Hillsdale County is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

located in the U.S. state of

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 45,746. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

is Hillsdale. Hillsdale County is the only county in Michigan to border both

Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...

and

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

. Due to an angle in the state's border with Ohio, Hillsdale County has the southernmost point in Michigan. Hillsdale County is conterminous with the Hillsdale, MI Micropolitan Statistical Area. The county is the home of Hillsdale College, a private liberal-arts college. The Hillsdale County Courthouse was designed by

Claire Allen ] ] Claire Allen (July 29, 1853 – December 22, 1942) was an Americans, American architect prominent in southern Michigan in the early twentieth century, and best known for designing several county courthouses. He was considered a "master ...

, a prominent southern Michigan architect.

History

The county is named for its rolling terrain. It was described by action of the Michigan Territory, Michigan Territorial legislature in 1829, and was organized six years later. ''See'' List of Michigan county name etymologies. Hillsdale County was a

New England New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...

settlement; its early settlers came from the northern coastal colonies – " Yankees", descended from the English

Puritans The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to rid the Church of England of what they considered to be Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should b ...

who emigrated from the Old World in the 1600s. There was a wave of such settlers into the

Northwest Territory The Northwest Territory, also known as the Old Northwest and formally known as the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, was formed from part of the unorganized western territory of the United States after the American Revolution. Established ...

during the early 1800s, many traveling on the newly completed

Erie Canal The Erie Canal is a historic canal in upstate New York that runs east–west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie. Completed in 1825, the canal was the first navigability, navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, ...

, and made safe by the conclusion of the

Black Hawk War The Black Hawk War was a conflict between the United States and Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans led by Black Hawk (Sauk leader), Black Hawk, a Sauk people, Sauk leader. The war erupted after Black Hawk and a group of ...

. They brought with them a passion for education, establishing many schools. Many were abolitionists.

Geography

According to the

US Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.5%) is water. Hillsdale is the only county in Michigan to have a land border with two other states –

and

. The headwaters of two St. Joseph Rivers rise in Hillsdale County: the St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan) and the St. Joseph River (Maumee River).

Parks

* McCourtie Park * Slayton Arboretum

Adjacent counties

* Jackson County (northeast) * Calhoun County (northwest) * Lenawee County (east) * Branch County (west) * Fulton County, Ohio (southeast) *

Williams County, Ohio Williams County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 37,102, and was estimated to be 36,554 in 2024. The county seat and the largest city is Bryan. History The county was created on April ...

(south) *

Steuben County, Indiana Steuben County is a County (United States), county in the northeast corner of the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2020 United States census the county population was 34,435. The county seat (and only incorporated city) is Angola, Indiana, Ango ...

(southwest)

Climate

Hillsdale County experiences four distinct seasons. July is the hottest month with an average high of and January the coldest with an average high of . June is the wettest month with of rain on average.

Demographics

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 46,527 people, 17,335 households, and 12,550 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 20,189 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.56%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.43%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.35% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.01%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.34% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. 1.20% of the population were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race. 28.4% were of German, 28.2% English and 9.3% Irish ancestry, 97.0% spoke English, 1.2% Spanish and 1.2% German as their first language. There were 17,335 households, out of which 32.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.90% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 8.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.05. The county's population contained 26.30% under the age of 18, 10.00% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 99.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.20 males. The median income for a household in the county was $40,396, and the median income for a family was $45,895. Males had a median income of $35,349 versus $23,718 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the county was $18,255. About 5.20% of families and 8.20% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 8.80% of those under age 18 and 8.60% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Hillsdale County has been a reliably Republican county since the 19th century. Since 1884, the Republican nominee has carried the county in 34 of 36 presidential elections, the lone exceptions being when it was carried by Democrat

Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), also known as LBJ, was the 36th president of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969. He became president after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, under whom he had served a ...

amidst a national landslide in 1964 (albeit by only 144 votes), and when it was carried by Progressive nominee

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), also known as Teddy or T.R., was the 26th president of the United States, serving from 1901 to 1909. Roosevelt previously was involved in New York (state), New York politics, incl ...

when the Republican electorate had a schism in

1912 This year is notable for Sinking of the Titanic, the sinking of the ''Titanic'', which occurred on April 15. In Albania, this leap year runs with only 353 days as the country achieved switching from the Julian to Gregorian Calendar by skippin ...

. In 2024,

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

carried the county by one of the highest margins of any candidate since the county was formed. The county government operates the county jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, records deeds, mortgages, and vital records, administers

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the de ...

regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget and has limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions — police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance, etc. — are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.

Elected officials

* Circuit Court Judge: Honorable Sara S. Lisznyai * District Court Judge: Honorable Megan Stiverson * Probate Judge: Honorable Michelle A. Bianchi *

Prosecuting Attorney A prosecutor is a legal representative of the prosecution in states with either the adversarial system, which is adopted in common law, or inquisitorial system, which is adopted in civil law. The prosecution is the legal party responsible ...

: Jamie Wisniewski *

Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland, the , which is common ...

: Scott B. Hodshire *

County Clerk A clerk is a white-collar worker who conducts record keeping as well as general office tasks, or a worker who performs similar sales-related tasks in a retail environment. The responsibilities of clerical workers commonly include record keepin ...

: Abe Dane * County Treasurer: Stephenie Kyser * Register of Deeds: Nick Wheeler * Drain Commissioner: Matt Word * Board of Commissioners: ** District One: Doug Ingles ** District Two: Kevin Collins ** District Three: Mark E. Wiley, Chairperson ** District Four: Brad Benzing, Vice Chair ** District Five: Brent A. Leininger

Republican Party Split

On August 12, 2022, the Hillsdale County Republican Party refused to let duly elected precinct delegates enter the County Convention. This was under the claim that Hillsdale County Clerk, Marney Kast, had deliberately spoiled certain candidates' ballots past the filing deadline. They held the convention with those who were not disavowed inside the Sozo Church. The duly elected precinct delegates held their own convention outside in the parking lot. The party split, and multiple lawsuits followed after. Currently, the Michigan Republican Party recognizes Brent Leininger as the Chair of the Hillsdale County Republican Party, who was one of the precinct delegates previously disavowed.

Transportation

Major highways

* crosses the county in a generally east–west direction for a distance of about 23 miles. US 12 is the southernmost US Highway in Michigan to go east and west. * is the north–south highway running along a portion of the eastern boundary of the county and is also called Meridian Road as it runs along the Michigan meridian. * is a highway from the eastern border of the county westward until it joins M-99. It is also known as Hudson Road. * is a north–south highway running north from the Ohio border and intersects M-99 in the northwest corner of the county. * crosses the county in a generally north–south direction for a distance of about 30 miles. It is also known as Carleton Road (named after the poet Will Carleton who attended Hillsdale College and lived in Hillsdale for a time.)

Airports

Hillsdale Municipal Airport (KJYM) established in 1963, has a 5000' paved and lighted runway with instrument approaches, hangars, tie-downs, and fuel services available. It allows

general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations except for commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services for other ...

access to Hillsdale County and nearby areas.

Trails

The 4000 mile National Scenic North Country Trail passes through the county in a north–south direction.

Communities

Cities

* Hillsdale (county seat) * Jonesville * Litchfield *

Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of symbols, often specifically those of a written language, by means of Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifacete ...

Villages

* Allen * Camden * Montgomery * North Adams * Waldron

Civil townships

* Adams Township * Allen Township * Amboy Township * Cambria Township * Camden Township * Fayette Township * Hillsdale Township * Jefferson Township * Litchfield Township * Moscow Township * Pittsford Township * Ransom Township * Reading Township * Scipio Township * Somerset Township * Wheatland Township * Woodbridge Township * Wright Township

Unincorporated communities

* Amboy Center * Austin *

Bankers A bank is a financial institution that accepts Deposit account, deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital m ...

* Betzer * Cambria * Church's Corners *

Frontier A frontier is a political and geographical term referring to areas near or beyond a boundary. Australia The term "frontier" was frequently used in colonial Australia in the meaning of country that borders the unknown or uncivilised, th ...

Jerome Jerome (; ; ; – 30 September 420), also known as Jerome of Stridon, was an early Christian presbyter, priest, Confessor of the Faith, confessor, theologian, translator, and historian; he is commonly known as Saint Jerome. He is best known ...

* Lake LeAnn * Locust Corners *

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

* Mosherville * Osseo * Pittsford * Prattville *

Ransom Ransom refers to the practice of holding a prisoner or item to extort money or property to secure their release. It also refers to the sum of money paid by the other party to secure a captive's freedom. When ransom means "payment", the word ...

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

* Somerset Center

Notable people

* Moses Allen, first settler and veteran of the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

. * Frederick Wilhelm Stock (fl. 19th cen.), founder of F. W. Stock & Sons, a flour milling business (with mill, office building, machine shop, and group of grain and product silos), located a (!ong) half-block from the county-offices block. (The operations were consolidated into a northeast-coast-headquartered firm in the early 1960s. Until that purchase, it was the largest family-controlled flour milling firm to the west of the Atlantic coast states.) <-- Yeah, at least 2/3 of that text should be split out as start-quality bio & company articles—but not by this early WP-adopter and tired, retired admin --> * Oscar F. Avery (1841–1924), lawyer and Illinois state senator, was born in Allen Township. * Don A. Jones (1912–2000), admiral and civil engineer, seventh Director of the

United States Coast and Geodetic Survey The United States Coast and Geodetic Survey ( USC&GS; known as the Survey of the Coast from 1807 to 1836, and as the United States Coast Survey from 1836 until 1878) was the first scientific agency of the Federal government of the United State ...

and second Director of the Environmental Science Services Administration Corps, born in Waldron. * Penny Neer, Olympic athlete.

References

External links

Hillsdale County government
* {{Coord, 41.89, -84.59, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-MI_source:UScensus1990 Michigan counties 1835 establishments in Michigan Territory Populated places established in 1835