Ogemaw

Formed April 1, 1840 (57^th county)

Ogemaw County (20,769), West Branch (2,344)

The Modern tan brick building was constructed in 1975.  It is located at Houghton, 8^th, Wright and Court streets.  Houghton Street is Interstate Highway 75 Business in the town.  Stephen T. Gerganoff provided the building designs.  Veteran memorials are across the street.  A classier courthouse existed in 1888.  The county was established on April 1, 1840 from Native American Territory as the 57^th county with West Branch as the only county seat.  The county was named for a Native American chief.  The county seat was named for the western branch of the Rifle River. 

Ogemaw 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 and Two District Court Judges serve Ogemaw and Roscommon counties and Two Probate Court Judges and court clerk serve Ogemaw County (judicial.) The county is in the northeast part of the southern peninsula.  Flint, Michigan is southeast of the county.  The county center is 5.9 miles Northeast of West Branch.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Oscoda, Alcona, Iosco, Arenac, Gladwin, Roscommon, and Crawford counties. 

The area of the county is 575 square miles.  It is 66 out of 83 in the state.  It ranks 64 out of 83 in population in the state.  It has a density of 36.1 persons per square mile making it 48 out of 83 in the state.  Ogemaw County has 15.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 75 crosses the county west to south from Roscommon County to Arenac County.  The county is a square with West Branch being located in the southwest part of the county.  West Branch is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 11.3% of the county population.  The county is pronounced OE-GEE-MA.