Iron

Formed April 3, 1885 (80^th county)

Iron County (11,628), Crystal Falls (1,600), Iron River (3,009)

The tan brick Richardsonian Romanesque Revival courthouse was constructed in 1890.  It sits on a city square surrounded by 6^th, Marquette, 7^th, and Court streets.  United States Highway 2 is one block east of the location.  J. C. Clancy provided the designs.  The courthouse tower stands out in the community.  The building was enlarged in 1955 and renovated 2004.  The county was formed on April 3, 1885 from parts of Marquette and Menominee counties as the 80^th county.  Iron River was the county seat until 1889 when Crystal Falls became the seat.  Iron County is named for local ore deposits.  The county seat is named for falls on the Paint River. 

Iron County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, an attorney, a treasurer and a clerk (executive).  It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.)  Three Circuit Court Judges serve Iron, Dickinson, and Menominee counties, Two District Court Judges serve Iron and Dickinson counties, and One Probate Court Judge and court clerk serve Iron County (judicial.) Iron County is on the southern border of the northern peninsula.  Wisconsin is its southern border.  The county center is 16.4 miles Northwest of Crystal Falls nearer Amasa.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Baraga, Marquette, and Dickinson counties and Wisconsin and Gogebic, Ontonagon, and Houghton counties. 

The area of the county is 1211 square miles.  It is 28 out of 83 in the state.  It ranks 73 out of 83 in population in the state.  It has a density of 9.6 persons per square mile making it 73 out of 83 in the state.  Iron County has 50.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 2 goes south to west in the county from Wisconsin to Gogebic County.  United States Highway 141 enters from the north, Baraga County, and joins United States Highway 2 into Wisconsin.  The county is a plow shape facing south.  Crystal Falls is in the southeast quarter of the county.  Iron River is in the southwest corner of the county.  Crystal Falls is the county seat and Iron River is the largest city.  Crystal Falls is 13.8% of the county population while Iron River is 25.9% of the county population.