Ludington, Michigan
Ludington (/ˈlʌdɪŋtən/ LUH-ding-tən) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat and the largest city in Mason County.[5] The population was 7,655 at the 2020 census.[3]
The city is located at the mouth of the Pere Marquette River at Lake Michigan. Nearby are Ludington State Park (which includes the Big Sable Point Light), Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness, and Manistee National Forest. Ludington is the home port of the SS Badger, a vehicle and passenger ferry with daily service in the summer across Lake Michigan to Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
Geography[edit]
Ludington is in western Mason County, on the east shore of Lake Michigan and north shore of its inlet, Pere Marquette Lake. It is 58 miles (93 km) north of Muskegon, 25 miles (40 km) south of Manistee, Michigan, and 50 miles (80 km) west of Reed City.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Ludington has a total area of 3.61 square miles (9.35 km2), of which 3.36 square miles (8.70 km2) are land and 0.25 square miles (0.65 km2), or 6.80%, are water.[2]
The Ludington North Breakwall Light is at the end of the north pierhead on Lake Michigan. Ludington is part of Northern Michigan.
/ LMCT is a freeway to the south of a junction with US 10 east of Ludington. US 31 and US 10 run concurrently for about five miles (8 km) east of Ludington before US 31 turns northerly again at Scottville.[13]
US 31
is a spur route providing access to Ludington State Park, to the north of the city, from US 10 downtown.[15]
M-116
All four highways in Mason County go through, or near Ludington.
Industry[edit]
Just south of Ludington is the Ludington Pumped Storage Power Plant, which generates pumped storage hydroelectricity. In town, there are Whitehall Industries, a division of the UACJ group (aluminum extrusion and aluminum fabrication), Occidental Petroleum Corporation (manufacturer of calcium chloride products), Great Lakes Castings Corporation, Amptech, Inc., and Carrom Company. The Fitch Four Drive Tractor Company was founded in Ludington. FloraCraft, Great Lakes Castings, and Brill are also three big factories there. Whitehall Industries has three manufacturing facilities in Ludington.
Media[edit]
Ludington is home to four radio stations and one newspaper. The original radio station was WKLA, which continues today with a talk radio format at 1450 AM. In the 1970s, WKLA-FM (Adult Contemporary) and WKZC-FM (Country, licensed to nearby Scottville) were added. In 1999, WMOM-FM (Top 40, licensed to Pentwater) signed on the air. The Ludington Daily News has been serving the Ludington area from its location on N. Rath Avenue since the 1880s.[22] The Daily News website records over 4,000 visitors each day.
Education[edit]
Students in Ludington attend Ludington Area Schools. Students attend Ludington Elementary School (grades PreK-5), O.J. DeJonge Middle School (grades 6-8), and Ludington High School (grades 9-12). Ludington's teams are known as the "Orioles".[23][24]
The Red Door Art Gallery
Old Hamlin Restaurant downtown
Harbor View Marina
Ludington Municipal Marina
Playground at Harbor View Marina
The Small Pavilion at Harbor View Marina
U.S. Coast Guard building
Lighthouse by Stearns Park in Ludington
