Hillsdale

Formed March 28, 1835 (38^th county)

Hillsdale County (45,759), Hillsdale (8,036)

The outstanding 1898 masonry Renaissance Revival courthouse replaced the 1850 version.  Michigan State Highway 99 is Broad Street in this part of the city.  The courthouse is on Howell, McCollum, Broad, and Bacon streets.  Claire Allen provided the designs.  It features a tower.  On the grounds are veteran memorials, a fountain, and a military gun.  An Annex is across the street.  The county was established on March 28, 1835 from Native American Territory as the 38^th county.  Jonesville was the first county seat until 1843 when Hillsdale assumed the position.  The county and county seat names are geographical based upon the rolling hills. 

Hillsdale County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, an attorney, a treasurer and a clerk (executive).  It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.)  One Circuit Court Judge, Two District Court Judges, One Probate Court Judge and court clerk serve Hillsdale County (judicial.) The county is on the southern border of the state.  It borders both Indiana and Ohio.  The county center is 7.5 miles Southeast of Hillsdale nearer Osseo.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Jackson and Lenawee counties and Ohio and Indiana and Branch and Calhoun counties. 

The area of the county is 607 square miles.  It is 52 out of 83 in the state.  It ranks 37 out of 83 in population in the state.  It has a density of 75.4 persons per square mile making it 33 out of 83 in the state.  Hillsdale County has 32.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 12 crosses the county east to west from Lenawee County to Branch County.  United States Highway 127 goes north to south from Lenawee County to Ohio.  The county is a rectangle with the southwest corner notched out.  The City of Hillsdale is in the northwest quarter of the county.  Hillsdale is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 17.6% of the county population.