Bad Axe, Michigan
Bad Axe is a city of 2,992 people in Huron County, Michigan, founded in 1870.
Why visit Bad Axe
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 7 parks and trails, 17 places to eat, 4 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Bad Axe Theater, Albert E. Sleeper House, Bad Axe City Park and Wilcox Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 80°F; January lows average 16°F.
Weather in Bad Axe
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Bad Axe
Bad Axe is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Huron County in the Thumb region of the Lower Peninsula. The population was 3,021 at the 2020 census, making it the largest community in Huron County and second largest in the Upper Thumb, after Caro.
From the Wikipedia article Bad Axe, Michigan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks2
Albert E. Sleeper House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic house in Bad Axe, Michigan, USA
Parks, trails and playgrounds7
Restaurants and cafes17
Rachel's
Diner · American · 0.5 mi
752 North Van Dyke Road, Bad Axe
Mo-We 11:00-21:00; Th-Fr 11:00-22:00; Sa 12:00-22:00
Taco Bell
Fast food · Tex-Mex · 0.9 mi
852 North Van Dyke Road, Bad Axe
Mo-Th 08:30-01:30; Fr-Sa 08:30-04:00; Su 08:30-01:30
5 more on the map.
History
The city was established in 1905. The city's unusual name dates to the time of its settlement. While surveying the first state road through the Huron County wilderness in 1861, Rudolph Papst and George Willis Pack made camp at the future site of the city and found a much-used and badly damaged axe. At Pack's suggestion, Papst used the name “Bad Axe Camp” in the minutes of the survey and on a sign he placed along the main trail. The first post office in Bad Axe was established in 1870.
From the History section of Bad Axe, Michigan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay4
Churches and places of worship11
Bad Axe Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Church · Seventh Day Adventist
229 Willis Street, Bad Axe
Calvary Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 1.1 mi
886 South Van Dyke Road, Bad Axe
First Presbyerian Church
Church · Presbyterian
112 East Woodworth Street, Bad Axe
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic
3111 Whitelam Street, Bad Axe
Shopping7
Gas and EV charging7
Schools, colleges and libraries10
Healthcare1
Map of Bad Axe
67 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°F | 16°F | 2.0 in |
| Feb | 30°F | 16°F | 1.9 in |
| Mar | 40°F | 23°F | 1.8 in |
| Apr | 53°F | 33°F | 3.2 in |
| May | 66°F | 45°F | 3.3 in |
| Jun | 76°F | 55°F | 3.2 in |
| Jul | 80°F | 60°F | 3.7 in |
| Aug | 78°F | 58°F | 3.4 in |
| Sep | 72°F | 51°F | 3.2 in |
| Oct | 59°F | 41°F | 2.9 in |
| Nov | 45°F | 31°F | 2.4 in |
| Dec | 34°F | 23°F | 2.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Bad Axe (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Huron County has had 4 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-03-27: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2001-01-10: Snow (Snowstorm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Tuscola Area Airport (TZC) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 33 miles away.
- Ubly 7 mi southeast, about 12 min by car
- Elkton 9 mi west, about 15 min by car
- Kinde 9 mi north, about 15 min by car
- Pigeon 14 mi west, about 22 min by car
- Cass City 17 mi southwest, about 27 min by car
- Harbor Beach 17 mi east, about 28 min by car
- Au Gres 38 mi northwest, about 1 h by car
- Bay City 47 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Saginaw 55 mi southwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Auburn 56 mi west, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Bad Axe Theatre, Greta Suiter, CC BY 4.0
- ISS065-E-82235 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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