Ionia

Formed March 2, 1831 (29^th county)

Ionia County (66,793), Ionia (13,377)

An outstanding stone and masonry Italianate and Renaissance courthouse was constructed in 1885.  The building was renovated and enlarged in 1994.  David W. Gibbs provided the courthouse designs.  It is on Main at Library streets.  Michigan State Highway 4 is Main Street.  The building features a tower and veteran memorials on the grounds.  Ionia has always been the county seat.  Ionia County was established on March 2, 1831 from parts of Mackinac County and Native American Territory as the 29^th county.  The county and county seat are named for the region in ancient Greece. 

Ionia County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, an attorney, a treasurer and a clerk (executive).  It has 7 Commissioners (legislative.)  Two Circuit Court Judges serve Ionia and Montcalm counties and Two District Court Judges, One Probate Court Judge and court clerk serve Ionia County (judicial.) Ionia County is in the south central part of the southern peninsula directly east of Grand Rapids, Michigan.  The county center is in Ionia 2.3 miles South of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Montcalm, Gratiot, Clinton, Eaton, Barry, and Kent counties. 

The area of the county is 580 square miles.  It is 56 out of 83 in the state.  It ranks 28 out of 83 in population in the state.  It has a density of 115.2 persons per square mile making it 26 out of 83 in the state.  Ionia County has 43.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 96 goes east to west in the county from Clinton County to Kent County.  The county is a rectangle.  The City of Ionia is located in the northern third of the county.  Ionia is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 20.0% of the county population.  This county is in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming Metropolitan Statistical Area

Hubbardston