Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City | |
|---|---|
Downtown Traverse City Grand Traverse County Courthouse | |
| Etymology: French: la grande traverse (the long crossing) | |
| Nickname(s): "Traverse", "T.C.", "The Cherry Capital (of the World)", "Cherryland", "Queen City of the North", "Coast Guard City", "Hockeytown North" | |
| Coordinates: 44°46′05″N 85°37′20″W / 44.76806°N 85.62222°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| Counties | Grand Traverse Leelanau |
| Settled | June 13, 1847 |
| Incorporated | April 18, 1881 (village) May 18, 1895 (city) |
| Founded by | Perry Hannah, Albert Lay, Horace Boardman |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager |
| • Mayor | Amy Shamroe (D) |
| • City manager | Liz Vogel |
| Area | |
| 8.61 sq mi (22.30 km2) | |
| • Land | 8.28 sq mi (21.43 km2) |
| • Water | 0.34 sq mi (0.87 km2) |
| Elevation | 626 ft (191 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| 15,678 | |
• Estimate (2023) | 15,707 |
| • Density | 1,894.39/sq mi (731.43/km2) |
| • Metro | 153,448 (Traverse City metropolitan area) |
| Demonym | "Traverse Citian(s)" |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) | 49684, 49685, 49686, 49696 |
| Area code | 231 |
| FIPS code | 26-80340 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1615042 |
| Website | traversecitymi.gov |
Traverse City (/ˈtrævərs/ TRAV-ərss) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although it partly extends into Leelanau County. The city's population was 15,678 at the 2020 census, while the four-county Traverse City metropolitan area had 153,448 residents. Traverse City is the largest city in Northern Michigan.
Traverse City is at the head of the East and West arms of Grand Traverse Bay, a 32-mile-long (51 km) bay of Lake Michigan. Grand Traverse Bay is divided into arms by the 18-mile-long (29 km) Old Mission Peninsula, which is attached at its base to Traverse City. The city borders four townships–East Bay, Elmwood, Garfield, and Peninsula–all of which are primarily suburban.
Traverse City is nicknamed "the Cherry Capital of the World", as the area surrounding Grand Traverse Bay is a hotspot for cherry production. The city hosts the National Cherry Festival, attracting approximately 500,000 visitors annually. The Traverse City area is also known for its wine production. Two American Viticultural Areas are adjacent to the city. Traverse City is home to the Traverse City State Hospital, a former state psychiatric institution, and Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City.