Montmorency

Formed April 1, 1840 (55^th county)

Montmorency County (9,154), Atlanta* (827), Hillman (619)

The stone and wood style of the 1943 Modern courthouse is located on State Street at Doty Street.  Michigan State Highway 32 is State Street in this small community.  J. & G. Daverman provided the designs.  A Judicial Annex was added in 2000 and it was attached to the courthouse in 2007.  The building features columns and veteran memorials on the grounds.  There was an 1895 version of the courthouse in Atlanta.  The county was established on April 1, 1840 from parts of Mackinac County and Native American Territory as the 55^th county.  Hillman was the county seat until 1893 when Atlanta became the seat.  The county is named for Count Morenci who aided the colonies in the war with England.  The county seat is named for Atlanta, Georgia. 

Montmorency County government consists of an executive, a sheriff, an administrator, an attorney, a treasurer and a clerk (executive).  It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.)  One Circuit Court Judge and Two District Court Judges serve Montmorency and Alpena counties and Two Probate Court Judges and court clerk serve Montmorency County (judicial.)  Montmorency County is in the northeast part of the southern peninsula.  The county center is 6.8 miles North of Atlanta nearer Briley.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Presque Isle, Alpena, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Otsego, and Cheboygan counties. 

The area of the county is 562 square miles.  It is 75 out of 83 in the state.  It ranks 76 out of 83 in population in the state.  It has a density of 16.3 persons per square mile making it 67 out of 83 in the state.  Montmorency County has 6.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  There are no Interstates or United States Highways in the county.  Montmorency County is an overall rectangle.  Atlanta is slightly south and west of center in the county.  Hillman is on the eastern border of the county and extends into Alpena County.  Atlanta is the county seat and Hillman is the largest city.  Atlanta is 9.0% of the county population although it is not incorporated.  Hillman is 6.8% of the county population and it is the only incorporated city.  The county is pronounced MONT-MOE-REN-CEE.