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Bay

Northcut Bay

Also Northcutt Bay (MNFI report spelling)

Draft — sources verified, prose evolving

Locator map: Northcut Bay highlighted within the Beaver Island archipelago
Locator plate © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0); depths NOAA; names USGS GNIS. How the plates are drawn.
TypeBay
Coordinates45.7761° N, 85.4840° WGoogle MapsDownload KML
WithinGarden Island
On this page
Locator map: Northcut Bay highlighted within the Beaver Island archipelago
Locator plate © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0); depths NOAA; names USGS GNIS. How the plates are drawn.
BayGNIS 633677
Coordinates
45.7761° N, 85.4840° WGoogle MapsDownload KML
Concepts
toponymymaritimeenvironmentgeologysoilswetlandshydrologyvegetationplantstreesconservationstewardshipinvasive-species
Within
Garden Island

Summary

Northcut Bay is a GNIS-named bay in the Beaver Island archipelago. The current OpenStreetMap snapshot contains a matching named natural=bay node carrying GNIS feature 633677. These records establish present geographic use of the name, but not the Northcut family or any historical landing, harbor, or shoreline function.

Ecological profile

MNFI Report 2017-11 records a 37-acre Northcutt and Monatou Bays coastal fen (EO 10574, rank AB, G1G2/S2) on Garden Island. The occurrence grades into Great Lakes marsh and limestone cobble shore, with its margins shifting as Great Lakes water levels fluctuate. The Northcutt portion has shallow 8–10-centimeter organic soils over alkaline sands (about pH 8.0), while the Monatou portion is characterized by alkaline gravelly marl (about pH 8.0).

The Northcutt fen wraps a large marl pond and includes wiregrass sedge, tufted bulrush, alpine bulrush, pitcher plant, false asphodel, bog goldenrod, Indian paintbrush, and bastard-toadflax. The report considers the Monatou portion suitable habitat for Hine’s emerald dragonfly, a state and federally threatened species, but does not document a confirmed population there.

The same report separately identifies a 156-acre Monatou Bay limestone cobble shore (EO 20448, rank A, G2G3/S3; report p. 77), described as the only A-ranked limestone cobble shore in Michigan in that report. Alkaline wet gravelly sands and organic material occur among cobbles and boulders. Waves, seiches, storm surges, and longer lake-level cycles rework the shore, while driftwood and plant debris provide habitat and organic matter. MNFI observed no threats in these records and recommends allowing natural lake processes, maintaining buffers, and monitoring invasive plants.

These are historical ecological observations and source-defined occurrences, not a current legal boundary, property or ownership determination, water-level assessment, dragonfly census, or complete survey of Northcutt Bay, Monatou Bay, or Garden Island.

Open questions

  • Who or what gave Northcut Bay its name?
  • Can local family records, maps, or newspapers establish the bay’s historical use?
  • How do the MNFI occurrence polygons relate to the GNIS point, current shoreline, land status, and the relationship between Northcut and Monatou Bays?

Maps for this place

These Atlas plates provide regional context. They do not establish a precise boundary, current ownership, access right, operating status, or field condition.

  • EnvironmentSoils, wetlands, hydrography, and terrain
  • GeologyGeneralized geology and landforms
  • HydrologyMapped water and wetland context
  • AccessMapped routes, facilities, and protected areas

Sources

  1. GNIS feature 633677; feature class 'Bay'.
    federal · gnis · gnis_names
  2. Node 369020738 is named Northcut Bay, tagged natural=bay, and carries GNIS feature 633677.
    osm · water
  3. Project-generated MNFI 2017 soil, vegetation, and wildlife crosswalk, preserving MNFI Report 2017-11, Northcutt and Monatou Bays coastal fen (EO 10574), report p. 41.
    The report uses “Northcutt Bay”; this article retains that spelling as source evidence while the GNIS record is “Northcut Bay.” The 37-acre occurrence is a natural-community record, not a current legal boundary, ownership determination, or complete survey. No public copy of this file is known; the archive holds one and can provide it on request.
    research · island_farming · crosswalks · mnfi_soil_vegetation_wildlife_crosswalk
  4. Visual page evidence held with provenance sidecar; the image anchors the named occurrence and does not establish modern geometry or current condition.
    research · island_farming · evidence · mnfi-report-2017-11-page-0041-northcutt-monatou-bays-coastal-fen

Added 28 July 2026 · revised 3 August 2026. Recent changes

Cite this article

Beaver Island Archive, “Northcut Bay”, https://beaverislandarchive.org/places/northcut-bay/, accessed [date], citing U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System, Domestic Names (Michigan), retrieved 2026-07-28. (and 3 further sources listed on the page).

Last revised 2026-08-03. Fill in [date] with the date you read it — this page is static and cannot know that.

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