Formed April 1, 1840 (44th county)
Crawford County (12,944), Grayling (1,884)
The Modern stone and concrete courthouse was built in 1969 at Michigan and Norway streets. Michigan State Highway 72 is one block north of the site. Harley-Ellington-Cowin-Stirton, Inc., are the architects. There were 1879 and 1909 courthouses earlier. Crawford County was established on April 1, 1840 from parts of Mackinac County and Native American Territory as the 44th county. Pere Cheney was the first county seat until 1829 when Grayling assumed the position. Its namesake is Revolutionary War hero Colonel William Crawford. The county seat is named for the grayling trout.
Crawford County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, an attorney, a treasurer and a clerk (executive). It has 7 Commissioners (legislative.) Two Circuit Court Judges serve Crawford, Kalkaska, and Otsego counties and One District Court Judge, One Probate Court Judge and court clerk serve Crawford County (judicial.) Crawford County is in the north central part of the southern peninsula. The county center is 1.5 miles East-Northeast of Grayling. The county is surrounded clockwise by Otsego, Montmorency, Oscoda, Ogemaw, Roscommon, Missaukee, Kalkaska, and Antrim counties.
The area of the county is 563 square miles. It is 74 out of 83 in the state. It ranks 70 out of 83 in population in the state. It has a density of 23.1 persons per square mile making it 56 out of 83 in the state. Crawford County has 14.5% of its population in its incorporated areas. Interstate Highway 75 goes north to south in the county from Otsego County to Roscommon County. United States Highway 127 originates and heads south into Roscommon County. The county is a rectangle. Grayling is in the southwest quarter of the county. Grayling is the county seat and the largest city as it is the only incorporated city. It is 14.5% of the county population.
Grayling
