Lake

Formed March 1, 1856 (36^th county)

Lake County (10,910), Two Harbors (3,637)

The domed tan brick facility was built in 1905.  The Beaux Arts courthouse is on 3^rd Avenue at 6^th Street.  Minnesota State Highway 61 is two blocks to the north of the building.  James Allen MacLeod provided the building designs.  The building has been enlarged and a Service Center has been added.  The facility features columns and veterans memorials are on the grounds.  An 1887 facility preceded the current building.  The county was created on March 1, 1856 from St. Louis County as the 36^th county.  Beaver Bay was the first county seat until 1884 when Two Harbors became the county seat.  The county is named for Lake Superior.  The county seat is a geographical term for the two bays on either side of the town. 

Lake County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, an attorney, a treasurer, an auditor, an assessor and a clerk (executive).  It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.)  Fourteen District Court Judges serve Lake, Carlton, Cook, and St. Louis counties (judicial.) Lake County is in the northeast part of the state.  Duluth, Minnesota is southwest.  Lake Superior is its southern coast and Canada is its northern border.  The county center is 55.5 miles North-Northeast of Two Harbors nearer Murphy City.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Canada and Cook County and Wisconsin and Saint Louis County. 

The area of the county is 2099.2 square miles.  It is 5 out of 87 in the state.  It ranks 66 out of 87 in population in the state.  It has a density of 5.2 persons per square mile making it 82 out of 87 in the state.  Lake County has 51.5% of its population in its incorporated areas.  There are no Interstates or United States Highways in the county.  The county looks like a plow.  Two Harbors is located in the southwest corner of the county.  Two Harbors is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 33.3% of the county population.