Alger

Formed March 17, 1885 (79^th county)

Alger County (8,837), Munising (1,972)

A Modern brown brick courthouse, built in 1982, replaced a 1902 courthouse.  It is located on Court and Jewell streets.  Michigan State Highway 28 is four blocks to the north of the courthouse.  G. Arntzen & Company provided the new courthouse designs.  Alger County was established on March 17, 1885 from Schoolcraft County as the 79^th county.  It is named for Governor Russell A. Alger.  The county seat’s name is Native American for “island at.”  Au Train was the first county seat until 1901 when Munising assumed the role. 

Alger County government consists of a sheriff, an attorney, a treasurer and a clerk (executive).  It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.)  One Circuit Court Judge serves Alger, Luce, Mackinac, and Schoolcraft counties, Two District Court Judges and One Probate Court Judge serves Alger and Schoolcraft counties and court clerk serves Alger County (judicial.) The county is on the north border of the northern peninsula.  Lake Superior forms its northern coast.  The county center is 8.8 miles East of Munising nearer Shingleton.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Canada and Luce, Schoolcraft, Delta, and Marquette counties. 

The area of the county is 5049 square miles.  It is 2 out of 83 in the state.  It ranks 77 out of 83 in population in the state.  It has a density of 1.8 persons per square mile making it 81 out of 83 in the state.  Alger County has 24.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 41 clips the southwest corner of the county from Marquette County, west, to Delta County, south.  The county is a gavel with straight lines on the south.  Munising is in the northwest quarter of the county.  Munising is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 22.3% of the county population.  The county is pronounced AL-JUR.  The county seat is pronounced MU-NI-SING.