An
Anthology of Michigan's Counties
Copyright 2009
Mark R. Putnam
Caro, Michigan
Introduction
This anthology is a compilation of poems—It is full of rhyming gems.
In Michigan, there often is a connection
between county names and county seat names.
This work is packed with local history and descriptive imagery.
Pick a county and enjoy the poetry that is homespun.
Reading Michigan's counties can be a lot of
fun.
Contents
The counties of Michigan are listed below in alphabetical
order—
In Michigan, there are eighty-three
(83).
Become a enchanted reader.
Learn something more about each county.
Alcona.
10
Alger.
11
Allegan.
12
Alpena.
13
Antrim.
14
Arenac.
15
Baraga.
16
Barry.
17
Bay.
18
Benzie.
19
Berrien.
20
Branch.
21
Calhoun.
22
Cass.
23
Charlevoix.
24
Cheboygan.
25
Chippewa.
26
Clare.
27
Clinton.
28
Crawford.
29
Delta.
30
Dickenson.
31
Eaton.32
Emmet.
33
Genesee.
34
Gladwin.
35
Gogebic.
36
Grand Traverse.
37
Gratiot.
38
Hillsdale.
39
Houghton.
40
Huron.
41
Ingham..
42
Ionia.
43
Iosco.
44
Iron.
45
Isabella.
46
Jackson.
47
Kalamazoo.
48
Kalkaska.
49
Kent.
50
Keweenaw..
51
Lake.
52
Lapeer.
53
Leelanaw.
54
Lenawee.
55
Livingston.
56
Luce.
57
Mackinaw..
58
Macomb.
59
Manistee.
60
Marquette.
61
Mason.
62
Mecosta.
63
Menominee.
64
Midland.
65
Missaukee.
66
Monroe.
67
Montcalm.
68
Montmorency.
69
Muskegon.
70
Newago.
71
Oakland.
72
Oceana.
73
Ogemaw..
74
Ontonagon.
75
Osceola.
76
Oscoda.
77
Otsego.
78
Ottawa.
79
Presque Isle.
80
Roscommon.
81
Saginaw.
82
St. Clair.
83
St. Joseph.
85
Sanilac.
86
Schoolcraft.
87
Shiawassee.
88
Tuscola.
89
Van Buren.
90
Washtenaw..
91
Wayne.
92
Wexford.
93
The Counties of Michigan
An Anthology
of Michigan's Counties
The Michigan county name Alcona,
Means the place with the woodland opening.
The name comes from the Algonquin word “mkoda”,
Which means where there is a clearing.
“Mkoda” means the plain, the meadow, or the
prairie.
One of Alcona's throughways is the road called
“Mikode”.
It runs through a meadow filled with beauty.
The county seat of Alcona is the City of Harrisville.
In Latin, an sandy place was an “harea”—a sand hill,
Which was a place often near a beach or shore.
As a retreat, one would not want much more.
Alcona is located in the northern part of Michigan's Lower Peninsula.
The names Harrisville and Alcona
Mean the woodland opening.
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1869.
County Seat:
Harrisville.
Second Thought:
This county name was believed to be a Henry Schoolcraft creation.
Schoolcraft was a mediator between Michigan’s Native Americans and the United
States.
Michigan's County name Alger,
Means the place of the island.
The Arabic name—Algeria also means the place of the
island..
The seat of the county of Alger,
Is the City of Munising,
In Chippewa/Ottawa, an island is called a “mnisenh[g]”.
In Munising Bay lies the Grand Island.
It is a prominent part of the County of Alger.
It is Lake Superior’s second largest island.
In Arabic, an island is called an “il-gezir”.
In Latin, the word "insula" means island,
Or land that is surrounded by water.
The names Munising and Alger
Mean the place of the island.
Formed
in 1885,
It became a county in 1885.
County
Seat: Munising.
Second Thought:
This county was named for Governor Russell A. Alger (1885-1961).
The Michigan county name Allegan,
Means where there is a beautiful lake.
“Gnaaj" means beautiful in the Chippewa/Ottawa
lexicon.
The Latin word "elegans" means to be fine, neat, or fair.
The word "elegant" in English is a related equivalent . . .
Something elegant is something splendid that is treated with care.
On this beautiful lake, many an enjoyable day has been spent.
Lake Allegan is formed by the Kalamazoo River.
The county seat of Allegan County is also called Allegan.
Saugatuck lies at the mouth of the river.
The Latin word "allego" means choice or the elected one,
One who is selected or chosen.
The County of Allegan's was named for a lake.
It means the elegant lake.
Formed
in 1831,
It became
a county in 1835.
County Seat:
Allegan.
Second Thought:
This county name was a Henry Schoolcraft invention.
The Michigan county name Alpena,
Means the land of the ruffed grouse, the partridge.
The Latin word for a bird's feather is “penna”.
A ruffed grouse or partridge in Algonquin is called a “bine”.
The Native People the Oupenegos once lived along the shore
of Alpena's Thunder Bay.
In Algonquin, “binesi” meant the thunder bird or eagle,
Which was often seen near Thunder Bay.
Alpena means the bird . . . a partridge or eagle.
In Chippewa-Ottawa, "binessi" means bird or hen.
A fowl in Greek was a “ptena”.
From this word we get a feather or pen.
The name Alpena means specifically the bird of the ridge.
The county name Alpena,
Means the place of the partridge.
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1857.
County
Seat: Alpena.
Second Thought:
This county name was a Henry Schoolcraft creation.
The Michigan county name Antrim,
Is Irish and may mean the burning light.
The Greek word
“anthros”—
means ember,
The coals that glow bright at night.
The county seat of Antrim,
Is the City of Bellaire.
Bellaire means the sky that is clear, beautiful, and fair.
The County of Antrim,
Includes the Torch Lake.
Here many an early Native People would fish by
firelight at night,
Aied by a pine-gum torch when fishing on the lake.
They came from everywhere to fish at night with
the beautiful light.
The names Bellaire and Antrim,
Mean the beautiful ember.
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1863.
County Seat:
Bellaire.
Second Thought:
This county was named for County Antrim, Ireland.
The Michigan County of Arenac,
Is a piece of ground made up of gravel and grit . . . a sandy space.
In Latin, “arena" means a sandy place.
The Algonquin word “negaw” means “The Great Sands”.
At the center of Arenac County is Au Gres,
Which is French and also means the Great Sands.
Arenac is compose of small gravel stones both white
and grey,
The county seat of Arenac is Standish,
A inkstand is also called a standish,
The name means a stand with inkwell or dish.
The area called Arenac,
Is a place in which one may lie on a beach and
just set back.
The names Standish and Arenac,
Mean the sandy space.
Formed
in 1831,
It became
a county in 1883.
County Seat:
Standish.
Second Thought:
This county name was a Schoolcraft creation using Latin and Native American
words.
The Michigan County of Baraga
Means the place of the water obstruction or dam.
Baraga County was named for Bishop Frederick Baraga.
He wrote many a Native American saga.
The Algonquin word “gbaakhigan” means dam.
An obstruction, gate, barrage, or lock.
The county seat is the City of L’Anse . . . an excellent place at
which to
dock.
In French, L’Anse means the cove . . .
When one looks into the Bay of L'Anse or there take a glance,
One would note that the bay is barred by two points of sand—
L’Anse is Lake Superior's treasure trove—
It is dammed by two, large, shifting bars of gritty land.
The names L’Anse and Baraga,
Mean the cove made by a dam.
Formed
in 1875,
It became
a county in 1875.
County Seat:
L’Anse.
Second Thought:
This county was named for missionary Bishop Frederick Baraga (1797-1868).
He worked with Native Americans and wrote a Chippewa grammar dictionary.
The Michigan county name Barry,
Is likely Irish and means "spear thrower",
Or, one who would spar.
The Greek word "bar" means to hit a mark,
quickly.
In Irish a “barry” iwas a dart or javelin
thrower.
The City of Hastings is the county seat of the county.
The Latin word “hasta” means spear or spar,
A hunting pole or long pointed bar.
To act quickly and to be in a hurry,
Means to act with haste or with a pointed spar.
Barry County has many long lakes,
Including Gun, Thorn Apple, and Long Lakes.
The names Hastings and Barry
Mean to spar.
Formed
in 1829,
It became
a county in 1839.
County
Seat: Hastings.
Second Thought:
This county was named for William T. Barry (1785-1835) of Kentucky, Postmaster
General in the Cabinet of President Jackson.
The Michigan county name Bay,
Means the place with a cove.
It is a place for bathing and basking.
It is a place for swimming, relaxing, and lounging.
The early Native Chief of Bay County was Chief Nabobask.
In Chippewa, “naboob” means soup,
While something warm is described as "bask".
The chief's name then meant "Warm Soup".
Bay County is skirted by the shore of Saginaw Bay.
Shaped like a bowl and shallow, it contains warm water.
Saginaw Bay is at the outlet of the
Saginaw River.
This is Michigan's great alcove.
The word Bay,
Means the cove.
Formed
in 1857,
It became
a county in 1857.
County
Seat: Bay.
Second Thought:
This county received its name from the idea that it partly encircles the
Saginaw Bay.
The Michigan county name Benzie,
Means the place of the goose called the merganser.
People also call this bird the saw bill
or in French the “bec scie”.
Benzie County was once the home of many a goose or gander.
The merganser was the submerging goose with the serrated bill—.
Lakes Crystal, Platte, and Bensie . . . they would fill.
In Algonquin, the saw bill or merganser—
Was called the “ansig”—possibly named for an herb at the
bottom of a river.
The county seat of Benzie is the City of Beulah,
To plunge, dip, splash, bubble, or
dunk,
In Latin and Greek, is "bulla”.
Here many a goose into the water went
ka-plunk.
The names Beulah and Benzie,
Mean the place of the dipping merganser—the "bec scie".
Formed
in 1863,
It became
a county in 1869.
County
Seat: Beulah.
Second Thought:
This county name comes from the French phrase “au bec scies” meaning where
there are mergansers. The name was first
applied to the river and changed to Benzie.
The Michigan County of Berrien,
Seems to have name that comes from the French region of
Berry.
It may mean where the land that is bulgy or curvy.
"Boja" means to be curved or bowed and
is Norwegian.
The French name Berrien comes from barius or boirius.
Both mean to be round or circuitous.
The French word "ber" means a cradle or rocker,
The City of St. Joseph is the county seat of Berrien
County.
St. Joseph is near Benton Habor.
The name Joseph means to be curvy.
It is linked to the Greek word "kypho" meaning hunched or buckled.
The St. Joseph River, which includes the City of South Bend,
is bowed.
The names St. Joseph and Berrien,
Mean the land that is bowed.
Organized
in 1831,
It became
a county in 1831.
County
Seat: St. Joseph.
Second Thought:
This county was named for John M. Berrien of Georgia, Attorney General under
President Jackson (1829-1831)
The Michigan County of Branch,
Has a name that likely refers to the beginning of a river—a small stream.
In German, the river's source is called a “brunen”—which
is a
river's small upper branch,
Where chilly springs well up and begin to flow.
The county seat of Branch County is the City of Coldwater—.
A river begins with wells and streams of cold water,
Often supplied with the winter's snow.
The Chippewa word “nbiikaag” means watery place—be lots of pools.
In Old English, a small stream is called a beck, and in Dutch a “beeck”,
Which is translated into English as a creek,
A place where small fish form into schools.
Where minnows teem.
The names Coldwater and Branch mean the place of the coldwater stream.
Formed in 1829,
It became a county in 1833.
County Seat: Coldwater.
Second Thought:
This county was named for John Branch of North Carolina, Secretary of the
Navy under President Jackson (1829-11831).
The County of Calhoun,
Has a named that means he who works in a cavalry . . .
Animals that gallop . . . he or she
would groom uncomplainingly.
Such as geldings and stallions.
Calhoun in Old Irish means the horseman.
In Latin “equus” means a equine or the horse.
In French, the “cheval” is a stallion or horse.
The county seat of Calhoun County is the City of Marschal.
A handler of mares and stallions is called a marshal.
A calhoun was a handler of geldings and stallions.
A person whom groom a horse--a horseman.
He or she often rode with adornment and festoon.
The names Marschal and Calhoun,
Mean the handler of mares and stallions--a horseman.
Formed
in 1829,
It became
a county in 1833.
County Seat:
Marschall.
Second Thought:
This county was named for the Vice President of the United States John C.
Calhoun (1824-1832) under President Jackson.
The Michigan County of Cass,
Has a name that means the place of stone.
The name is connected with the the French word “cailloux”.
The Latin word “saxon” also means stone.
A fortress or stronghold made of stone is called a castle—
To the meaning of Cass, that is one clew.
To see that Cass means stone comes with little hassle.
Cassopolis is the county seat of Michigan's Cass County,
Cassopolis is located on Stone Lake—
Nearby is Diamond Lake.
We understand a diamonds as rock or stone, easily.
Chief Pokagon was a major figure of the Cass County.
His name meant rib bone.
The names Cassopolis and Cass means the place of stone.
Organized
in 1829,
It became
a county in 1829.
County Seat:
Cassopolis.
Second Thought:
This county was named for Lewis Cass (1782-1866), second Governor of the
Michigan Territory and Secretary of War under President Jackson (1831-1836).
The name Charlevoix,
Seems to mean "Charles Voice" or the voice of the ferryman.
The main road between Charlevoix and Boyne is called Ferry Road.
Another important road is Boyne City Road.
The classical and ultimate ferryman,
In Latin times was the Charon,
WORKING ON THIS
The final boatman.
Who would by sail carry you on.
The name Charlevoix,
Means the ferryman—to carry by voyage.
Organized
in 1869,
It became
a county in 1869.
County Seat:
Charlevoix.
Second Thought:
This county was named for Pierre F. X. de Charlevoix (1682-1761), a Jesuit
missionary explorer and historian who traveled the Great Lakes in 1721.
Michigan's county name Cheboygan,
Means if you want to go through to the other side this is the way.
The name comes from the word “zhaabwiid”, which is Chippewa
or Ottawa.
The word means "he goes through—or—he would escape".
Cheboygan County is just below the County of Mackinaw.
Cheboygan means the peninsula, the promontory, or cape,
That contains an inland waterway.
The inland rivers of Cheboygan County,
Form a quick water route or shunt,
Through Lower Michigan's northern promontory,
It also is a great place in which to fish and hunt.
The Cheboygan River connects Eastern and Western Michigan.
The county name Cheboygan,
Means the water passageway.
Organized
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1853.
County Seat:
Cheboygan.
Second Thought:
This county name is a Native American place name said to mean “he goes through’,
“needle”, or the “pipe”, which are the same meanings used for the County of Sheboygan,
Wisconsin.
Michigan's county named Chippewa,
Means the people with moccasins that are
buckled.
The French word “chiffoner” also means to be puckered.
The name Chippewa means it crimples when roasted.
When the Chippewa made their moccasins over a fire they
place them,
And, the fire would the crimp them.
The county seat of Chippewa County is the City of Sault St. Marie—or The Soo.
The French word for falls, or rapids, is “sault”.
Meaning where the water bubbles and jumps.
It means where the water has many swells and bumps.
The Chippewa were brothers of the Ottawa,
And, both near Sault St. Marie lived.
Both the names Sault St. Marie and Chippewa,
Mean it is puckered.
Organized
in 1826,
It became
a county in 1826.
County Seat:
Sault St. Marie.
Second Thought:
This county was named for the Native American Tribe the Chippewa or Ojibwa.
The Michigan Count of Clare,
Is Irish and means the place that is level,
A plain—open field, campaign, or dell—
In Old Irish, this place was called a “chlair”.
Clare County's county seat is the City of Harris.
Anciently, people preferred to battle a field that was
level—
Each other, here they would harass.
In Latin, “haren” means to fight, clash, or struggle.
The English Duke of Clare was the King of the Armory,
In German, “heer” means the militia or army.
The God of War for Latin's was Mars, and for Greeks it was Aries.
Clare means he who harries.
The names Harris and Clare
Mean to clash in the open air.
Organized
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1871.
County Seat:
Harris.
Second Thought:
This county was named for County Clare in Ireland, which is in the western
part of Ireland.
Michigan's County of Clinton,
Has a name that means where there are canals that lead up
or down.
A steep, narrow cliff—the clint—
Was historically an escarpment that formed a channel.
Clinton County's count seat is the City of St. John—
The Greek word “ion”—means to go over,to go yonder, or to
go on..
Clinton County is a place of shallow ditches or channels
And, wide, artificial canals.
That go through Michigan's Lower Peninsula Divide.
Here water falls to Lakes Huron and Michigan.
Here canals form a water crossing across Mid-Michigan.
In Clinton County water to both the west and east will
slide.
The names St. John and Clinton,
Mean the canal town.
Organized
in 1831,
It became
a county in 1839.
County Seat:
St. John’s.
Second Thought:
This county was named for New York Governor Dewitt Clinton (1769-1828) under
whose administration the Erie Canal was built.
Michigan's County of Crawford,
Has a name that means the place where fisherman have a free
for all.
Michigan's best trout stream and creeks are here.
Rainbow, brown, and brook trout and grayling are here.
Primitive things that crawl—like nymphs and flies are fed
upon by trout.
Once plentiful in Crawford County, graying the fish with
the gray lines were once all about.
Fisherman keep their freshly caught trout in a a basket
called a creel.
The best place for trout and grayling is on a griddle
or the grill.
The portage over the crayfish river is the meaning of
Crawford.
A grayling is grey fish.
And a craw is a crayfish.
Crab is the root of the word crawl.
The names Grayling and Crawford,
Mean trout, grayling, and things that crawl.
Organized
in 1843,
It became
a county in 1879.
County Seat:
Grayling.
Second
Thought: This county was named for
Colonel William Crawford a Michigan settler.
Michigan's County of Delta—
Has a name that means the flat area near the mouth of the river.
The name comes from the Greek word “deltos”,
Meaning that flat and triangular.
Delta County's county seat is the City of Escanaba.
Which means "The Flat Rock or Stone".
Escanaba was originally “Assin-nabaga”—
Near the mouth of the Escanaba River a large rock stands alone.
The rock is smooth, level, and flat.
In Algonquin, “assin” means rock, stone, or pebble.
The word “nabaga” means level or plat.
The Escanaba rock is shaped like a table.
The names Escanaba and Delta
Mean the flat rock shaped like a mesa.
Organized in 1843,
It became a county in 1861.
County Seat: Escanaba.
Second Thought:
This county was named from the Greek word “delta “, which was said to refer
to the triangular shape of the original county that included segments of Menominee,
Dickenson, Iron, and Marquette Counties.
Michigan's County of Dickenson,
Has a name that means this land is hard like a brick.
Dickenson County's county seat is the City of Iron Mountain.
In German, “dicken” means hard, heavy, or thick.
The German word for iron is “eisen”,
In German, one would reason.
That eisen also means to freeze into ice.
To be thick is to be hard and crystalline like iron or ice.
The largest lake in the Dickenson County is Bad Water Lake.
Here one would plunge into water that is rich with iron.
It is a hard water lake.
"Dysk" is Greek means difficult, bad, or hard environ.
The names Iron Mountain and Dickenson,
Mean iron and ice are heavy and thick.
Formed
in 1891,
It became
a county in 1891.
County Seat:
Iron Mountain.
Second Thought:
This county was named for Don M. Dickenson of Michigan, Postmaster General
under President Grover Cleveland.
Michigan's county name Eaton,
Is linked with the word charlatan.
These words originate in the Latin word “edo” and "esculenta"
meaning things eaten.
A charlatan historically was a purveyor of cures and remedies.
In Latin, he or she was the provider of “esculenta”.
Things eaten—edibles and things that fight disease.
The Old World charlatan—provided “esculenta”—
And, was the provider of cure-all medicines.
In Latin,
“Aesculopius” was the God of Medicines.
Eaton County's county seat is the City of
Charlotte.
Eaton county is a Michigan agricultural
area or spot.
The city name Charlotte,
And, the County name Eaton,
Mean remedies, cures, medicines and things
eaten.
Formed
in 1829,
It became
a county in 1837.
County Seat:
Charlotte.
Second Thought:
This county was named for John H. Eaton (1790-1856) of Tennessee, Secretary
of War under President Jackson (1829-1831).
Michigan's county name Emmet,
Is Irish and means "the land at the edge of the swamps".
The name comes from the Old Irish word “emly”,
Meaning the emergent land at the edge of the lake—that is
swampy.
The county seat of Emmet County is the City of Petosky.
The First Nation word "petosky"—
Comes from Chippewa and Ottawa word "biitos-mskig" meaning land between
marshes.
The City of Petosky is a highland that rests between
marshes.
The Native word "biidaasged” means the sun shines between clouds.
The County of Emmet during the summer is a place of many
large crowds.
The City of Petosky was name for Chief Petosky one must
admit.
Emmet County is a place where many a woodland creature
romps.
The names Petosky and Emmet,
Mean the land between two swamps.
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1853.
County Seat:
Petosky.
Second Thought:
This county was named for Irish Patriot Robert Emmet (1778-1803).
Michigan's county name Genesee,
Means the beautiful valley.
It comes from the Algonquin word “gwanatch”,
Which means fair or good looking.
The Chippewa or Ottawa word “gwanatch",
Also, means handsome or striking.
Genesee County's count seat is the City of Flint.
In Algonquin, "biwanag" means a stone flint.
"Onijsh", also, means to be fair, beautiful, or of a fine
appearance.
"Ginos" means a person of a tall stance.
While "onijan" means a garment I cut or shred.
So, it may be that Genesee means to be well trimmed.
The names Flint and Genesee,
Mean the beautiful valley.
Formed
in 1835,
It became
a county in 1836.
County Seat:
Flint.
Second Thought:
This county was name for Genesee County, New York, from which many Flint
area settlers came.
The Michigan county name Gladwin,
Means the place of the glade or glen.
Glades are shallow valleys that open from hillside
woodlands.
They open naturally from marshlands.
The County of Gladwin is nearly in the center of Michigan.
The towns in the County of Gladwin,
Are Beaverton and Wooden Shoe Village,
Towns of a by-gone age.
Everyone is light-hearted and open.
Especially, in towns like All Bright Shore.
Everything is just right in the small wayside fen.
It is filled with folk some lore.
The Micihgan name Gladwin,
Means the place of the glade or glen.
Formed
in 1831,
It became
a county in 1875.
County Seat:
Gladwin
Second Thought:
This county was named for Major Henry Gladwin, British Commander of Detroit.
He was commander of Fort Detroit during the Siege of Pontiac 1763-1764.
Michigan's County of Gogebic,
Has a name that means the plunging rock
The name may come from the Algonquin words “gogi- ajibik”.
"Gogi" means to dive while "ajibik" means rock.
The Gogebic County's county seat is the City of Bessemer,
The sea, a lake, or pool in Greek is a "mer".
To immerse oneself means to dip into water.
The Latin word "merse" means he or she dives into
water.
The German words " eimer",
Means "a water pail or dipper".
Gobebic means to submerge,
To dive from an overhanging ledge and with the water below
merge.
The names Bessemer and Gogebic means to drive from a rock.
They means the place of the hanging rock.
Formed
in 1887,
It became
a county in 1887.
County Seat:
Bessemer.
Second Thought:
This county has an obscure name.
Most references interpret the root to be “rock” from the Native word “bik”.
Another interpretation is “diving rock”.
Michigan's county named Grand Traverse,
Means the way is long,
Whether one goes by land or sea, so goes the song.
Broken spans of water and land make for difficult
traveling.
In Grand Traverse Bay, there is a peninsula or jut of
land—
That one has to go around when sailing.
It takes considerable time to travel from Elk Rapids to Leland—
As you must go around two peninsulas as you're boating.
The name Grand Traverse,
Is French and means the great crossing.
No matter which way you go, the land is the hard to traverse—.
By land or sea, it is difficult going.
The names Traverse City and Grand Traverse,
Mean the long crossing is the song or verse.
Formed
in 1851,
It became
a county in 1851.
County Seat:
Traverse City.
Second Thought:
This county name is a French phrase “grand traverse”.
It was first given to the bay by the early French voyageurs.
Michigan's County of Gratiot,
Has a meaning that translates to treasury—
Storehouse, or apothecary.
In Greek, a treasury is called a "theka".
Gratiot County's county seat is the City of Ithaca.
Traditionally, the Greek City by this name was a house full
of baskets and crates—
A house full of things laid down from many estates.
Gratiot County has another noted city called Alma.
A gift and giving is called alms or a gratuity.
Giving is done best when done freely.
A gratuity is a courteous consideration,
Not paid for or provoked, a gift we joy and
congratulation.
The names Ithaca and Gratiot,
Mean the gratuity.
Formed
in 1831,
It became
a county in 1855.
County Seat:
Ithaca.
Second Thought:
This county was named for Captain Charles Gratiot (1788-1855), who supervised
the building of Fort Gratiot at the modern site of Port Huron.
Michigan's County of Hillsdale,
Has a name that means the high elevated hill,
Whose has at its center a small dent or hollow.
It’s a prefect place for a small town to fill.
Hillsdale sets in Southern Michigan,
On a grand hill or dun.
Hillsdale contains many a small brook,
And, many a beautiful outlook.
In this highland, lies a hollow.
Which is near Baw Besee Lake.
The city lies in a dingle or dent in the hillside—who
center is the lake.
“Shpaag bsa” in Algonquin means it is a high hill
hollow.
The hill with the dent is Hillsdale.
The name Hillsdale,
Means the highland hollow.
Organized
in 1829,
It became
a county in 1835.
County Seat:
Hillsdale.
Second Thought:
The rolling surface of the area served as the basis for this county name.
Situated in Michigan's Upper Peninsula is the County of Houghton.
The name Houghton seems to come from the German word "hochtal”,
Meaning where there is a high valley—
A haughty mountain vale or dell.
It means where there is a mountain valley,
That is above or one that is superior.
Here in Houghton County is the Portage River and its valley.
The valley is a passageway between Eastern and
Western Lake Superior.
In Germany the word “hoch schull”,
Means a polytechnic—or, high school.
Named for Douglas Houghton, Michigan’s leader in technology,
Houghton County contains Michigan's primary school for geology.
The name Houghton means the town in the high valley.
Formed
in 1845,
It became
a county in 1848.
County Seat:
Houghton.
Second Thought:
This county was named for Michigan geological professor Douglass Houghton
(1809-1845).
Michigan's county name Huron,
Means the tousled, choppy, hair that was hatched.
The name originates in the word "hure" which comes from the French lexicon,
Hure means a animal’s head that is cut and bristled.
The root of the word Huron is the German word “haupt",
which means head,
And, also German “haue”, which means a hatchet or
axe.
German “haube” means the plume on an bird's
head.
Huron County's county seat is the city of Bad Axe—
Which was named after an early relic of the village—
A broken hatchet or axe.
It was the local adage,
That the trees of Huron County were so hard they would
break an axe.
Huron means those with hair that is bristled.
The names Bad Axe and Huron mean
it is hatched.
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1859.
County Seat:
Bad Axe.
Second Thought:
This county was named for a Native American tribe the Huron.
The name comes from the French word “hure” meaning peasant or big (ugly)
head. The tribe referred to itself
as “Wendat” (Wyandotte) meaning dwellers on a peninsula.
Michigan's county called Ingham,
Has a name that means the meadowland.
The name comes from the German word "ham"
Meaning land that is enclosed or hemmed we understand.
The German word "eng" means a long, thin, piece of ground.
Native American’s called Ingham County “ak-mon-shee”,
Which likely means it is narrow and long the ground.
Ingham County's county seat is the City of Mason,
In Latin, to be long, thin, and lean is “maceo”,
Ingham County's City of Lansing—is the Capital of Michigan.
Lansing, likewise, seems to mean the long meadow.
The Dutch word "landengte" means land that is narrow a neck of land.
In Ingham County there are many long green strips of land.
The names Mason and Ingham mean the long narrow meadowland.
Form in
1829,
It became
a county in 1838.
County Seat:
Mason.
Second Thought:
This county was named for Samuel D. Ingham of Pennsylvania, Secretary of
the Treasury under President Andrew Jackson.
Michigan's County of Ionia,
Has a name that means the portage land.
"Io" is a Greek and Latin word that means the pass over or
the passageway.
The County of Ionia is situated near the watershed divide
that separates Michigan's Lower Peninsula.
A major city of the County of Ionia is Portland.
Early on, this area of Michigan—
Was an efficient portage way,
Between Eastern, Southeastern, and Western Michigan.
Ionia was the ancient inland water throughway.
The Old Word land and sea of Ionia allowed people to roam,
Between the Greek cities with City of Roman—
It is here in Michigan's County of Ionia
Where early people would to pass between Lake Michigan and
Saginaw Bay.
The name Ionia,
Means the passageway.
Organized
in 1831,
It became
a county in 1837.
County Seat:
Ionia.
Second Thought:
This county was named for a province of Greece.
The name of the county in Michigan called Iosco,
Was said to mean the place of the shining waters.
In Algonquin the word “waasko” means to shine bright.
The Saginaw, Tittibawasee, Shiawassee, and Washington or
Cass rivers,
Were, it seems, the shining rivers or waters of light.
Iosco County's county seat
is Tawas City,
It was named for local Native Chief O-ta-was whose name was
said to mean little trader.
However, the ending of his name may mean he glitters or shines
brightly,
Which would be a brilliant reflection of the name Iosco or shimmering
water.
The Greek and Latin word "eos" means the east or dawn.
Iosco is the land of the east, the rising sun, and dawn.
"Eos" or "Eous" also means means the Morning Star or
Lucifer.
The names Tawas City, East Tawas City, and
Iosco mean the shimmering white water.
Organized
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1857.
County Seat:
Tawas City.
Second Thought:
This county name was a Henry Schoolcraft invention.
His favorite name for Native American boys and men in writing, Iosco was
interpreted to mean “water of light”.
Michigan's county named Iron,
Has as its county seat the City of Crystal Falls.
The German word “eisen” means both icy and iron.
West of the City of Crystal Falls,
Is Bewabi State Park.
"Biiwabic" is the Chippewa and Ottawas word for iron.
The ground of Iron County is hard and dark.
Iron County's beautiful lakes,
Are Iron and Ice Lakes.
It may be said, easily,
That the County of Iron,
Is a cool and hard environ.
The names Crystal Falls and Iron,
Mean hard and icy.
Organized
in 1885,
It became
a county in 1885.
County Seat:
Crystal Falls.
Second Thought:
This county was named for the many iron deposits and mines in the county.
Michigan's County of Isabella,
Has a name that means pleasant in Spanish.
Isabella County was named for a queen who was also Spanish,
Isabella means she is beautiful.
The county seat of Isabella County is the City of Mount Pleasant.
Which means the hill that will enchant.
Mount Pleasant means the fine hill.
The City of Mount Pleasant is situated on a small mount.
In the southwest, the Pine River is the local fount.
Early on, the pine trees on the river were cut for many a
Saginaw mill.
The main river here is the Chippewa.
Life in Isabela County is wonderful.
The names Mount Pleasant and Isabella
Mean the place that is beautiful.
Organized
in 1831,
It became
a county in 1859.
County Seat:
Mount Pleasant.
Second Thought:
Henry Schoolcraft suggested naming this county for Queen Isabella (1451-1504)
of Spain under whose patronage Columbus undertook his voyages in 1492.
Michigan's County of Jackson,
Has a name that means it seems the hunter.
The German word "jagen" and the Dutch word "jachte" mean
hunter.
It is said that Jack is form of John and means man.
To hunt at night with a torchlight is to jack-light.
Which seems to mean the hunting light.
The County of Jackson is in the middle of the lower tier of
counties in Michigan.
It was once a part of Washtenaw County.
President Andrew Jackson was the name sake for Jackson
County.
The The name Jackson,
The surrounding counties were named for people in Jackson's
cabinet.
Fro the county, the hunting Woods of Waterloo in northern
part of the county are a great asset.
The name Jackson,
Seems to mean the hunter.
Organized
in 1829,
It became
a county in 1832.
County Seat:
Jackson.
Second Thought:
This county was named for President Andrew Jackson (1767-1845), 7th
President of the United States (1829-1837).
The Michigan county name Kalamazoo,
Means the kettle is boiling.
It was originally spelled—“kik-ala-mazoo”.
It was said to mean the boiling water or the rapid crossing.
The Algonquin word “kik” certainly means a caldron or a kettle—
A rapids is "kijidjiwan", which is similar to boilng
kettle.
And, the French, words “a la”,
Mean—at the—.
And, the Algonquin word “onso”,
Means the water is boiling.
Kik-ala-mazoo or Kalamazoo,
Means where the water is stewing or brewing.
The name Kalamazoo,
Means the water is boiling.
Formed
in 1829,
It became
a county in 1830.
County Seat:
Kalamazoo.
Second Thought:
This county has a Native American place name with widely accepted translations
of “boiling water”, “beautiful water”, and “stones like an otter’s tail.”
Other versions are “reflecting river” and “it smokes”.
In Michigan, the county name Kalkaska,
Traditionally, was said to mean "it is gone by fire".
It's root may be Algonquin “tchagakisa”,
Which means to burn something with fire.
One major attraction in the County of Kalkaska,
Is the lake that is centrally located called Kettle Lake.
In Latin, to boil water is “caleo”,
From which we get the word caldron as you may know.
Lake Skegomog is located
in northwest Kalkaska County,
Which, also, seems to mean
kettle lake—
In Chippewa and Ottawa “kik gami”—
Means caldron or kettle lake.
The name Kalkaska,
Means the kettle.
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1871.
County Seat:
Kalkaska
Second Thought:
This county name is a Henry Schoolcraft creation.
Michigan's County of Kent,
Has a name that means where there is a rapids or falling water.
The Old Welsh word “cant”,
Means a cascade or tumbling water.
The Algonquin word for rapids or water that is falling,
Is their word, which sounds like Kent “bkijiwang”,
Which means water is descending.
The English word kent means a swallow water pole . . . a punting
pole—
Likewise, a quant is a flat-bottom boat pole.
Kent County's county seat is the City of Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids and Kent,
Mean where the water is turbulent.
Formed
in 1831,
It became
a county in 1836.
County Seat:
Kent.
Second Thought:
This county was named for Chancellor James Kent (1763-1817) the celebrated
New York jurist.
Michigan's county called Keweenaw,
Has a name that means in part the point of land,
Which for the Chippewa and Ottawa,
At the end of a word is "we".
I cross a point of land on foot is "kakiwe",
And, I go around a point of land in a canoe is "giwidewa"
I go back or return is "giwe".
Keweenaw County's county seat is the City of Eagle Harbor
In in Chippewa is called "Migisiwi-wikwed".
A cove, bay, or a corner of the earth is called a "wikwed",
And, indeed, it seems to have a root similar to Keweenaw,
As I understand.
The names Eagle Harbor and Keweenaw
are connected with a point of land.
Formed
in 1861,
It became
a county in 1861.
County Seat:
Eagle Harbor.
Second Thought:
This county has a Native American place name that means the portage or the
place where portage is made.
Michigan's County of Lake,
Has a name that means the home of the drake.
In Latin “lacona” means a lake.
“Balineum”—means a bathing place.
The lake the place in which swimming birds dive in.
Lake County's county seat is the City of Baldwin,
It also means the bathing place—.
The place where sea-birds plunge into the water with a tailspin,
The birds called bald are water fowl.
They include the cormorants, [loons], bitterns, and coots,
Near the edge of the lake perches the owl.
Who near the lake also puts down roots.
Near the lake is a good place to sunbathe.
The names Baldwin and Lake mean the place to bathe.
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1871.
County Seat:
Lake.
Second Thought:
This county has many small lakes.
Michigan's County of Lapeer,
Has a name that means the highland,
That is made of grit, gravel, sand and flint.
The French word for stone is “la pierre”,
The main river of Lapeer County is called the Flint.
The river with the stony sparkle and glint.
Lapeer County's gentle glacial ridges are points from which
one may gaze.
Over the surrounding landscape--it is a highland.
The bring much praise.
The gentle ridges allow distant land to appear,
The landscape, here, is brilliant and crystal clear.
This is an area in Michigan's Thumb at is grand.
The name Lapeer,
Means the stony highland.
Formed
in 1822,
It became
a county in 1835.
County Seat:
Lapeer.
Second Thought:
This county name is a derivation of the French word “la pierre” meaning the
stone or the flint.
Michigan's County of Leelanau,
Has a name that means the delight of life—a young girl.
In Algonquin, the words “ikwe” and "akwe",
Means a woman—squaw or girl;
It may seem that name Leelanau,
Uses the French word "la" for her or she.
Leelanau County's county seat is Leland—probably likewise meaning
her or she.
In Chippewa and Ottawas to be delightful or joyful is "minwas”.
The name Leelanau seems to be connected with minwas, which
may mean good sqauw.
Another Michigan county is called Lenawee.
This name means man and comes from the Algonquin word "inini".
The names Leland and Leelanau,
Mean the delight of life—or
the good squaw.
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1863.
County Seat:
Leelanaw.
Second Thought:
This county name was a Henry Schoolcraft invention meaning “delight of life”.
Schoolcraft gave the name “Leelanau” to Native American women in his stories.
Michigan's County of Lenawee,
Has a name that means man—in English the original man was Adam.
The Algonquin word for man " inini".
The English name Adam seems to come from dame or dam.
Another word for master or man is dominee.
Lenawee County's county seat is the City of Adrian,
Which comes from Latin Hadrian.
These two words may be connected with
Greek "anthro" meaning man.
The English word man come from mind or
Latin "animus,
Other Latin words for mind are [memini],
"mens" an ingenius".
The root seems to be breath or spirit.
Chippewa "manito" means spirit.
The names Adrian and Lenawee,
Mean men are we.
Formed
in 1822,
It became
a county in 1826.
County Seat:
Adrian.
Second Thought:
This county has a Native American name that means “man”, generically, or
“people”.
Michigan's County of Livingston,
Was names for Edward Livingston,
Who was the Secretary of State under
President Jackson.
Means the dearly beloved mount or hill.
The Dutch word "liefde" means to love or have good will.
The county seat of Livingston,
Is the City of Howell.
Whose name means the hill or hive,
People where are successful and do well.
It is easy for people here to thrive.
The City of Howell is located
On a ridge that runs along Highland Road,
An important business area, the people are also well educated.
Livingston County has many a beautiful lake and abode.
The names Howell and Livingston,
Mean the beloved hill or dunn.
Formed
in 1833,
It became
a county in 1836.
County Seat:
Howell.
Second Thought:
This county was named for Edward Livingston, Secretary of State under President
Andrew Jackson.
Michigan's County of Luce,
Was named after the fish called the pike.
The Latin word “lupus” means wolf but also the voracious fish—the pike.
Luce County's county seat is the City of New Berry,
In Chippewa and Ottawa a pike is called a “gnoozhe”.
In Old Irish a spear or pike was called a “barry”.
The County of Luce is filled with Lakes,
With names like Muskellunge, Perch, and Pike Lakes.
It’s a beautiful place for your favorite fishing lure
The water here is pristine and pure.
If you're an inland fisherman, the County of Luce,
Will make you very happy.
The names New Berry and Luce,
Mean perch, pike, and musky.
Formed
in 1887,
It became
a county in 1887.
County Seat:
New Berry.
Second Thought:
This county was named for Governor Cyrus Luce (1887-1890).
Michigan's county named Mackinaw,
Was named after an ancient people.
The Mishinimakinago were the original populace of Mackinaw
The name was said to mean the great person who was wounded.
In Chippewa and Ottawa the words "inini makinana" mean the man
wounded.
The City of St. Ignace is the county seat of Mackinaw,
To ignite means to start a fire or blaze.
It is said the the name Mackinaw means the great turtle.
The Chippewa and Ottawa words "kitchi makinak" mean great
turtle.
I lame or wound him is "makinana" who
root seems to be ""biskane" meaning to blaze.
The county seat of Mackinaw is the City of St. Ignace.
The names St. Ignace and Mackinaw,
Mean the wounded man or
people who no one saw.
Formed
in 1818,
It became
a county in 1818.
County Seat:
St. Ignace.
Second Thought:
This county was named after the Native American tribe called the Michilimackinac
meaning “the big wounded man”. It was
also said to represent the “turtle”.
Michigan's county named Macomb,
Is Irish and means the sons of Sire Comb”.
It means the channel that combines two lakes.
At the head and tail of Macomb County's Lake St. Claire,
Are two large channels or rivers,
The Detroit and St. Claire Rivers.
Macomb in Old Irish is “cho-mare”,
Meaning the place where two bodies of water combine or pair.
The Old Celtic word “combe” means a channel or gully.
Where two large large freshwater sea combine is the meaning
of this county.
Macomb County's county seat is
the City of Mount Clements.
“Klemmen” is a
tight spot, a tight spot, or a narrowing in a scents.
Macomb County form a tight spot between
two large lakes.
The names Mount Clements
and Macomb mean the channel between two lakes.
Formed
in 1818,
It became
a county in 1818.
County Seat:
Mount Clements.
Second Thought:
This county was named for General Alexander Macomb (1782-1841) an officer
in the War of 1812.
Michigan's county named Manistee,
Essentially, means there is a wooded island in the river or stream.
It comes from the Chippewa and Ottawa phrase “mni ntig ziibi”.
Manistee is a spot that captures many a fisherman's dream.
The First Nation word Manistee,
May come from "inis" an Old Irish word for island.
We see this word in peninsula meaning almost an island.
The long clear Manistee River,
Once had at its mouth many large wooded islands,
And, also, up stream along the length of the river,
There are many tree fill islands.
So, the name Manistee has the theme,
That this is the place where there are wood islands
in the stream.
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1855.
County Seat:
Manistee.
Second Thought:
This county has a Native American place name meaning “the island stream”
or “the island all wooded stream”.
Another name suggested is “crooked river”.
Michigan's county named Marquette,
Means the border or marginal land.
Marquette County was named for missionary Father Jacques Marquette,
Marquette County's major cities are Marquette, Ishpeming, and Negaunee,
The latter two names mean the City of On High and the Pioneer City.
The French word "marquis" means a field tent and also a
nobleman.
The land to which Father Marquette once explored was then
the frontier.
The main river of Marquette County is the Dead River.
The French word "marquer" means to mark or write down,
It also means to braze a tree, register, or note down.
The name Father Marquette is associated with recording
early history,
In the Old Northwest and Michigan's Upper Peninsula
country.
Marquette, essentially, means the story of the boundary
land,
The land at the edge, or the
marginal land.
Formed
in 1843,
It became
a county in 1846.
County Seat:
Marquette.
Second Thought:
This county was named for the Jesuit missionary and explorer, Father Jacques
Marquette.
Michigan's County of Mason,
Has a name that means the stone worker—
Or, the person who works with squared stone block,
Originally floor, wall, and pavement that would interlock.
Mason County was named for Michigan Governor Steven T. Mason.
Mason County's county seat is the City of Ludington,
The moniker Ludington,
Seems to means the cement used by a mason—
Which is lute, clay, or mud.
It with the stone block is a mason's lifeblood.
Mason County's major river,
Is the Pere Marquette River,
The County of Mason lies along the east beach of Lake
Michigan.
The names Ludington and Mason
Mean the stoneworker .
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1855.
County Seat:
Ludington.
Second Thought:
This county was named for Steven T. Mason (1811-1843), first Governor of
Michigan (1835-1840).
The Michigan county name Mecosta,
May mean the great falls or cascade.
Mecosta County was said to have been named for Chief Mecosta.
In Algonquin, “mitchi kakabika” means big rapids or big waterfall.
“Nissa-koshka”—means downward I fall off.
"Bokoshkan" means I break it off.
Cascade seems to be the root of the name Mecosta.
Is the Latin word "casus" means to fall,
Chief Mecosta's name was said to mean little bear.
The Chippewa word "makwons" means
little bear.
....
....
The name Big Rapids, the county seat, and Mecosta,
Mean the big falls or cascade in the lower peninsula.
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1859.
County Seat:
Big Rapids.
Second Thought:
This county was named for the Potawatomi chief, Mecosta whose name was said
to represent “the bear club”.
The Michigan county name Menominee,
Means the place of the wild rice people.
The name comes from the Algonquin phrase “mnoomin nini”,
“Mnoomin” means wild rice or oats—while “nini” means people.
Menominee was a place
Where early inhabitants gather rice.
It was also the wetland space,
Of birds called bobolinks or ricebirds.
The name Menominee is related to the Algonquin word for good,
Algonquin “mno” means good—
“Miinkaan” means meal, or millet, and “miijin” means
to eat.
This is a place for a enjoyable retreat.
The name Menominee,
Means the wild rice people—or, good meals to eat.
Formed
in 1861,
It became
a county in 1861.
County Seat:
Menominee.
Second Thought:
This county was named after the Menominee River, which took its name from
the tribe that lived in the county.
The name Menominee meant “the rice people”.
The Michigan county name Midland,
Means the middle of the land,
But, a related phrase seems to be medicine
lodge,
Which in Algonquin is “mide-wigamig”, "wigamig"
means lodge
Midland is the home of chemical company called Dow,
Which is rooted in springs of bromide-salt.
Mental anguish or head-ache pain may be called dolor
or “dow”.
An early remedy for headaches was bromide seltzer
or salt.
The county name Midland seems to mean both middle
of the land
The county of Midland in located near the center
of Michigan's hand.
The word middle comes from to measure out, to moderate, or
to mete.
Midland seems to have been a early spa retreat.
The name Midland,
Means the middle of the land in Michigan's Hand.
Formed
in 1831,
It Became
a County in 1850.
County
Seat: Midland.
Second Thought:
This county name was said to come from the idea that the county is at the
geographical middle of the lower peninsula.
The Michigan county name Missaukee,
Means the big inland lake.
The Algonquin word for big is “mitchi”,
The Algonquin words for large inland lake,
Are “mitchi-sagaigan”.
Named for local Native Chief Me-sau-kee, it's a stunning region.
The county seat, here, is picturesque Lake City,
And, nearby are the large inland lakes called Higgins and Houghton.
Where winter and summer sports are enjoyed by everyone.
The Indian word "sagaigan" means instinctly,
Where the river has an opening—
A river's great widening.
The names Lake City and Missaukee,
Mean the mighty inland sea.
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1850.
County Seat:
Lake City.
Second Thought:
This county was named for the prominent Ottawa who lived in the area.
He was known as Me-Sau-Kee.
The Michigan county name Monroe,
Means the wheel maker.
Monroe County was named after President James Monroe.
This county is next to Wayne County, which means the wagon
or cart maker.
The meaning of the name Monroe,
Is "The Mouth of the Red, or River of Fish Roe"
Other, say, it means the river of the wheel maker clan.
The local Native chief was Chief Macon, and in Algonquin, a
path or trail is a “miikan.
Wayne and Monroe Counties are the world’s car capital.
Monroe County contained
the early entrance roads to Michigan—
Which were established when
Detroit was the state capital.
Monroe County has always been the place of the trial, the path,
and the wagon.
The name Monroe,
Means the wheelwright—and roads that in and outward flow.
Formed
in 1817,
It became
a county in 1822.
County Seat:
Monroe.
Second Thought:
This county was named for President James Monroe (1758-1831).
He visited Detroit in 1817, and in anticipation of his visit the county was
named for him.
The Michigan
name Montcalm,
Means the
grand hill plateau.
The county
was named after French General Marquis Montcalm.
This highland
is level and flat and with points that are low.
Montcalm
is at a high point,
Between
Lakes Huron and Michigan.
Its name
is a statement set in counterpoint.
That it
is still so level and staunched and like a plain.
The county
seat is the City of Stanton,
And, the
major river, here, is the Flat River.
The land
is like a table with legs that it rests upon,
And, slowly
flow the many a brook and river.
The names
Stanton and Montcalm,
Mean the
staunched mount that is calm.
Formed
in 1831,
It became a county in 1850.
County Seat: Stanton.
Second Thought:
This county was named for French General Marquis de Mountcalm.
His defeat and death in 1759 marked the end of the French and Indian War
in North America.
The Michigan
county name Montmorency,
Means the
mountain that is swampy—
The mount
with the marsh or moor,
The large
hill whose top is wet, spongy, and fun to explore.
The county
seat of Montmorency,
Is the
City of Atlanta,
The ancient
City of Atlanta
Was, also,
swallow by the sea—
The major
attractions of this wet hill land in Michigan, ,
Are Thunder
Bay River,
And, the
City of Hillman—
Also, the
City of Lewiston near the Au Sable River.
The names
Atlanta and Montmorency,
Mean the
mountain moor inundated and swallowed by the sea.
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1881.
County Seat:
Atlanta.
Second Thought:
It is not clear if this county was named for a historical person or place.
“The Great Marshland Of Michigan”
The Michigan
county name Muskegon,
Means land
that is wet and swamped.
Near the
mouth of the river, also, called Muskegon,
Lies a
large morass—ground that is somewhat submerged.
The Algonquin
word for wet land,
Is the
word “mashkig”,
Which means
"wet, grassy ground, mud, and sand".
Their word
for earth is “aki”.
The English
word musty,
Means a
place that is damp,
And, very
mossy.
Muskegon
was a place of the Algonquin “mik”, the beaver, its dam, and tail stamp.
The name
Muskegon,
Means the
great marshland of Michigan.
Formed
in 1859,
It became
a County in 1859.
County Seat:
Muskegon.
Second Thought:
This county has a Native American place named that means swamp or marsh.
The Michigan
county name Newago,
Means a
fluff of air, a cloud—as the legend would go—
In Algonquin,
the word “anakwad” means cloud.
It sounds
quite like Newago when said quite loud.
The meaning
of the name Newago,
Was, also,
once said to be "my wing".
Which in
Native speak is “ningwigan”.
The puzzling
name Newago.
The name
Newago comes the French the word “nuage”,
Which,
indeed, means "a fluff of air", cloud, fog, or nebula.
The Latin
word "nebula" means mist, smoke, or cloud.
The county
seat of of Newago is White Cloud.
The City
of White Cloud and Newago,
Both names
mean a white cloud, nuance, or misty flow.
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a County in 1851.
County Seat:
White Cloud.
Second Thought:
This county was named for an Ottawa band chief said to mean "wet water".
The Michigan county name Oakland,
Means the place of the acorn tree—
the tree with the nut or gland.
A nut, in general, in Algonquin is “paganak”.
The county seat of Oakland, is the City of Pontiac,
Which was named after local Native Chief Pontiac.
His name may, also, mean nut,
Bur oak, black walnut, hickory, or hazel nut.
In English and Greek acorns,
Are called “balanus”,
And, a tree with acorns,
Is called the “balanidae.
The names Pontiac and Oakland,
Mean, it seems, the nut tree land.
Formed
in 1819,
It became
a County in 1820
County Seat:
Pontiac.
Second Thought:
This county was named for the many oak openings in the county.
The Michigan county name Oceana,
Means the land by the great sands and sea.
The Greek word “okeano”,
Means the wide river that encompasses the earth
entirely.
The City of Hart is the county seat of Oceana,
In Latin, the word “haren” means the beach, which
is governed by the bird Aquila.
The Latin word “hara” means a corral, stall, pen,
or enclosure.
In Oceana, just, below the City of Hart is
the City of Pentwater.
The County of Oceana forms a point that projects
out into Lake Michigan.
Scenic sites here area Silver Lake,
And, and the much smaller Stony Lake.
The names Hart and Oceana,
Mean the great land enclosed by the sea and governed
by the seabird aquila.
Formed
in 1831,
It became
a County in 1851.
County Seat:
Hart.
Second Thought:
This county derives it’s name because of its proximity to Lake Michigan—the
fresh water ocean.
The Michigan county name Ogemaw,
Is rooted in the great motions—the evening stars or vespers.
In Algonquin, the chiefs, or bosses, were called “ogima”.
They are the tribe's in investors.
The County Seat of Ogemaw is the City of West Branch.
In Algonquin, the wasp was called the "amo".
Who into the sky launch.
In Native speech, west was the place of the falling of the
heaven's sun “epan-gishi-mo”,
The wasp is also in English called the vespidae,
The entire circle of the heavens is called a day.
The root of all of these words is to move—
The Algonquin word or to go, is “madja" and a trail or road
is a "mo".
The names West Branch and Ogemaw,
Mean the great evening vespers—the chiefs ephemera.
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1875.
County Seat:
West Branch.
Second Thought:
This county was named for Native Chief Ogema-Kegato (1794-1840) a prominent
chief of the Saginaw Valley.
The Michigan county name Ontonagon,
Was said to mean “hunt for my bowl”,
The valley, or basin, called Ontonagon,
It's mouth and river valley is shaped like a bowl.
Legend says a little Native girl,
Put a deep dish, or bowl, in the river of the Ontonagon,
And, not paying attention, it flooded away, in a whirl.
As it floated and went on its way, she yelled, “Nanda onagan.
Nanda onagan”—
Which in English is "Search for my bowl.
Hunt for my bowl”.
In the local region, this legend is well told and very familiar.
The story is a simile as the Ontonagon valley looked much like
the little girl’s bowl,
So, the region took on the name Ontonagon—meaning to a bowl
it was similar.
The name Ontonagon,
Means hunt for my bowl, which is gone.
Formed
in 1843,
It became
a county in 1846.
County Seat:
Ontonagon.
Second Thought:
This county name has had various meanings such as “hunting river”, “lost
bowl”, and “fishing place”. The name
Nantounagon was on an early 1670 French map.
The Michigan county name Osceola,
Means the black medicine singer.
The county was named for Seminole Chief Osceola.
His name meant in essence the person who plays the reed or
chanter.
In Native Algonquin a fife or flute-reed is called a "pipigwewan-ashk".
While the word "wimb-ashk" and “assagaan-ashk”,
Means a hollow herb or reed specie.
The county seat of Osceola is Reed City.
In French, a reed is called a "roseau", which means rush is
the talk.
In Algonquin, "mashkossiw" means an herb, medicine, or stalk.
And, a "mashkikiwinini" is a herbalist, doctor, or medicine
man.
There is a link between the reed and herbs and the shaman.
The names Reed City and Osceola
Mean the medicine chanter who works with a reed or cannula.
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1869.
County Seat:
Reed City.
Second Thought:
This county was named for Native American Chief Osceola (1803-1838).
The name comes from the Cree word “assiyahola” meaning the black drink singer.
“The
Stony Meadow Of The Lower Peninsula”
The Michigan county name Oscoda,
Means the stony clearing, mead, or meadow.
The name comes from Algonquin “assin mashkode”.
Which means the rocky grassland,
or prairie, that one would mow.
The county seat of Oscoda,
Is the quaint river and hillside City of Mio.
Its name seems to mean maize, grain, or simply milo.
Early people, most likely, collected grain in Oscoda.
The Algonquin word for meal is “miijin”—in Michigan,
And, grain is “miinkaan” ,
Oscoda was the stony grassland.
The prairie, or grazing land.
The names Mio and Oscoda,
Mean the stony meadow of the Lower Peninsula.
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1881.
County Seat:
Mio.
Second Thought:
This county name was a Schoolcraft invention meaning stone prairie or meadow.
The City of Mio was said to be the corruption of the name Maria, or Mary.
The Michigan county name Otsego,
Means the rock or stone
And, comes from Iroquois “otsenaro”.
The Old Irish word "gallet" means a pillar of stone.
The county seat of Otsego is the City of Gaylord.
The land of pebbles, gravel, and rocky hills is Gaylord,
Which is nestled In the north between the Sturgeon, Black,
and Thunder Bay Rivers,
And, snuggled in the south by the Boyne and Au Sable Rivers.
Gaylord is a rocky passageway that forms a gap.
In Algonquin a river crossing,
Was called an “ajawa”—I am sure in the way I think,
And, a cliff or rock was called an “ajibik”.
The City of Gaylord is a place situated between rivers—a
low rocky crossing.
The names Gaylord and Otsego,
Mean the gap or passageway—the gape of rock or stone.
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1875.
County Seat:
Gaylord.
Second Thought:
This county was named for the county in New York called Otsego, which means
“place of the rock”. An Iroquoian word,
it was also said to mean “the meeting place”.
The county name Ottawa,
Means in Algonquin one who would trade.
A Native People by this name inhabited Michigan's Lower Peninsula.
Their native word "Atawe" meant to offer for sale and be paid.
In German a "tausche" is a person who would barter,
While in French, a “troquer” is a goods broker.
The county seat of Ottawa is the City of Grand Haven.
Which was a place early on that served as a storehouse and
inn.
The trader was often in early times, also, a harbor innkeeper,
The local goods seller and buyer.
Also, in Algonquin, "atass" meant to store something,
While "atawa" meant to bet something.
The names Grand Haven and Ottawa,
Mean the trade people of Michigan's Lower Peninsula.
Formed
in 1831,
It became
a county in 1837.
County
Seat: Grand Haven.
Second Thought:
This county was name for the Native American tribe called the Ottawa, whose
name meant the trading people.
The name of the County of Presque Isle,
Is French and means "nearly an island".
The French, also, say—ile,
For an isolated piece or land surrounded by water or an island.
The French the word “presque”,
Means practically or nearly—
Another word for it is roughly,
In Algonquin, near or close is said to be “besh”.
The County Seat of Presque Isle,
Is called Rogers City, a town that is much quarried.
To have tuffs and hills with sunken edges is said to be rugged.
“A rocky hill isolated by water” is a good description of Presque
Isle.
The names Roger's City and Presque Isle
Means roughly
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1871.
County
Seat: Presque Isle.
Second Thought:
This county uses a French phrase “presque isle” meaning “almost an island
or peninsula”.
The name Roscommon,
Is Irish and means “Woods of St. Coman”, we see.
The Celtic name Roscommon,
Means woodland, or forest, community.
The Irish word “ros”,
Means a forest.
In German, wood from the forest,
Is called holz.
The two, large, sporting lakes
Of the County of Roscommon
Are Higgins and Houghton Lakes,
Where fishing and woodland adventures are common.
The name Roscommon,
Means the woodland polity
or common.
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1875.
County Seat:
Roscommon.
Second Thought:
This county was named for County Roscommon, Ireland, which is in the central
part of Ireland.
The Michigan County name Saginaw,
Means the people of the river's mouth or where the river flows
out.
The area's originally name was Conchradum.
Saginaw is located just west of Michigan's Thumb.
The area was later called Sankinon and Saguinon.
The Chippewa-Ottawa word "sagiwan,
Meant at the river's mouth or where the river goes out.
To pour a liquid in Chippewa/Ottawa is "siginan".
In Dutch and German to pour out a liquid is "schenken",
Which comes from the shank the bone once used as a spout.
In the Huron language, river mouth is "areenti":
Saginaw Bay was once called "Tek-ariendi-ondi" and "Karegnondi.
The name Saginaw means the spout,
Or, where the river pours out.
Formed
in 1822,
It became a county in 1831.
County Seat: Saginaw.
Second Thought:
This county was named for the Native American tribe the Sauks.
The ending “ong”, or “naw”, means place.
The Michigan county name St. Clair,
Likely means where the water is clear and light.
The French word “claire” means to glow.
The St. Claire River empties into Lake St. Claire
Which was once called Lake Kandekio.
The Latin word "candeo",
Means to be bright or hoary like snow.
The county seat of St. Clair is the City
of Port
Huron.
The city is the largest harbor on Lake Huron.
The largest river in St. Clair County is the Black River,
Which lies in contrast to a brilliant surrounding.
Another river is the Belle River,
Whose name means the beautiful river [for hunting].
The name St. Clair means where the water is
bright and clear.
Formed
in 1820,
It became a county in 1821.
County Seat:
Port Huron.
Second Thought:
This county was named for General Arthur St. Clair, the first governor of
the Northwest Territory, or it was named in 1679 when La Salle arrived here upon
Lake St. Clair on the first day of Saint Claire.
The name St. Joseph,
Means to increase—wax—or crescendo.
In the Bible, St. Joseph
Was one who bore the cradle, which swung curving to and fro.
To crescendo means to turn upward or upward bend—
Or, to form the top edge of a great circle.
The St. Joseph River of Michigan forms a great circle,
And, two cities along the river's way are Benton Harbor and
South Bend.
The county seat of St. Joseph,
Is the City of Centerville.
Which is located in the center of the major bend of the St.
Joseph River.
The Greek word "kyphos" means to curve, bend, or cycle around
a center.
The names Centerville and St. Joseph,
Mean curved like the bonnet of a chef.
Formed
in 1820,
It became
a county in 1829.
County Seat:
Centerville.
Second Thought:
This county was named for the patron saint of New France.
The county name Sanilac,
Was named for a Native warrior--a Wyandotte or
Huron.
The Native American Sannilac was a mystic a spirit warrior.
Sanilac County is along the western shore of
Lower Lake Huron.
The county's seat is the City of Sandusky.
In Onondaga, "ochenca" means water, and "ochenca-tschi" means watery.
The name Sandusky seems to mean water.
“Ganiatare” in Onondaga means a lake or great water,
Ganiatare was also the name of Lake Huron.
A sorcerer in Onondaga was an "otcon.
The spirit of man or the soul was also "otcon".
It seems possible that Sanilac means sorcerer.
The Huron name Sanilac may mean the
juggler,
The spirit warrior, or perhaps just water.
Formed
in 1822,
It became
a county in 1848.
County Seat:
Sandusky.
Second Thought:
This county was named for the spirit warrior in Henry Whiting’s poem Sannilac,
which may have been obtained from General Cass’ manuscripts. In the poem,
Sannilac was a spirit warrior.
The name Schoolcraft—
Comes from Native American agent.
Henry Schoolcraft.
His name meant essentially guide who is fluent.
The word school means a person who is a scholar,
Someone who is learned and at leisure.
And, having freedom for philosophy—
Technicality, and inquiry.
It means being a craftsman, a
skilled, clever, showman,
A spiritual wise man, or, spiritual man.
The county seat of Schoolcraft is the City of Manistique,
In Native language, "manito" means man's spirit
or mystic.I
The name Schoolcraft,
Means the mystic—or, one versed in scholarly craft.
Formed
in 1843,
It became
a county in 1846.
County
Seat: Manistique.
Second Thought:
This county was named for Henry R. Schoolcraft, Michigan Native American
Agent.
The name Shiawassee—
Means the right river with a gleam.
In Algonquin, the name was, likelys, originally,
“gwaiak-wasshkong-ziibi”.
Meaning the the straight river that shines like
a beam.
The county seat of Shiawassee is the City of Coruna,
A glowing ring that rests one's head . . . is
called a crown or corona.
The City of Owasso in Shiawassee County was
named for a Chief whose name meant he is brilliant or glitters.
Into the Saginaw River empty three rivers.
The Twisting Sparking River or the Tittabawassee,
The Cass once known as the [Sparkling or] Wakishegan,
And, the Straight Sparkling River or Shiawasse
They are the "Waters of Light" of Michigan.
The names Coruna and Shiawassee, it would seem,
Mean the sparkling beam.
Formed
in 1822,
It became
a county in 1837.
County Seat:
Coruna.
Second Thought:
This county name was said to mean the rolling river, the traight
river, and sparkling water.
The county name Tuscola—
Means the land that looks like
a a flat top bank or bench.
The Thumb of Michigan has the contour somewhat
like a table top or mensa.
The local Native Chief was Otusson, whose
name meant bench or platform.
The Algonquin word "tessa"
describes some flat like a shelf, plate, or platform. .
Tessi-nagan means a plate that is flat.
The French called the Thumb of Michigan Le Pays
Plat,
Which means in English the
flat country.
The name Tuscola was originally in Chippewa/Ottawa said to be
Tusci.
The name Tuscola
was said to mean warrior prairie and level land,
On early maps it is
described mostly as wet prairie land.
The name of the
county seat Caro seems to mean the flat farm or harrow land.
The names Caro and Tuscola
Mean the flat tableland
that looks like a mensa.
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1850.
County Seat:
Caro.
Second Thought:
This county name was said to be a Henry Schoolcraft invention meaning either
warrior prairie or level lands.
The name Van Buren,
Means the arboreal shelter,
The woodland den,
The place for sleeping, the cover, or the bower.
The county seat of Van Buren,
Is the City of Paw Paw.
In Algonquin the "nbaad" is the bed, a sleeping
place, or warren,
The tree called the paw paw,
Is also called the papaya.
It’s a tree that may be used as an arbor—
Or, shady woodland harbor,
In the southwestern part of Michigan's Lower Peninsula.
The names Paw Paw and Van Buren,
Mean the arbor den
Formed
in 1829,
It became
a county in 1837.
County Seat:
Paw Paw.
Second Thought:
This county was named for President Van Buren, who was inaugurated in 1837.
The name Washtenaw,
Is Algonquin and means where one goes over or on,
The place where one goes towards—yon.
The County Seat of Washtenaw,
Is the City of Ann Arbor.
The German word “an”—
Also, means to go over.
This was a land through, which one ran.
The root of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw, is Latin “a”.
Which means to go “toward or to”.
This is also seen in the French word “a”.
Which likewise means to go "through".
The names Ann Arbor and Washtenaw,
Mean onward go us all.
Formed
in 1822,
It became
a county in 1829.
County Seat:
Ann Arbor.
Second Thought:
This county has a Native American name, which was said to mean “on the river”
or “the land beyond”.
The name of the County of Wayne,
Means the car maker or cartwright . . . the maker
of carts.
And, was named for Revolutionary War General Anthony
Wayne.
The Count Seat of Wayne, today, is Detroit—the capital
of the car making arts.
The Old French name Detroit,
Meant "The Narrow Water Throughway"—
The eastern part of the strait called Detroit—
Makes up almost all of the county, which is a major
waterway.
Historically, way points—where stopping points .
. . great isles.
The Native people of Detroit are called the Wyandottes,
Whose name meant "people of the floating lands or
isles".
For people throughout history, Detroit, its islands,
and trails have been favored spots.
The names Detroit and Wayne,
Mean home of the cartwright—or, wain.
Formed
in 1796,
It became
a county in 1815.
County Seat:
Detroit.
Second Thought:
This county was named for General Anthony Wayne (1745-1796), who was famous
in the Revolutionary War.
The County of Wexford
Has a name from Ireland.
It means the high, rolling esker with a nearby portage
or ford,
A wading spot near at high, glacial, ridge land.
The County Seat of Wexford,
Is the City of Cadillac,
Whose name means the great falling
The splendid cadence or waxing—
The "Cadence Du Lac".
To be in the County of Wexford,
Is like climbing up and down on a ladder,
Or, being on an escalator.
The names Cadillac and Wexford,
Mean the cadence by the lake—or, the great esker
ford.
Formed
in 1840,
It became
a county in 1869.
County Seat:
Cadillac.
Second Thought:
This county was named for County Wexford, Ireland, which is in the southeastern
part of Ireland.
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