Lake

Formed April 1, 1840 (49^th county)

Lake County (12,100), Baldwin (952)

The 1929 red brick Classical Revival courthouse for Lake County is located on 10^th Street at Courthouse Street.  Michigan State Highway 37 is one block to the east of the courthouse.  Frank P. Allan & Son are the architects.  The courthouse was enlarged in 2000.  It features columns.  The county was organized on April 1, 1840 from Mackinac County as the 49^th county.  There was an 1876 courthouse also in Baldwin.  Chase was the first county seat until 1875 when Baldwin assumed the role.  Lake County gets its name from the numerous lakes in the area.  The county seat is named for Governor Henry P. Baldwin. 

Lake County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, an attorney, a treasurer and a clerk (executive).  It has 7 Commissioners (legislative.)  Three Circuit Court Judges and Two District Court Judges serve Lake and Mason counties and One Probate Court Judge and court clerk serve Lake County (judicial.) The county is in the western part of the southern peninsula.  Grand Rapids, Michigan is south of the county.  The county center is 3.1 miles Northeast of Baldwin.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Wexford, Osceola, Mecosta, Newaygo, Oceana, Mason, and Manistee counties. 

The area of the county is 575 square miles.  It is 65 out of 83 in the state.  It ranks 72 out of 83 in population in the state.  It has a density of 21.0 persons per square mile making it 58 out of 83 in the state.  Lake County has 10.4% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 10 crosses the county east to west from Osceola County to Mason County.  The county is a rectangle with Baldwin being located in the southwest quarter.  Baldwin is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 7.9% of the county population.