Hillsdale County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

. 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 civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

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

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

and

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

. Due to an angle in the state's southern border, Hillsdale County has the southernmost point in the state. Hillsdale County is conterminous with the Hillsdale, MI Micropolitan Statistical Area. The

Hillsdale County Courthouse The Hillsdale County Courthouse is a government building located at 29 North Howell Street in Hillsdale, Michigan. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1969 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. History H ...

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 There are 83 counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. The boundaries of these counties have not changed substantially since 1897. However, throughout the 19th century, the state legislature frequently adjusted county boundaries. County creation wa ...

. Hillsdale County was a

New England New England is a region comprising 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 to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...

settlement; its early settlers came from the northern coastal colonies – "

Yankee The term ''Yankee'' and its contracted form ''Yank'' have several interrelated meanings, all referring to people from the United States. Its various senses depend on the context, and may refer to New Englanders, residents of the Northern United St ...

s", descended from the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

Puritans The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England of Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should become more Protestant. P ...

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 unorganized western territory of the United States after the American Revolutionary War. Established in 1 ...

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 navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, vastly reducing t ...

, 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 led by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis (Fox), and Kickapoos, known as the "British Band", crosse ...

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

abolitionists Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The Britis ...

Geography

According to the

US Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), 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 Census Bureau is part of the ...

, 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) The St. Joseph River (known locally as the St. Joe) is a tributary of Lake Michigan with a length of .U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map Retrieved May 19, 2011 The river flows in a ...

and the St. Joseph River (Maumee River).

Parks

McCourtie Park The W. H. L. McCourtie Estate, originally called Aiden Lair and now known as McCourtie Park, is a recreational park located at 10426 South Jackson Road (at US 12) in Somerset Center, Michigan. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1 ...

Slayton Arboretum Slayton Arboretum, 14 acres (5.7 hectares), is an arboretum located adjacent to the campus of Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan. It is privately owned but open to the public. Although the site's use by the College students dates back to at ...

Adjacent counties

* Jackson County (northeast) *

Calhoun County Calhoun County is the name of several counties in the United States of America named after U.S. Vice President John C. Calhoun: * Calhoun County, Alabama * Calhoun County, Arkansas * Calhoun County, Florida * Calhoun County, Georgia * Calhoun Cou ...

(northwest) *

Lenawee County Lenawee County ( ') is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 99,423. The county seat is Adrian. The county was created in 1822, from territory partitioned from Monroe County. Its g ...

(east) * Branch County (west) *

Fulton County, Ohio Fulton County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Ohio west of Toledo, Ohio, Toledo. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 42,713. Its county seat is Wauseon, Ohio, Wauseon. The count ...

(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. Its county seat is Bryan. The county was created in 1820 and later organized in 1824. It is named for David Williams, one of the ...

(south) *

Steuben County, Indiana Steuben County is a county in the northeast corner of the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census the county population was 34,185. The county seat (and only incorporated city) is Angola. Steuben County comprises the Angola, ...

(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 The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 ce ...

, 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 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 geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 78 people per square mile (30/km²). There were 20,189 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile (13/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.56%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 0.43%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.35% Native American, 0.33%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.01%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, 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 the original p ...

, 0.34% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

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

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race. 28.4% were of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

, 28.2%

and 9.3%

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

ancestry, 97.0% spoke

, 1.2%

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

and 1.2%

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 recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

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 total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

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 t ...

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

Government

Hillsdale County has been reliably Republican since the beginning. Since 1884, the Republican Party nominee has carried 97% of the elections (33 of 34). The county government operates the

jail A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correc ...

, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, records deeds, mortgages, and

vital records Vital records are records of life events kept under governmental authority, including birth certificates, marriage licenses (or marriage certificates), separation agreements, divorce certificates or divorce party and death certificates. In some ...

, 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 det ...

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 A probate court (sometimes called a surrogate court) is a court that has competence in a jurisdiction to deal with matters of probate and the administration of estates. In some jurisdictions, such courts may be referred to as Orphans' Courts o ...

: Honorable Michelle A. Bianchi *

Prosecuting Attorney A prosecutor is a legal representative of the prosecution in states with either the common law adversarial system or the civil law inquisitorial system. The prosecution is the legal party responsible for presenting the case in a criminal tria ...

: Neal A. Brady *

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 that is commonly transla ...

: Scott B. Hodshire *

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

: Marney Kast * County Treasurer: Stephenie Kyser *

Register of Deeds Recorder of deeds or deeds registry is a government office tasked with maintaining public records and documents, especially records relating to real estate ownership that provide persons other than the owner of a property with real rights over ...

: Bambi L. Somerlott *

Drain Commissioner A drain commissioner is an elected official in county government of the U.S. state of Michigan who is responsible for planning, developing and maintaining surface water drainage systems under Public Act 40 of 1956. In counties with a population unde ...

: Matt Word * Board of Commissioners: ** District One: Ruth Brown ** District Two: Andy Weldon, Vice Chairperson ** District Three: Mark E. Wiley, Chairperson ** District Four: Bruce Caswell ** District Five: John Burtka

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 The Michigan meridian is the principal meridian (or north-south line) used as a reference in the Michigan Survey, the survey of the U.S. state of Michigan in the early 19th century. It is located at 84 degrees, 21 minutes and 53 seconds west long ...

. * 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 Hillsdale College is a Private university, private Conservatism in the United States, conservative Christian liberal arts college in Hillsdale, Michigan. It was founded in 1844 by Abolitionism, abolitionists known as Free Will Baptists. Its missio ...

and lived in Hillsdale for a time.)

Airports

Hillsdale Municipal Airport Hillsdale Municipal Airport is a public use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) east of the central business district of Hillsdale, in Hillsdale County, Michigan, United States. It is included in the Federal Aviation Administration ...

(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 with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...

access to Hillsdale County and nearby areas.

Trails

The 4000 mile National Scenic

North Country Trail The North Country National Scenic Trail, generally known as the North Country Trail or simply the NCT, is a footpath stretching over from Middlebury in central Vermont to Lake Sakakawea State Park in central North Dakota in the United States; ...

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 Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...

Villages

Allen Allen, Allen's or Allens may refer to: Buildings * Allen Arena, an indoor arena at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee * Allen Center, a skyscraper complex in downtown Houston, Texas * Allen Fieldhouse, an indoor sports arena on the Unive ...

* 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 Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...

Bankers A bank is a financial institution that accepts 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 markets. Because ...

* Wright Township, Hillsdale County, Michigan, Betzer * Cambria, Michigan, Cambria * Wheatland Township, Hillsdale County, Michigan, Church's Corners * Woodbridge Township, Michigan, Frontier * Somerset Township, Michigan, Jerome * Lake LeAnn, Michigan, Lake LeAnn * Wheatland Township, Hillsdale County, Michigan, Locust Corners * Moscow Township, Michigan, Moscow * Scipio Township, Michigan, Mosherville * Jefferson Township, Hillsdale County, Michigan, Osseo * Pittsford, Michigan, Pittsford * Wright Township, Hillsdale County, Michigan, Prattville * Ransom Township, Michigan, Ransom * Somerset Township, Michigan, Somerset * Somerset Township, Michigan, Somerset Center

Notable people

* Moses Allen (settler), Moses Allen, first settler and veteran of the War of 1812. * 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 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 Hillsdale County, Michigan, Michigan counties 1835 establishments in Michigan Territory Populated places established in 1835