Clare

Formed April 1, 1840 (43^rd county)

Clare County (30,857), Harrison (2,147), Clare (3,259) 

The Modern structure was built in 1967 of tan brick at Main Street between Broad and Oak streets.  Main Street is Michigan State Highway 61 in the town.  Brysselbout-Starke-Hacker & Simon are the architects.  There was an 1876 courthouse earlier in Harrison.  The current courthouse was enlarged in 1994 and 1998.  Veteran memorials are in a park across the street.  The county was created on April 1, 1840.  Farwell was the county seat until 1879 when Harrison took over.  The county was taken from Mackinac County as the 43^rd county.  It is named for Clare County, Ireland.  The county seat is named for United States President William Henry Harrison. 

Clare County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, an attorney, a treasurer and a clerk (executive).  It has 9 Commissioners (legislative.) Two Circuit Court Judges, One District Court Judges, One Probate Court Judge and court clerk serve Clare County (judicial.) The county is in central Michigan on the southern peninsula.  Grand Rapids, Michigan is southwest and Flint, Michigan is southeast of the county.  The county center is 6.8 miles Southwest of Harrison.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Roscommon, Gladwin, Midland, Isabella, Mecosta, Osceola, and Missaukee counties. 

The area of the county is 575 square miles.  It is 63 out of 83 in the state.  It ranks 48 out of 83 in population in the state.  It has a density of 53.7 persons per square mile making it 41 out of 83 in the state.  Clare County has 20.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 10 goes southeast to west in the county from Isabella County to Osceola County.  United States Highway 127 travels north to south from Roscommon County to Isabella County.  The county is a rectangle.  Harrison is north of center in the county.  Clare is on the southern border and extends into Isabella County.  Harrison is the county seat and Clare is the largest city.  Harrison is 7.0% of the county population while Clare is 10.6% of the county population.