Bay

Formed February 17, 1857 (72^nd county)

Bay County (103,856), Bay City (32,660)                

A Modern tan brick building is the 1998 courthouse.  The masonry old courthouse now serves as the County Administration Building.  This 1932 facility and the 1869 courthouse were both in Bay City, the only county seat.  Veteran memorials are on the grounds of the old courthouse.  The new courthouse sits on Washington Avenue at 2^nd Street.  Interstate State Highway 75 Business is six blocks to the south of the site.  The architect of the new courthouse is Quinn Evans.  The old courthouse was designed by Joseph C. Goddeyne.  The county was formed on February 17, 1857 from Midland, Saginaw and Arenac counties as the 72^nd county.  The county and county seat are named for Saginaw Bay. 

Bay County government consists of an executive, a sheriff, an administrator, an attorney, a treasurer and a clerk (executive).  It has 7 Commissioners (legislative.)  Three Circuit Court Judges, Two District Court Judges, Three Probate Court Judges and court clerk serve Bay County (judicial.) Bay County is on the eastern shore of the southern peninsula.  Lake Huron is its eastern coast.  The county center is 12.2 miles Northwest of Bay City nearer Linwood.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Arenac, Huron, Tuscola, Saginaw, Midland, and Gladwin counties. 

The area of the county is 631 square miles.  It is 51 out of 83 in the state.  It ranks 20 out of 83 in population in the state.  It has a density of 164.6 persons per square mile making it 17 out of 83 in the state.  Bay County has 38.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 75 goes north to south from Arenac County to Saginaw County.  United States Highway 10 originates and exits west into Midland County.  United States Highway 23 is joined with Interstate Highway 75 from Arenac to Saginaw counties.  The county looks like a chair.  Bay City is in the southeast quarter of the county.  Bay City is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 31.5% of the county population.  This county is in the Bay City Metropolitan Statistical Area.