|Northeast= [[Port Hope, MI|Port Hope]]
|Southwest= [[Saginaw, MI|Saginaw]], [[Caro, MI|Caro]]
|Southeast= [[Minden City, MI|Minden City]], [[Port Huron, MI|Port Huron]]
}}

{{Huron County, Michigan}}
{{Michigan county seats}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Huron County, Michigan]]
[[Category:County seats in Michigan]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1870]]
[[Category:1870 establishments in Michigan]]