If Northern Michigan Ever Got a Major City – This Would Be It

It's well known to just about anyone who looks at a map of Michigan, the vast majority of the state's population lives in the lower portion of the state. And not just the Lower Peninsula as a whole, but the lower half to quarter of the Lower Peninsula. Name a top-of-mind Michigan city and it's almost certainly there: Detroit, Grand Rapids, Flint, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Saginaw....

But what if a major metropolis grew in Northern Michigan. Where would it flourish?

Get our free mobile app

That question came up recently on the Geography subreddit of Reddit with this hypothetical:

say climate change forces millions of people to move to the mitten. What location would be the best spot to develop into a Chicago sized metropolis?

The scenario is limited to Northern Lower Michigan, so we'll leave Upper Peninsula locations like Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie out of the fantasy discussion.

READ MORE: Wargamers Agree - Michigan is One of the Best States to Defend in an Invasion + Where in Northern Michigan Does the Great Lakes become the Northwoods?

Here are some contenders for a Northern Michigan Metropolis:

The Case for Traverse City as a Major Michigan Metropolis

Perhaps Traverse City would be the megalopolis of Michigan. It already is the anchor city of the region with the largest airport, explosive population in the summer months and a nationally renowned Cherry Festival. Despite being tucked deep into Grand Traverse Bay many miles from the open waters of Lake Michigan, the city is said to have a sufficiently deep natural harbor. Petoskey has the same, but is more exposed to the weather variants of the big lake.

The Case for an Inland Major City in Northern Michigan as a Metropolis

Consider Grayling or Gaylord. Both are in the interior of the Northern Lower Peninsula and have a key advantage of being on the only interstate route through the region, I-75.  With Camp Grayling, there is a history of a major military installation and the jobs they can historically support.

👇🏼BELOW: The Largest Cities in Michigan Without a Nickname + These Very Special Streets Run Directly Along the Coast of Lake Michigan👇🏼

The Case for Alpena as a Michigan Metropolis

Little, often-overlooked Alpena is the largest city on Michigan's Lake Huron coast. It is far from interstate travel and a shallower harbor - evidenced perhaps by the history of hundreds of shipwrecks in the waters off Alpena. The city is growing in a surprising industry, fast food. The city is home to a revolutionary fast food renaissance with smaller footprint restaurants catering to takeaway and drive-thru parks.