Chippewa

Formed December 22, 1826 (13^th county)

Chippewa County (36,784), Sault Ste. Marie (13,337)

The classic 1877 Second Empire courthouse is built of masonry and stone.  It is located on Maple Street between Court and Bingham streets.  Interstate Highway 75 is six blocks to the west of the site.  William Scott and John Scott are the architects.  The building was enlarged in 1904 and 1930.  It was renovated in 1989 and an Administration Annex was added.  The courthouse features a tower with Lady Justice.  Veteran memorials and a Wolf Statue are on the grounds.  Chippewa County was established on December 22, 1826 from Mackinac County as the 13^th county.  Sault Sainte Marie has always been the county seat.  The county is named for the Native American tribe.  The county seat is French for “waterfall or rapids of Saint Mary.” 

Chippewa 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, One District Court Judge, Two Probate Court Judge and court clerk serve Chippewa County (judicial.) The county is the farthest in the northeast part of the northern peninsula.  Lake Superior is its northern coast and Lake Huron is its southeast coast.  The county center is 21.1 miles Southwest of Sault Sainte Marie nearer Rudyard.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Canada and Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Mackinac, and Luce counties. 

The area of the county is 2698 square miles.  It is 5 out of 83 in the state.  It ranks 44 out of 83 in population in the state.  It has a density of 13.6 persons per square mile making it 70 out of 83 in the state.  Chippewa County has 37.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 75 originates at the Canadian border and heads south into Mackinac County.  The county looks like a snowplow.  Sault Ste. Marie is on the northeast corner of the county.  Sault Sainte Marie is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 36.3% of the county population.  The county is pronounced CHIP-E-WA.  The county seat is pronounced SOO SAENT MA-REE.  This county is in the Sault Sainte Marie Micropolitan Statistical Area.