History of Delta County
Delta county is situated in the southeast-central part of the Upper
Peninsula on the shores of Lake Michigan and Green bay. The southern
portion of the county is washed by the waters of the latter, and the northern portion of the interior by Big and Little Bays de Noquet—arms of
Green bay—which extend sharply inland to form Peninsula Point, which
divides the two bodies of water mentioned. Ford river waters the southwestern portions of ihe county, flowing in a southerly direction and entering Green bay about, eight miles south of Escanaba. The Escanaba, or
Flat Rock river, rises in the southeastern part of Marquette county,
crosses the southwestern part of Delta county, and flows into Little Bay
de Noquet, at the town of Flat Rock, seven miles north of the county seat.
Rapid and White Fish rivers empty into the head of the Little Bay, while
Sturgeon river and other streams come in from the north to mingle their
waters with Big Bay de Noquet. Thus the shore lines of the county are
deeply indented and veined by the two bays and numerous streams flowing into them, and as some of the early settlers also fancied they saw in
such configurations a resemblance to the mouths of the Nile, the county
received the name of Delta. Like the historic river of the Old World,
the inland streams also bear toward the coast rich deposits of soil, which
is espeeially evident on the eastern shores of Big Bay de Noquet. The
streams are the sources of valuable water-powers, the most largely developed being those of Flat Rock river.
With its numerous streams and inland lakes, Delta county offers
unusual facilities for water transportation and, in connection with the
Chicago & Northwestern and the Escanaba & Lake Superior railroads,
its conveniences are unrivaled for the expedient handling of its timber
and ore. Escanaba and Gladstone, its chief centers of industry, commerce and trade, are on the west shore of Little Bay, and represent
large and important enterprises in lumbering, iron manufactories and the transportation of ore and coal.
A History of the Northern Penisula of Michigan and its People - by Alvah L. Sawyer 1854-1925 Lewis Publishing 1911
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