Michilimackinac County Established

Carving Out Michigan’s North

On October 26, 1818, Michigan’s map looked very different than it does today. Territorial governor Lewis Cass proclaimed the creation of Michilimackinac County. This was a massive jurisdiction that originally stretched across nearly the entire Upper Peninsula and the northern reaches of the Lower Peninsula. At the time, the Michigan Territory was still young, and leaders were busy shaping its counties out of enormous wilderness tracts.

Michilimackinac County was one of the first counties in the territory and reflected the region’s historical importance. Long before its official creation, the Straits of Mackinac area had been a hub of French and British fur trading, Catholic and Protestant missions, and Native American communities. The name “Michilimackinac” referred not only to the straits but also to the French settlement at the tip of the Lower Peninsula.

First County Seat

At first, the county seat was on Michilimackinac Island (later renamed Mackinac Island). But as the fur trade waned in the 1830s and Michigan continued to grow, the county’s vast size proved temporary. By 1840, much of the Lower Peninsula had been split into thirty new counties. This shrunk Michilimackinac County to the Upper Peninsula and its surrounding islands. Further division in 1843 gave shape to today’s familiar map of northern Michigan.

Shortened to Mackinac County

In 1849, the county was officially reorganized as Mackinac County, simplifying its long name. A few decades later, in 1882, the county seat was moved from Mackinac Island to St. Ignace. St. Ignace was a community that had its own deep history as a Jesuit mission village during the colonial years.

Today, Mackinac County remains one of Michigan’s most historic regions. It is one of only two U.S. counties to touch two Great Lakes (Huron and Michigan). It is home to the state-recognized Mackinac Bands of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians. From fur trade crossroads to a centerpiece of Michigan history, the county’s story began with that sweeping proclamation in 1818.

So, on this day in history, we remember how one bold stroke of the pen created a county that once covered nearly half the state.

Marisa Fancy along with her husband and four children dreamt of moving “Up North”. They had vacationed for years in northern Michigan and in 1995 they finally made the move.

The family was always out exploring, but with 4 kids there was some limitations on what they could do. Marisa discovered the amazing network of trails in Northern Michigan after Steve died and she would walk for miles. The trails provided her with peace, comfort and solitude at a difficult time in her life. Later, after meeting Guy who would become her second husband, she learned to golf and found another passion she could enjoy in beautiful Northern Michigan.

Marisa has been the family historian, writer, and poet for as long as she can remember. She has always loved to write and has now found a creative outlet for it other than family. You can read her articles in Adventures in Northern Michigan, Northern Michigan History and Golf Up North.