Oscoda (/ɒˈskoʊdə/ osk-OH-də) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Iosco County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The CDP has a population of 916 at the 2020 census. The community is located within Oscoda Township at the mouth of the Au Sable River at Lake Huron.

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Oscoda, Michigan
Census-designated place (CDP) & unincorporated community
Downtown Oscoda, looking northbound on US-23
Location of Oscoda within Iosco County, Michigan
Coordinates: 44°25′13″N 83°19′51″W
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Iosco
Township	Oscoda
Area [1]
• Total	0.95 sq mi (2.46 km2)
• Land	0.87 sq mi (2.25 km2)
• Water	0.08 sq mi (0.20 km2)
Elevation	590 ft (180 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	916
• Density	1,052.87/sq mi (406.30/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	48750
Area code	989
FIPS code	26-61320[2]
GNIS feature ID	634132[3]

Oscoda was settled as early as 1867 and incorporated as a village in 1885. However, after forest fires devastated the area and its economy, the village disincorporated in 1919. The Wurtsmith Air Force Base was located nearby and operated from 1923 until it was decommissioned in 1993.

History

Nearby is the Lumberman's Monument, in honor of the lumberjacks that first populated the area. The state of Michigan has designated Oscoda as the official home of Paul Bunyan due to the earliest documented publications in the Oscoda Press, August 10, 1906, by James MacGillivray (later revised and published in The Detroit News in 1910).[4]

Wurtsmith Air Force Base (originally Camp Skeel) was located just northwest of the community from 1923 to 1993. Wurtsmith was the site of the Strategic Air Command's 379th Bombardment Wing, consisting of one nuclear-armed B-52 bomber squadron and one air refueling squadron equipped with KC-135s. It also housed the Aerospace Defense Command's 75th and later 94th (Hat In The Ring) fighter interceptor squadrons. The 75th FIS flew the F-101, while the 94th flew the F-106. The Charter Township of Oscoda created a redevelopment authority with the cooperation of the Michigan Legislature. The Wurtsmith Renaissance Zone was created in 1997, which exempted businesses and residents of the 5,000 acres (20 km²) zone from all state and most local taxes.

The Oscoda–Wurtsmith Airport is now a public airport. It occupies a portion of the base and is primarily used for cargo and light general aviation activities.[5] Other tenants include the Aune Medical Center, Alcona Health Center Dental Clinic, Alpena Community College, Yankee Air Force Museum - Wurtsmith Division,[6] and numerous private businesses. Some of the former military housing units have been refurbished and now serve as a major population base in the Oscoda area.

Oscoda is notable for being featured in the 2002 documentary film Bowling for Columbine, in a scene where Michael Moore interviews two young residents in a local pool and billiard parlor. Eric Harris, one of the shooters in the Columbine High School Massacre, spent some of his early years in Oscoda while his father was serving in the U.S. Air Force.[7]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 0.97 square miles (2.5 km²), of which 0.89 square miles (2.3 km²) are land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²), or 8.21%, are water.

Oscoda is considered part of Northern Michigan[8]^{[circular reference]} and is near the Huron National Forest, which offers outdoor recreational opportunities such as hunting, hiking, camping, nature-viewing, bicycling, snowmobiling, swimming, cross-country skiing, boating and fishing.[9][10] The forest contains over 369 miles (594 km) of hiking trails.[11]

Demographics

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 992 people, 460 households, and 260 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,135.7 per square mile (440.2/km²). There were 599 housing units at an average density of 685.8 per square mile (265.8/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 94.15% White, 0.40% Black or African American, 1.21% Native American, 1.71% Asian, 0.71% from other races, and 1.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.71% of the population.

There were 460 households, out of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 38.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.80.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 22.4% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 21.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $30,000, and the median income for a family was $42,250. Males had a median income of $24,667 versus $22,772 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $16,191. About 4.4% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Major highways

• US 23 is the main road through Oscoda, leading north 48 miles (77 km) to Alpena and southwest 16 miles (26 km) to Tawas City, the Iosco county seat.
• River Road National Scenic Byway, running parallel with the Au Sable River, is a designated National Scenic Byway for 23 miles (37 km) from Oscoda to the western border of Oscoda Township.[13]
• F-41 follows alongside Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport and connects Oscoda with nearby Mikado.

Bus

• Indian Trails provides daily intercity bus service between St. Ignace and Bay City, Michigan.[14]

Local attractions

• A historical museum is in Oscoda.[15]
• Michigan Shore to Shore Riding & Hiking Trail runs from Empire to Oscoda, and points north and south. It is a 500-mile (800 km) interconnected system of trails.[16]
• Destination Oscoda, details updated lists of Tourism Locations in the Charter Township of Oscoda, Michigan area.
• A local museum featuring the history of the Wurtsmith Air Force Base.[17]

Media

Newspapers

• The Iosco County News-Herald is the newspaper of record for Iosco County.[18]
• The Oscoda Press is a weekly newspaper serving northern Iosco County and southern Alcona County[19]
• The Alpena News[20] is the daily newspaper of record for much of northeastern Lower Peninsula of Michigan.[21]
• Daily editions of the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News are also available throughout the area.

Radio

• WCMB-FM 95.7 FM is a simulcast of Central Michigan University's WCMU-FM in Mount Pleasant, Michigan and offers a public radio format.
• WWTH 100.7 FM is a classic rock format based in Alpena, with its city of license as Oscoda.

Climate

This climatic region is typified by 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, Oscoda has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.[22]

Notable People

Notable people from Oscoda, Michigan:

• Jack Henry Abbott (1944-2002) - author and murderer
• Charles Pierce Davey (1925-2002) - welterweight boxer
• Wally Gilbert (1900-1958) - baseball, basketball, and football player
• Darryl Hall (born 1966), football player
• Charles McRae (born 1968) - football player

References

External links

• Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography on Iosco County
• List of events and calendar for Oscoda
• Oscoda Area Chamber of Commerce calendar of events