Boyne City  is a city in Charlevoix County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,503 at the 2000 census.

Boyne City is at the southeast end of the east arm of Lake Charlevoix, where the Boyne River enters the lake. It is at the corners of four townships, though it is politically independent: Evangeline Township is to the northwest, Melrose Township to the northeast, Boyne Valley Township to the southeast, and Wilson Township to the southwest.

M-75 connects with US 131 twice, at Walloon Lake about 6 miles (9.7 km) to the northeast and at Boyne Falls about 6 miles (9.7 km) to the southeast. County roads run west out of the city along the north and south shores of Lake Charlevoix.

 9th Annual Boyne Thunder

Speed, excitement and smiles return to northern Michigan for the eighth annual Boyne Thunder Poker Run on "July 13 and 14, 2012" in beautiful Boyne City. This unique boating event showcases high performance boats, some sporting several thousand horsepower, slicing through the waters of Lake Charlevoix and Lake Michigan on a 90-mile excursion.

In addition to a great event in a beautiful area, what has made Boyne Thunder special is its relationship with Camp Quality, a non-profit organization that provides special experiences and support for children with cancer. The goal of Camp Quality is to allow children with cancer to be children again, facilitate experiences and friendships, and provide confidence for these special children and their families in a way that matters. Since it began, Boyne Thunder has raised more than $220,000 for Camp Quality and it has become an important part of the camp’s success.

      Camp Quality - Our  Mission...

Our Approach...

"Camp Quality is truly amazing and it changes the lives of everyone involved FOREVER!! The children at this camp are without doubt the most inspiring people I have ever met."

- Camp Quality Volunteer

Other Great Events throughout the Year...

Boyne City’s Irish Heritage Festival was  expanded from one night to an Irish Heritage Week with a full range of themed events from March 13 through March 20, 2011. This was the fourth year of the celebration of BoyneCity’s Irish foundations, which began when Irish immigrants John and Harriet Miller settled here in 1856.

In addition to a dinner on March 18, the festival included a four-night Irish Film Festival, two Celtic music sessions, a lecture on Irish history, an Irish dance workshop and a genealogy workshop to provide help tracing family lineage back to the “Olde Country.” Many local businesses will be offering some special Irish items, and decorating their establishments in suitable Irish décor.

BRAND NEW EXCITING ATTRACTION!!!

"Wildwood Rush" explains it all!  Get ready to soar through the forests and explore the wilds of Northern Michigan at Wildwood Rush Canopy Tours! Our guests fly down over 5,000 feet of zip lines, cross five sky bridges, and take in amazing views of Lake Charlevoix from our tree platforms high above the forest floor. Click here to see our latest videos!

Wildwood Rush - New Local Zip Line & Canopy Tour

Located along high ridges and over scenic valleys just West of Boyne City, our zip line tour is designed to provide access to reaches of the forest canopy and views of the area otherwise not available to hikers and explorers. The 2.5 to 3.0-hour canopy tour has been designed to educate, entertain and inspire adventurers of all ages. Groups of 8 guests are escorted by 2 experienced guides familiar with the local ecology and natural history of Northern Michigan and are prepared to ensure an engaging zipline experience. Whether you're a thrill seeker, nature-lover, or both, your zip line canopy tour guides are certain to make the zip line canopy tour an experience you'll share and recount for years to come. So whether it's your birthday or anniversary; whether you are looking for something fun to do with your family; helping to arrange a corporate outing or you are just looking for something new to try; come out and join us in the trees. We look forward to meeting you!

 May 17-20 - 52nd Annual National Morel Mushroom Festival, Veterans Park Each May, Boyne City MI fills with hundreds of mushroom lovers from around the country who come seeking that elusive delicacy-the marvelous morel. Found in nearby woods and clearings, morels are favored by those who know their 'shrooms.

Boyne City hosts the National Morel Mushroom Festival and the Boyne Valley Lion's National Morel Mushroom Hunt each year, and for a few short days, everything is all  about mushrooms. Restaurants prepare exotic, morel-laden entrees,  local songsters sing of the morel,  secret hunting places and recipes are shared, and everybody goes on the mushroom hunt. A good year can yield thousands of the mouth-watering treats. But, even when a dry spell or late spring makes morels scarce, morels can be tasted at the 'Taste of Morels' and the festival is always fun for everyone.

 Stroll the Streets fills downtown Boyne City with music and fun every summer Friday evening from 6 to 9pm from late June through Labor Day weekend. 2011 marks the eigth year for Stroll the Streets, which is organized by the Boyne City Main Street Program. Music ranges from traditional fold, bluegrass and jazz to rock. Special activities include magicians, caricature artists, face-paintiner and balloon-twisters. Thanks to our sponsors! From it's modest beginning, Stroll the Streets has grown to become the signature event for downtown Boyne City. The program is funded by contributions from Boyne City businesses. "The suppport we receive from our community is outstanding," said event organizer Karen Buziniczak. "This makes it possible to create such a wonderful event for our town."

 The Boyne City Main Street Program is a grassroots, a volunteer-driven program dedicated towards the historic preservation and economic development of Boyne City's downtown. The program follows the national "Main Street Four-Point Approach" to revitalization developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The four points focus on the Design, Economic Restructuring, Organization, and Promotion of the downtown.

Boyne City's Main Street program has been recognized by the state as Michigan's "Premier Main Street" and is one of the twelve communities recently nominated for a National Main Street award.

Click on the following link to watch a video about what makes the Boyne City and their Main Street program so special.   Boyne City Main Street Video 2011

 4th of July Celebration includes activities for the whole family. Bring the kids and enjoy the carnival while walking around looking and buying local art. Other features are a running race, parade, and last but surely not the least, the famous "Boyne City Fireworks", the ones that everyone in surrounding cities come to watch and enjoy the terrific show.

 First weekend in October the Boyne Area Chamber will host it's annual Fall Harvest Festival. Farmers markets and vendors will set up their wares on main street.  Fun, food and entertainment for the whole family! Color tours of beautiful Northern Michigan round our the festival. For more information click here.

 click here.

Year round recreation for the whole family that's close by...

Boyne Mountain Resort and Spa

This resort offers something for everyone with year round activities from the summer you can golf, hike, ride the New Zipline, Spa amenities to the winter activities including skiing, tubing, racing down the Zipline to splashing aound in the constant 85 degrees largest indoor water park in Michigan. For additional information click here.

Avalanche Preserve Recreation Area  

The Avalanche Mountain Preserve comprises 300 plus acres of woodland located on the southern border of Boyne Ciyt, Michigna in Charlevoix County and extends beyond the City limits into Wilson Township. The area is a predominantly sloping terrain with approximately 90% of the park wooded. The area offer many recreation activities including hikings, biking, skiing, skating, jogging and snowmobiling and the newest addition, an archery range and disc golf. 

Lake Charlevoix water fun

Lake Charlevoix is surrounded with some beautiful sandy beaches for summer fun. Or  you can go out in your boat while enjoying tubing, skiing or just sailing around enjoying the fresh air on your face. The lake offers great fishing year round with several species of fish. Whatever your reason for wanting to be on the lake, you're sure to find it here.

With a surface area over 17,200 acres it is the 3rd largest lake in Michigan. The beauty of Lake Charlevoix has attracted visitors for more than a century with it's clean water, scenic shoreline, and superb fishing. Lake Charlevoix's tributaries are also a draw with their good water quality and trout fishing opportunities. The largest tributary, the Jordan River, is a State-designated natural river.

History in Boyne City

Dilworth Hotel gets breath of life

BOYNE CITY -- The nearly century-old Dilworth Hotel in downtown Boyne City received a state grant that will allow investors to restore the historic building and re-open it next year, just in time for its 100th birthday.

"It's a major step forward. This has been a long-term project," said Tom Johnson, a partner with Boyne City-based Landmark Development.

The company intends to buy the property and restore the old hotel to its original condition. A $600,000 grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation's strategic fund will help that plan become a reality.

"It's restoration, rather than renovation," Johnson said. "It's an historic destination in itself and it has a very rich history. That character is great for Boyne City and it already has been for 100 years."

Johnson said the idea is to strongly feature the hotel's specific history -- including visits by internationally known author Ernest Hemingway -- and perhaps even have employees dress in period clothing.

It's also listed on the National Registry for Historical Buildings, click here.

Frank Orin Barden was born on February 3, 1876 in a log cabin on his parents farm in Crockery Township, Michigan. F.O. learned a good hard work ethic helping with the family farm, but then, took off at an early age to work as a lumberjack at the lumber camps around Michigan. F. O. received business training at Davenport Institue in Grand Rapids. He worked for the Michigan Trust Company and was commissioned in 1916, to reorganze the Boyne City Railroad and Boyne Lumber Company and in 1922 opened F.O. Barden & Son. In 1936 the youngest son Al came on board and worked with his father until 1951 when F. O. passed away. Al ran the company until he semi-retired in 1975. F. O. Barden & Sons have survived two fires, one in 1969 that destroyed only part of the building but the one in 1979 was a total loss. Now, in 2007 F. O.'s grandson Ed Barden and his son Paul are at the help and still providing the same helpful, courteous service.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.2 square miles (13 km²), of which, 3.9 square miles (10 km²) of it is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it (25.24%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,503 people, 1,468 households, and 932 families residing in the city. The population density was 896.7 per square mile (345.9/km²). There were 1,935 housing units at an average density of 495.3 per square mile (191.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.92% White, 0.11% African American, 1.14% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.40% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.74% of the population.

There were 1,468 households out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couplesliving together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,819, and the median income for a family was $44,096. Males had a median income of $29,558 versus $22,583 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,030. About 8.9% of families and 11.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.2% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.