Community Profile
Location / Geography
Bergland Township is a rural civil and general law township located in the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan, on the western side of Ontonagon County. Ontonagon is Michigan’s third largest county by land area but has the third-smallest population.
The southern part of the township includes approximately the northern half of Lake Gogebic. The township’s two unincorporated communities, Bergland and Merriweather, are both located on the northern shore of the lake. The community of Bergland is situated at the junction of highways M-28 and M-64 North, whereas Merriweather is located three miles west at the junction of M-28 and M-64 South.
Bergland plays an important part in the recreation activities surrounding Lake Gogebic and draws a large number of visitors and seasonal residents from Lower Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois, among other states.
Important communities surrounding Bergland include:
- Ironwood – Small city (pop. 5,045) on western border of Upper Peninsula; a hub for retail, services, and healthcare. A drive of 30-40 minutes west from Bergland (CDP), Ironwood has the closest airport with commercial passenger service (Gogebic-Iron County Airport).
- Ontonagon – Village (pop. 1,285) and county seat of Ontonagon County, with various government offices. The village, a drive of slightly more than a half-hour from Bergland, is located in the northern part of the county on the shore of Lake Superior.
- Marquette – Largest city (pop. 20,629) in the Upper Peninsula; a commercial, service, healthcare, and governmental hub, approximately a two-hour drive east from Bergland.
- Wausau, Wisconsin – The township’s closest metropolitan area (pop. 138,013), located approximately a 2 1/2-hour drive south, with a large number and variety of options for shopping, services, and healthcare.
- Duluth, Minnesota – Another metropolitan area (pop. 280,384), just slightly farther than Wausau, west of Bergland; offers similar options and amenities.
Climate
The township has a humid continental climate: Summers are warm and can be humid, and winters are relatively severe (cold and snowy). The warmest month is July, with an average temperature of 65 degrees and average high temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The coldest month is January, with an average temperature of 11 degrees; temperatures below zero are fairly common. According to the National Climatic Data Center, the average snowfall is about 155 inches of snow, though it can range from around 100 inches to nearly 300 inches. The Township usually experiences its first frost near the end of August and last frost around mid-June. Depending on elevation, the average growing season is approximately 75 days.
Economy
Bergland Township was organized in the early 1900s primarily around timber harvesting and milling. Later, many residents were employed by the White Pine Copper Mine, located 12 miles north of Bergland on M-64. The mine closed in 1995, causing many residents to migrate out and leaving tourism as the main economic activity. Today this is evidenced by the township’s many hospitality businesses, and most residences are occupied for only part of the year.
In the years immediately succeeding the pandemic there has been a slight uptick in Ontonagon County’s population, and the township has new opportunities for growth owing in part to attractiveness for remote work. Fiber optic broadband is now available to the vast majority of township residents, including in Bergland, Merriweather, and the West Shore of Lake Gogebic within the township.
Education and Healthcare
- K-12 Public School – Bergland is located within the Ewen-Trout Creek (ETC) Consolidated School District. The single school building is in the community of Ewen, 13 miles east of Bergland.
- Higher Education – Gogebic Community College is located in Ironwood. Michigan Technological University, the nearest public university and an internationally known research institution, is located in Houghton. Northern Michigan University is located in Marquette.
- Healthcare – The closest hospital and emergency department is Aspirus Ironwood. Regional medical centers are in Duluth, Wausau, and Marquette.
Population
The 2020 Decennial Census reported a population of 438 in the township. The median age is 63, with 43.8% of residents age 65 and older. The township has two Census designated places (CDPs): Bergland, population 141, and Lake Gogebic, population 122. Lake Gogebic CDP is comprised of part of the northwest shore of the lake, including Merriweather. The average household size is 1.8 persons.
Housing
There are 566 housing units in the township, 237 (41.9%) of which are occupied. Most of the “unoccupied” units are used seasonally or for short term rental. Of occupied units, 91.6% are owner-occupied; the remainder are renter-occupied. The vast majority of all occupied units are single-family detached homes. About two-thirds of the township’s occupied units are located in either Bergland or Lake Gogebic CDP, with the remainder in outlying areas.
As in much of the country, housing availability and affordability are among Bergland Township’s greatest concerns. As of summer 2024, a new master plan is under development that will have a special focus on increasing production of housing.
Utilities and Communications
- Electricity – Available throughout township primarily from Xcel Energy; some areas served by Upper Peninsula Power Co. (UPPCO)
- Natural gas – Available in community of Bergland from Xcel Energy
- Municipal water – Available in community of Bergland
- Municipal sewer – Available in communities of Bergland and Merriweather/northwest Lake Gogebic
- Cable television – Available in communities of Bergland and Merriweather/northwest Lake Gogebic from Spectrum
- High-speed wired broadband internet – Available in communities of Bergland and Merriweather/northwest Lake Gogebic from Spectrum (cable) and Michigan Broadband Services (fiber optic); the latter also extends to some outlying areas and down the west shore of the lake to the southern township boundary
- Newspapers (weekly) – Ontonagon Herald and Ironwood Globe