Van Buren

Formed October 19, 1829 (17^th county)

Van Buren County (75,593), Paw Paw (3,368), South Haven (3,964)

The Classic Revival masonry courthouse was built in 1901 and enlarged in 1974.  It is located on Paw Paw Street between Niles and Kalamazoo streets.  Kalamazoo Street is Michigan Street Highway 40.  The architect was Claire Allen.  The structure features a tower with a working clock and columns.  A canon sits in front.  There was an 1842 courthouse earlier in Paw Paw, the only county seat.  The county was founded on October 19, 1829 from Native American Territory as the 17^th county.  It is named for then United States Vice President Martin Van Buren.  The county seat is named for the river which is named for the fruit. 

Van Buren County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, an attorney, a treasurer and a clerk (executive).  It has 7 Commissioners (legislative.)  Three Circuit Court Judges, Three District Court Judges, Two Probate Court Judges and court clerk serve Van Buren County (judicial.) Van Buren County is in the southwest part of the southern peninsula.  Grand Rapids, Michigan is northeast of the county.  Lake Michigan forms its western border.  The county center is 8 miles Northwest of Paw Paw nearer Lawrence.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Allegan, Kalamazoo, Saint Joseph, Cass, and Berrien counties and Illinois. 

The area of the county is 1090 square miles.  It is 29 out of 83 in the state.  It ranks 26 out of 83 in population in the state.  It has a density of 69.4 persons per square mile making it 36 out of 83 in the state.  Van Buren County has 27.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 94 goes east to south in the county from Kalamazoo County to Berrien County.  Interstate Highway 196 crosses north to south from Allegan County to Berrien County.  United States Highway 31 is joined with Interstate Highway 196 from Allegan to Berrien counties.  Van Buren County looks like a fat number 7.  Paw Paw is in the southeast quarter of the county.  South Haven is on the northwest coastline and extends into Allegan County.  Paw Paw is the county seat and South Haven is the largest city.  Paw Paw is 4.5% of the county population while South Haven is 5.8% of the county population.  This county is in the Kalamazoo-Portage Metropolitan Statistical Area.