Mitchell

Formed December 15, 1851 (72^nd county)

Mitchell County (10,563), Osage (3,629)

A 2015 domed and columned red brick courthouse replaced a similar 1858 building.  It is on State Street between 5^th and 6^th streets.  United States Highway 218 is one block to the north.  FEH Architects provided the Modern designs.  Veteran memorials are near the courthouse.  The county was established on December 15, 1851 from Chickasaw County as the 72^nd county with Mitchell as the first county seat.  Osage assumed the county seat in 1870.  It is named for Irish patriot John Mitchell.  The county seat is named for city founder Orrin Sage.  

Mitchell County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Supervisors.  Thirty-one District Court Judges and Thirty-three Magistrates serve Mitchell, Boone, Bremer, Butler, Calhoun, Carroll, Cerro Gordo, Floyd, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Humboldt, Marshall, Pocahontas, Sac, Story, Webster, Winnebago, Worth, and Wright counties.  The county is on the northern border with Minnesota.  Mason City, Iowa is directly southwest of the county.  The county center is 7.7 miles North-Northwest of Osage nearer Saint Ansgar.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Minnesota and Howard, Chickasaw, Floyd, Cerro Gordo, and Worth counties. 

The county has an area of 469 square miles.  It is 76 of 99 in the state.  It ranks 71 out of 99 in population in the state.  It has a density of 22.5 persons per square mile making it 64 out of 99 in the state.  Mitchell County has 58.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 218 travels north to south through the county from Minnesota to Floyd County.  The county is a square.  Osage is in the southern quarter of the county.  Osage is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 34.4% of the county population.  The county seat is pronounced OE-SAEG.