St. James, Michigan
St. James is a community of 269 people in Charlevoix County, Michigan.
Why visit St. James
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 6 parks and trails, 4 places to eat, 5 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Beaver Island Harbor Light, Beaver Island Harbor Lighthouse, Feodar Protar Cabin and Mormon Print Shop.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 76°F; February lows average 14°F.
Weather in St. James
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About St. James
St. James is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Charlevoix County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population of the CDP was 145 at the 2020 census. The community is located within St. James Township.
From the Wikipedia article St. James, Michigan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Beaver Island Harbor Light
Lighthouse · 1.0 mi
Lighthouse in Michigan, United States
Museums and landmarks5
Feodar Protar Cabin
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Historic log cabin on Beaver Island, near St. James, Michigan, United States
Mormon Print Shop
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Museum on Beaver Island, Michigan
Central Michigan University Boathouse
Monument and historic site · 1.0 mi
Originally the Coast Guard Station boathouse
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Parks, trails and playgrounds6
Restaurants and cafes4
Circle M Bar & Restaurant
Restaurant · 1.1 mi
26300 Old Church Crest Road, Beaver Island
History
The community was settled as early as 1847 when James Jesse Strang took over his Mormon church and settled his colony on Beaver Island. Originally part of Michilimackinac County, it received a post office named Beaver Island on January 13, 1849, with Charles Wright serving as the first postmaster. Strang named the new community after himself, and the post office was renamed St. James on October 10, 1854, when it became part of Emmet County. Strang declared himself to be a king—the only king ever crowned in the United States. After Strang's murder in 1856 by disgruntled followers, the community began to fold, and the post office closed on March 6, 1868. Charles Wright restored the post office under the name Beaver Island on December 19, 1868, and served again as postmaster. During the 1870s, St. James was also referred as Beaver Harbor. By 1895, the Mormons left the island, and St. James became part of Charlevoix County. It is now a resort community.
The community of St. James was listed as a newly organized census-designated place for the 2010 census, meaning it now has officially defined boundaries and population statistics for the first time.
From the History section of St. James, Michigan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay5
Churches and places of worship2
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries3
Map of St. James
30 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27°F | 15°F |
| Feb | 28°F | 14°F |
| Mar | 37°F | 21°F |
| Apr | 49°F | 31°F |
| May | 63°F | 42°F |
| Jun | 72°F | 52°F |
| Jul | 76°F | 58°F |
| Aug | 75°F | 59°F |
| Sep | 68°F | 52°F |
| Oct | 55°F | 42°F |
| Nov | 43°F | 32°F |
| Dec | 33°F | 23°F |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for St James 4Ssw Beaver (4 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
Charlevoix County has had 5 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2026-06-30: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2025-07-22: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2020-03-27: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Schoolcraft County Airport (ISQ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 35 miles away.
- Charlevoix 32 mi southeast, about 52 min by car
- Harbor Springs 34 mi southeast, about 54 min by car
- Petoskey 36 mi southeast, about 58 min by car
- Mackinaw City 37 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Manistique 38 mi northwest, about 1 h by car
- Pellston 38 mi east, about 1 h by car
- St. Ignace 40 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Newberry 42 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Boyne City 44 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- East Jordan 44 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- 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
- Protar Cabin, front view, Jhflanagan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Whiskey Point, Charles W. Bash ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mormon Print shop (cropped), Jhflanagan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mormon Print shop, Jhflanagan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mormon Print Shop, side view, Jhflanagan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mormon Print Shop, Museum exhibit, Jhflanagan, CC BY-SA 3.0
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