Dakota Heights, Michigan

Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Dakota Heights is an unincorporated community in Portage Charter Township,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Houghton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is an enclave surrounded on all four sides<ref name="Greer">Template:Cite web</ref> by the extreme western part of the city of Houghton (on the fourth by Portage Lake (or, depending on the definition of terms, the Portage Lake Shipping Canal)); it is non-contiguous with any other part of Portage Township. (However, it was formerly served by the water lines of Adams Township.)<ref name="survey">Template:Cite web</ref> Living in Dakota Heights is at least sometimes regarded as living "in town" (Houghton).Template:Cn

History

Dakota Heights was platted in 1906 and named after the Dacotah Mining Company, which operated briefly in its vicinity.<ref name="Greer" /> It provided housing for workers on the Copper Range Railroad, which had a number of facilities immediately to the north;<ref name="Greer" /> the company owned most of the housing. It remains "primarily residential,"<ref name="Greer" /> though some businesses have opened (and closed) in it over the years, including a former motel, and currently a podiatrist's office, restaurant<ref name="Greer" /> spa, and bank.

Geography

Dakota Heights originally sat at the west end of Houghton's Shelden Avenue.<ref name="Greer" /> West of Dakota Heights was originally countryside, prior to the development of the M-26 corridor that began in the mid-1970s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Climate

Dakota Heights has a humid continental climate but winters are typically long and snowy with much lake effect snow.

Environmental issues

Pollution in Huron Creek, arguably from inadequate private septic systems<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> has contributed to the growth of algae.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Education

The local school district is Houghton-Portage Township Schools. Students K-12 are served by Houghton Elementary (K-5), Middle (6-8), and High (9-12) schools.Houghton-Portage Township Schools

The Rock School formerly served Dakota Heights and the surrounding area.

Infrastructure

Transportation

In 1979 Highway M-26 was rerouted through the community, bisecting it. Park Avenue had formerly served as the main route from Houghton to Atlantic Mine, but this was replaced by the new route of the highway.<ref name="Greer" />

Houghton Motor Transit operates a demand bus that serves the community, but "curb to curb" services is only for Houghton residents, and as it is outside the city limits of Houghton rates with one terminus in Dakota Heights are higher.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, there are no regularly scheduled route buses operating in the community.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

A snowmobile trail runs along Dakota Heights' Park Avenue.<ref name="survey" />