106-682: Hartwick Pines State Park is a public recreation area covering 9,335 acres (3,778 ha) in Crawford County near Grayling and Interstate 75 on the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan . The state park contains an old-growth forest of white pines and red pines , known as the Hartwick Pines . It is claimed by the Michigan Department of Natural resources that this old growth area, along with
212-1054: A city , town , or village . A few counties directly provide public transportation themselves, usually in the form of a simple bus system. However, in most counties, public transportation is provided by one of the following: a special district that is coterminous with the county (but exists separately from the county government), a multi-county regional transit authority, or a state agency. In western and southern states, more populated counties provide many facilities, such as airports, convention centers , museums, recreation centers , beaches, harbors, zoos, clinics, law libraries , and public housing . They provide services such as child and family services, elder services, mental health services, welfare services, veterans assistance services, animal control , probation supervision, historic preservation, food safety regulation, and environmental health services. They have many additional officials like public defenders , arts commissioners, human rights commissioners, and planning commissioners. There may be
318-446: A consolidated city-county or independent city exists, a city council usually governs city/county or city affairs. In some counties, day-to-day operations are overseen by an elected county executive or by a chief administrative officer or county administrator who reports to the board, the mayor, or both. In many states, the board in charge of a county holds powers that transcend all three traditional branches of government. It has
424-417: A 49-acre (20 ha) old-growth remnant of a pine grove that was withdrawn from logging by a local timbering firm in 1927—a time when very little old-growth pine remained in northern Michigan. Karen Michelson Hartwick, widow of lumberman Major Edward Hartwick , donated the grove, which was then 85 acres (34 ha) in size, and 8000 surrounding acres (32.4 km) of cutover land to the state of Michigan as
530-622: A Snow Queen pageant. The park's popularity increased to the point where a "Snow Train" was established to bring skiers to Grayling from across the state. Transportation from Lodges in Grayling to the park was provided by flat-bed trucks. Groomed trails were provided for Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing . The Cass City Chronicle noted in March 1941, "Due to generous support of the federal park service , state conservation department , and Civilian Conservation Corps , Grayling offers today
636-519: A bookstore operated by the non-profit Friends of Hartwick Pines, and restrooms. The visitor center has an auditorium that can seat 105 people and a nine-projector multi-image slide show. The show is approximately 14 minutes long and shares the story of logging from past until today. Programs and special events are offered throughout the year. The state park includes a campground , day-use area, and network of four-season trails for summer hiking and winter cross-country skiing . The Old Growth Forest Trail to
742-595: A city or township has not established another Law enforcement agency . The county seat has the Grayling Police Department . The current sheriff is Ryan Swope. The Sheriff is also responsible for the Crawford County Dispatch Center which responds to 911 calls as well as non-emergencies 24 hours a day. They forward calls for fires and medical emergencies throughout the county. The county jail is also staffed and managed by
848-424: A county fire department and a county police department – as distinguished from fire and police departments operated by individual cities, special districts, or the state government. For example, Gwinnett County, Georgia , and its county seat, the city of Lawrenceville , each have their own police departments. (A separate county sheriff's department is responsible for security of the county courts and administration of
954-465: A few counties bear names of Native American , French, or Spanish origin. Counties are most often named for people, often political figures or early settlers, with over 2,100 of the 3,144 total so named. The most common county name, with 31, is Washington County , for America's first president, George Washington . Up until 1871, there was a Washington County within the District of Columbia , but it
1060-823: A few small employers added to the industrial park at West Four Mile Road south of Grayling. Several microbreweries and a new art gallery opened prior to the COVID-19 pandemic , and summer tourist spending is rising again. Crawford County has branches of two large commercial banks, Fifth Third Bank and Huntington Bank ; two area banks, Horizon Bank (from Indiana) and State Savings Bank (from Gaylord); and two Michigan credit unions, Northland Area Federal Credit Union and North Central Area Credit Union. Several trucking companies have operations in Crawford County. The Crawford County Avalanche states that it has been "Grayling's Hometown Newspaper Since 1879". Camp Grayling
1166-400: A land area of 20,057 square miles (51,947 km ). The least extensive county is Kalawao County, Hawaii , with a land area of 11.991 square miles (31.058 km ). The least extensive county equivalent in the 50 states is the independent city of Falls Church, Virginia , with a land area of 1.999 square miles (5.177 km ). If U.S. territories are included,
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#17327874047041272-453: A large number of counties, and many Western states were sparsely populated when counties were created by their respective state legislatures. The five counties of Rhode Island and eight of the 14 counties of Massachusetts no longer have functional county governments, but continue to exist as legal and census entities. Connecticut abolished county governments in 1960, leaving its eight counties as mere legal and census entities. In 2022,
1378-888: A matter of U.S. state law , so the specific governmental powers of counties may vary widely between the states, with many providing some level of services to civil townships , municipalities , and unincorporated areas . Certain municipalities are in multiple counties ; New York City is uniquely partitioned into five counties, referred to at the city government level as boroughs . Some municipalities have been consolidated with their county government to form consolidated city-counties , or have been legally separated from counties altogether to form independent cities . Conversely, counties in Connecticut and Rhode Island , eight of Massachusetts's 14 counties , and Alaska's Unorganized Borough have no government power, existing only as geographic distinctions. The United States Census Bureau uses
1484-553: A memorial to the logging industry. Salling Hansen Lumber Company heavily logged much of the property within Hartwick Pines State Park during the 1880s and 1890s. The Civilian Conservation Corps planted many of the park's trees in the 1930s as part of a massive restoration effort. Hence, this forest is known as "second growth." On November 11, 1940, the Armistice Day Blizzard badly damaged
1590-415: A population over 100,000; 137 counties have a population over 500,000; 45 counties have a population over 1,000,000; and 14 counties have a population over 2,000,000. At the other extreme, 35 counties have a population under 1,000; 307 counties have a population under 5,000; 709 counties have a population under 10,000; and 1,492 counties have a population between 10,000 and 50,000. At the 2000 U.S. Census ,
1696-428: A public community college in Grayling. The Deveraux Memorial Library in Grayling is the public library in Crawford County. Due to its size, the county has no scheduled bus service and limited taxi service. The Crawford County Transportation Authority offers dial-a-ride service at low rates. Crawford County is not served by commercial airlines . Grayling Army Airfield , ( ICAO : KGOV , FAA LID : GOV )
1802-428: Is Lake . Words from Native American languages, as well as the names of Native American leaders and tribes, lend their names to many counties. Quite a few counties bear names of French or Spanish origin, such as Marquette County being named after French missionary Father Jacques Marquette . The county's equivalent in the state of Louisiana, the parish (Fr. paroisse civile and Sp. parroquia ) took its name during
1908-572: Is 343 sq mi (890 km ), whereas in Utah it is 2,427 sq mi (6,290 km ). The most extensive county or county equivalent is the Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , with a land area of 145,505 square miles (376,856 km ). All nine of the most extensive county equivalents are in Alaska. The most extensive county is San Bernardino County, California , with
2014-540: Is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan . Its population was 12,988 as of the 2020 census . The county seat of Crawford County is Grayling , the county's only incorporated community. Crawford County is located in the Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. It contains land within three of Michigan's largest watersheds, belonging to the Au Sable , Manistee , and Muskegon rivers and 75% of
2120-511: Is a public/military use airport located one nautical mile (1.85 km) northwest of the central business district of Grayling . Built in 1977, the United States Army owns it, and a fixed-base operator provides support services to general aviation users. The City of Grayling provides municipal water and sewer to residents, and Beaver Creek/GraylingTownship Utility Authority provides municipal water and sewer to residents on
2226-526: Is also responsible for traffic signals, flashing beacons, bridges, road signs and culverts within county road rights of way throughout Crawford County's 558 square miles. Normal duties include: roadside brush control, snow and ice removal, roadside mowing, dust control on gravel roads, patching potholes, pavement markings, road & bridge design, inspection of contracted projects, and traffic studies. Five elected road commissioners meet bi-weekly to review, approve and plan department activities. The County Clerk
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#17327874047042332-500: Is either done at the state level or at the municipal level. In Connecticut and parts of Massachusetts, regional councils have been established to partially fill the void left behind by the abolished county governments. The regional councils' authority is limited compared with a county government—they have authority only over infrastructure and land use planning, distribution of state and federal funds for infrastructure projects, emergency preparedness, and limited law enforcement duties. In
2438-642: Is elected and the current officeholder in Crawford County is Sandra M. Moore. In other states, the County Treasurer is known as the Tax Collector . Disbursements from the county, including payroll and vendor payments, are made by the treasurer following authorization by the County Commissioners. The treasurer must also maximize the interest earned on undisbursed funds through safe, short-term investments. The treasurer documents
2544-399: Is greater than the populations of 41 U.S. states, and is only slightly smaller than the combined population of the 10 least populous states and Washington, D.C. It also makes the population of Los Angeles County 17.4 times greater than that of the least populous state, Wyoming. The second most populous county is Cook County, Illinois , with a population of 5,275,541. Cook County's population
2650-455: Is larger than that of 28 individual U.S. states and the combined populations of the six smallest states. The least populous county is Loving County, Texas , with 64 residents in 2020. Eight county equivalents in the U.S. territories have no human population: Rose Atoll , Northern Islands Municipality , Baker Island , Howland Island , Jarvis Island , Johnston Atoll , Kingman Reef , and Navassa Island . The remaining three islands in
2756-537: Is located in two replica logging camp buildings and has outdoor exhibits of logging equipment and an enclosed steam-powered sawmill that is operated during summer events. The museum is administered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources ' Michigan History Museum. The Michigan Forest Visitor Center contains an exhibit hall on the history of the forests in Michigan, an auditorium, classroom space,
2862-782: Is no formal level of government (municipality, public education, or otherwise) existing below that of the county in the state. In most Midwestern and Northeastern states, counties are further subdivided into townships or towns , which sometimes exercise local powers or administration. Throughout the United States, counties may contain other independent, self-governing municipalities . In New England, counties function at most as judicial court districts and sheriff's departments (presently, in Connecticut only as judicial court districts—and in Rhode Island , they have lost both those functions and most others but they are still used by
2968-676: Is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gaylord . It is also located in the Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan , based in Saginaw, Michigan . The largest employer in the county is Camp Grayling followed by the Grayling Hospital. The small size of the population won't support any big box stores ; Tractor Supply Company moved into the building that Kmart vacated in the late 2010s. There have been
3074-410: Is rarely a county responsibility, execution of capital punishment is never a county responsibility, and the state's responses to prisoners' appeals are the responsibility of the state attorney general , who has to defend before the state appellate courts the prosecutions conducted by locally elected district attorneys in the name of the state. Furthermore, county-level trial court judges are officers of
3180-837: Is responsible for maintaining vital records including divorce/marriage, death/birth, notary, DBA registration, application to carry a concealed pistol, DD214 . The officeholder is also Register of Deeds legally recording real/personal property docs, indexes and provides access to mortgages and liens, deeds, UCC transactions, oil/gas/mineral rights. Legal Records involve filing civil cases valued above $ 25,000 for Circuit Trial Court and processing criminal felony cases transferred from District Court. Unemployment (MESC), Probate Court and driver's license restoration appeals are also filed as well as orders of personal protection. Change of venue , civil/criminal bond money collection, construction lien certificate releases and issuing vendor permits to veterans are also normal processes. The County Clerk position
3286-613: Is rolling hills but not so steep as to impede farm equipment. The Au Sable River, along with its tributaries, traverse the entire county, providing water and locations for ranching livestock. It also presents an opportunity for superb trout fishing. On the western county line is a natural reservoir that forms the Manistee River. Transportation is primarily provided by the Michigan Central railroad. The Detroit & Charlevoix railroad has track to Frederic, Michigan to
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3392-562: Is simultaneously a city, which is a municipality (municipal corporation), and a county, which is an administrative division of a state, having the powers and responsibilities of both types of entities. The city limit or jurisdiction is synonymous with the county line, as the two administrative entities become a non-dichotomous single entity. For this reason, a consolidated city-county is officially remarked as name of city – name of county (i.e., Augusta–Richmond County in Georgia). The same
3498-677: Is the Prosecuting Attorney/County Counsel . They have a multitude of responsibilities that include: The position of prosecutor is elected and the current officeholder in Crawford County is Sierra R. Koch. There are three courts in Crawford County: Crawford County Probate Court, 46th Circuit Court, and 87-C District Court. The Michigan Supreme Court approved a Concurrent Jurisdiction Plan, an agreement entered into by all Crawford County elected judges. The judicial in
3604-564: Is the primary training facility for the Michigan National Guard and is the largest National Guard training facility in the United States. Edward Hartwick graduated from Grayling High School in 1888 and received an appointment to West Point in 1889. Four years later he graduated with high honors and was assigned to the 4th Cavalry . He soon transferred to the 9th Cavalry , known as the Buffalo Soldiers on
3710-523: Is the primary training facility for the Michigan National Guard and is the largest National Guard training facility in the United States. Governmental responsibilities within Michigan counties are divided between cities and townships, with the county providing certain services that are economically justified. General financial control in Crawford County is vested in a 7-member elected County commission . In Michigan, they have limited authority to make laws or ordinances. Most local government functions are
3816-506: Is true of the boroughs of New York City , each of which is coextensive with a county of New York State. For those entities in which the city uses the same name as the county, city and county of name may be used (i.e., City and County of Denver in Colorado). Similarly, some of Alaska 's boroughs have merged with their principal cities, creating unified city-boroughs. Some such consolidations and mergers have created cities that rank among
3922-652: The Alaska Constitutional Convention wanted to avoid the traditional county system and adopted their own unique model with different types of boroughs varying in powers and duties. In some states, these powers are partly or mostly devolved to the counties' smaller divisions usually called townships , though in New York, New England and Wisconsin they are called "towns". The county may or may not be able to override its townships on certain matters, depending on state law. The newest county in
4028-421: The Au Sable , Manistee , and Muskegon rivers. Crawford County has relatively few lakes, mostly in the northern part of the county. Lake Margrethe is the county's largest and has a surface area of 1,920 acres (7.8 km ). Other water bodies >100 acres include Big Bradford Lake, Big Bear Lake, KP Lake, Shellenbarger Lake, Shupac Lake and Wakeley Lake. Some of these are so-called kettle lakes ,' formed by
4134-458: The City and County of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ; City and County of San Francisco, California ; and Lynchburg-Moore County, Tennessee A consolidated city-county may still contain independent municipalities maintaining some governmental powers that did not merge with the rest of the county. For example, the government of Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida , still provides county-level services to
4240-547: The Huron National Forest . Glaciers shaped the area, creating a unique regional ecosystem. A large portion of the area is the so-called Grayling outwash plain, which consists of broad outwash plain including sandy ice-disintegration ridges; jack pine barrens, some white pine-red pine forest, and northern hardwood forest. Large lakes were created by glacial action. As of the census of 2000, there were 14,273 people, 5,625 households, and 4,038 families residing in
4346-603: The Mid-Atlantic and Midwest , counties typically provide, at a minimum, courts, public utilities , libraries, hospitals, public health services, parks, roads, law enforcement, and jails. There is usually a county registrar, recorder, or clerk (the exact title varies) who collects vital statistics , holds elections (sometimes in coordination with a separate elections office or commission), and prepares or processes certificates of births, deaths, marriages, and dissolutions (divorce decrees). The county recorder normally maintains
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4452-566: The New York City Borough of Manhattan), with 72,033 persons per square mile (27,812 persons/km ) in 2015. The Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , is both the most extensive and the least densely populated county or county equivalent with 0.0380 persons per square mile (0.0147 persons/km ) in 2015. In the 50 states (plus the District of Columbia), a total of 981 counties have a population over 50,000; 592 counties have
4558-576: The Province of Maine founded York County . Massachusetts followed in 1643. Pennsylvania and New York delegated significant power and responsibility from the colony government to county governments and thereby established a pattern for most of the United States, although counties remained relatively weak in New England . When independence came, the framers of the Constitution left
4664-437: The U.S. Minor Outlying Islands ( Midway Atoll , Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island ) have small non-permanent human populations. The county equivalent with the smallest non-zero population counted in the census is Swains Island, American Samoa (17 people), although since 2008 this population has not been permanent either. The most densely populated county or county equivalent is New York County, New York (coextensive with
4770-582: The USGS counts Guam's election districts (villages) as county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts the 3 main islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands as county equivalents, while the USGS counts the districts of the U.S. Virgin Islands (of which there are 2) as county equivalents. Common sources of county names are names of people, geographic features, places in other states or countries, and animals. Quite
4876-552: The United States , a county or county equivalent is an administrative or political subdivision of a U.S. state or other territories of the United States which consists of a geographic area with specific boundaries and usually some level of governmental authority. The term " county " is used in 48 states, while Louisiana and Alaska have functionally equivalent subdivisions called parishes and boroughs , respectively. Counties and other local governments exist as
4982-689: The United States Census Bureau and some other federal agencies for some federal functions), and most of the governmental authority below the state level is in the hands of towns and cities . In several of Maine's sparsely populated counties, small towns rely on the county for law enforcement, and in New Hampshire several social programs are administered at the state level. In Connecticut, Rhode Island, and parts of Massachusetts, counties are now only geographic designations, and they do not have any governmental powers. All government
5088-471: The county seat ("parish seat" in Louisiana, "borough seat" in Alaska, or " shire town " in several New England counties). The county seat usually resides in a municipality. However, some counties may have multiple seats or no seat. In some counties with no incorporated municipalities, a large settlement may serve as the county seat. The power of county governments varies widely from state to state, as does
5194-478: The median land area of U.S. counties was 622 sq mi (1,610 km ), which is two-thirds of the median land area of a ceremonial county of England , and a little more than a quarter of the median land area of a French département . Counties in the western United States typically have a much larger land area than those in the eastern United States. For example, the median land area of counties in Georgia
5300-451: The 50 states and District of Columbia. There are an additional 100 county equivalents in the territories of the United States . The average number of counties per state is 62, with a range from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . Southern and Midwestern states generally tend to have more counties than Western or Northeastern states, as many Northeastern states are not large enough in area to warrant
5406-461: The 50 states and the District of Columbia. If the 100 county equivalents in the U.S. territories are counted, then the total is 3,244 counties and county-equivalents in the United States. The idea of counties originated with the counties of England . English (after 1707, British ) colonists brought to their colonies in North America a political subdivision that they already used in
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#17327874047045512-997: The British metropole : the counties. Counties were among the earliest units of local government established in the Thirteen Colonies that would become the United States. Virginia created the first counties in order to ease the administrative workload in Jamestown . The House of Burgesses divided the colony first into four "incorporations" in 1617 and finally into eight shires (or counties) in 1634: James City , Henrico , Charles City , Charles River , Warrosquyoake , Accomac , Elizabeth City , and Warwick River . America's oldest intact county court records can be found at Eastville, Virginia , in Northampton (originally Accomac) County , dating to 1632. Maryland established its first county, St. Mary's in 1637. In 1639,
5618-653: The Four Mile Road corridor. All other county residents utilize well water and private septic systems approved by the Crawford County Health Department. Electrical service throughout the county is provided by either Consumers Energy or Great Lakes Energy Co-op. Natural gas is provided by DTE Energy . Propane Service is provided by half a dozen providers. 44°41′N 84°37′W / 44.68°N 84.61°W / 44.68; -84.61 County (United States) In
5724-560: The Hartwick Pines old-growth pine grove. 36 acres (15 ha) of old trees were destroyed by windthrow from this and other storms, leaving behind the 49 acres (20 ha) that remain. The Hartwick Pines Logging Museum was erected by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1934–1935. It contains recreated exhibit rooms, photographs and artifacts of the lumber boom years of northern Michigan. The museum
5830-584: The Red Pine Natural Area Preserve in Roscommon County resembles the appearance of all Northern Michigan prior to the logging era. These areas do, however, lack the reoccurring low intensity fires which once occurred throughout northern Michigan, impacting regeneration of red pine and eastern hemlock , as well as leading to an increased content of hardwood species such as sugar maple and beech . The Hartwick Pines are
5936-481: The Sheriff's Department, as is security for the county courts. Firefighting and Emergency services are the responsibility of cities and townships. The City of Grayling and Grayling Charter township have a joint department, with 22 salaried and paid-per call professionals. The remaining townships each have a primarily Volunteer fire department , but all provide mutual and automatic aid to other departments throughout
6042-655: The U.S. Census Bureau began to also count Connecticut's Councils of Governments , which took over some of the regional powers from the state's former county governments, as county equivalents. Territories of the United States do not have counties; instead, the United States Census Bureau also divides them into county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts American Samoa 's districts and atolls as county equivalents. American Samoa locally has places called "counties", but these entities are considered to be " minor civil divisions " (not true counties) by
6148-473: The U.S. Census Bureau recognized the state's nine Councils of Governments as replacement for the state's eight legacy counties for all statistical purposes; full implementation was completed in 2024. The average U.S. county population was 104,435 in 2019, while the median county, which is Nicholas County, West Virginia , had a population of 25,965 in 2019. The most populous county is Los Angeles County, California , with 10,014,009 residents in 2020. This number
6254-479: The U.S. Census Bureau treats American Samoa's three districts and two atolls as county equivalents). American Samoa's counties are treated as minor civil divisions. Most territories are directly divided into municipalities or similar units, which are treated as equivalent of counties for statistical purposes: The U.S. Census Bureau counts all of Guam as one county equivalent (with the FIPS code 66010), while
6360-690: The U.S. Census Bureau. The number of counties per state ranges from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . County populations also vary widely: in 2017, according to the Census Bureau, more than half the U.S. population was concentrated in just 143 of the more than 3,000 counties, or just 4.6% of all counties; the five most populous counties, ordered from most to least, are Los Angeles County, California ; Cook County, Illinois ; Harris County, Texas ; Maricopa County, Arizona ; and San Diego County, California . As of 2022 , there are 3,144 counties and county-equivalents in
6466-489: The United States is the city and county of Broomfield, Colorado , established in 2001 as a consolidated city-county , previously part of four counties. The newest county equivalents are the Alaskan census areas of Chugach and Copper River , both established in 2019, and the Alaskan boroughs of Petersburg established in 2013, Wrangell established in 2008, and Skagway established in 2007. A consolidated city-county
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#17327874047046572-402: The board. These positions may include county clerk , county treasurer , county surrogate, sheriff , and others. District attorneys or state attorneys are usually state-level as opposed to county-level officials, but in many states, counties and state judicial districts have coterminous boundaries. The site of a county's administration, and often the county courthouse , is generally called
6678-410: The city and the county at least nominally exist, they are properly classified as counties in their own right. Likewise, the boroughs of New York City are coextensive with counties and are therefore by definition also not county equivalents. There are technically no counties in U.S. territories. American Samoa has its own counties , but the U.S. Census Bureau does not treat them as counties (instead,
6784-438: The collection of funds to the county which include: property taxes, state and federal grants, interest income, and various service and license fees. The County Clerk collects money in the course of daily business including fines, fees and bonds, then forwards it to the treasurer. The position of treasurer is elected and the current officeholder in Crawford County is Kate M. Wagner. Crawford County's chief law enforcement official
6890-421: The county (which merely implements state law). A typical criminal defendant will be arraigned and subsequently indicted or held over for trial before a trial court in and for a particular county where the crime occurred, kept in the county jail (if he is not granted bail or cannot make bail), prosecuted by the county's district attorney, and tried before a jury selected from that county. But long-term incarceration
6996-549: The county and adjacent counties. They also participate in Wildfire suppression due to large forested areas including state parks, National Forests, state forests and wildlife management areas. The Crawford County Road Department (CCRD) has responsibility for 180 miles of primary roads, 206 miles of state highways and 526 miles of local roads in the county. The counties 34 CCRD employees and utilize hundreds of pieces of equipment to keep county roadways in good repair. The department
7102-400: The county can only sustain one high school, middle school and elementary school. The Crawford AuSable School Board is elected to establish policy to provide the best programs to meet the needs of the students while being fiscally responsible and hiring a superintendent to execute those policies. The current superintendent is Tim Sanchez. Crawford County is home to Kirtland Community College ,
7208-688: The county is publicly owned by the Department of Military Affairs , the United States Forest Service or the State of Michigan . The county is named for Col. William Crawford , a Revolutionary War officer captured by Native Americans near Sandusky, Ohio and burned at the stake in 1792. Created by the Michigan Legislature as Shawono County in 1840, before being renamed in 1843 as Crawford County. "Shawono"
7314-463: The county jail.) In several southern states, public school systems are organized and administered at the county level. As of 2024 , there were 2,999 counties, 64 Louisiana parishes , 19 organized boroughs and 11 census areas in Alaska, 9 Councils of Government in Connecticut, 41 independent cities , and the District of Columbia for a total of 3,144 counties and county equivalents in
7420-411: The county operates as a unified (single) trial court, resulting in an efficient use of resources. This system reduces repetition, simplifies case processing, provides better customer service, controls costs and reduces receivables. One appointed court administrator assists all the judges with any administrative matter in the court system. (information as of July 2023) Due to their small population,
7526-457: The county. The population density was 26 people per square mile (10 people/km ). There were 10,042 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (6.9/km ). At the 2020 census, its population was 12,988. In 2000, the racial makeup of the county was 96.38% White , 1.50% Black or African American , 0.60% Native American , 0.25% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 0.20% from other races , and 1.05% from two or more races. 0.99% of
7632-448: The county. There are few swamps and lowlands, all along narrow strips beside waterways, which can be productive with proper drainage. Over a hundred years ago, people journeyed "up north" for rest, recreation and their health. Hunting has always been popular, and for wild game, large tracts of second-growth timber on land originally clear-cut provide better food and protection than the original forests did. Deer populations are stable despite
7738-489: The finest public toboggan set-up in the entire United States, and this isn't paid ballyhoo. Six steel slides are the only ones of their kind anywhere not excluding Lake Placid or Sun Valley (Idaho). Two ski tows have been in operation; next season there will be three." The Crawford County operated the GWSP into the late 1960s when Fred Bear , owner of Bear Archery , and other local businessmen assumed operational control. It
7844-399: The four independent municipalities within its borders: Atlantic Beach , Baldwin , Jacksonville Beach , and Neptune Beach . The term county equivalents is used by the United States Census Bureau to describe divisions that are comparable to counties but called by different names: Consolidated city-counties are not designated county equivalents for administrative purposes; since both
7950-461: The general law of the state or by a charter specific to that county. States may allow only general-law counties, only charter counties, or both. Generally, general-law local governments have less autonomy than chartered local governments. Counties are usually governed by an elected body, variously called the county commission , board of supervisors , commissioners' court , county council , county court , or county legislature . In cases in which
8056-626: The geographically largest cities in the world, though often with population densities far below those of most urban areas. There are 40 consolidated city-counties in the U.S., including Augusta–Richmond County; the City and County of Denver, Colorado; the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii ; Indianapolis–Marion County, Indiana ; Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida ; Louisville–Jefferson County, Kentucky ; Lexington–Fayette County, Kentucky ; Kansas City–Wyandotte County, Kansas ; Nashville–Davidson County, Tennessee ; New Orleans–Orleans Parish, Louisiana ;
8162-455: The grayling species vanished due to a combination of overfishing, river degradation due to logging, and the impact of human-introduced brown trout. The Au Sable River of today boasts large populations of brown and rainbow trout and remains a premiere trout fishing area in both Michigan and the nation. A 1912 text, A History of Northern Michigan and its people by Perry F. Powers & Harry Gordner Cutler describes Crawford County: The topography
8268-410: The hundreds that are taken every year by settlers and sportsmen. The Grayling Winter Sports Park (GWSP) was opened in 1929. It started as a toboggan run that grew into Michigan's first ski resort. Following the popular 1932 Winter Olympics , Grayling constructed a 66-foot ski jump in 1934. A few years later, a Winter Carnival was started that included a parade, ice sculpture competition, and
8374-405: The judicial branch of the state government rather than county governments. In many states, the county controls all unincorporated lands within its boundaries. In states with a township tier, unincorporated land is controlled by the townships. Residents of unincorporated land who are dissatisfied with county-level or township-level resource allocation decisions can attempt to vote to incorporate as
8480-560: The least extensive county equivalent is Kingman Reef , with a land area of 0.01 square miles (0.03 km ). In some states, a municipality may be in only one county and may not annex territory in adjacent counties, but in the majority of states, the state constitution or state law allows municipalities to extend across county boundaries. At least 32 states include municipalities in multiple counties . Dallas , for example, contains portions of five counties, while numerous other cities comprise portions of four counties. New York City
8586-416: The legislative power to enact laws for the county; it has the executive power to oversee the executive operations of county government; and it has quasi-judicial power with regard to certain limited matters (such as hearing appeals from the planning commission if one exists). In many states, several important officials are elected separately from the board of commissioners or supervisors and cannot be fired by
8692-437: The lower peninsula. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 563 square miles (1,460 km ), of which 556 square miles (1,440 km ) is land and 7.0 square miles (18 km ) (1.2%) is water. Although it is located on Michigan's Lower Peninsula, Crawford County is considered to be part of Northern Michigan . The county contains land within three of Michigan's largest watersheds , belonging to
8798-686: The matter to the states. Subsequently, state constitutions conceptualized county governments as arms of the state. Louisiana instead adopted the local divisions called parishes that dated back to both the Spanish colonial and French colonial periods when the land was dominated by the Catholic Church . In the twentieth century, the role of local governments strengthened and counties began providing more services, acquiring home rule and county commissions to pass local ordinances pertaining to their unincorporated areas . In 1955, delegates to
8904-402: The median income for a household in the county was $ 33,364, and the median income for a family was $ 37,056. Males had a median income of $ 31,504 versus $ 21,250 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 16,903. About 10.00% of families and 12.70% of the population were below the poverty line , including 17.60% of those under age 18 and 7.60% of those age 65 or over. Crawford County
9010-621: The melting of blocks of glacial ice, left as the glacier retreated, which created a depression in the soil. The Manistee River flows on the western edge of the county; branches of the Au Sable River flow throughout the remainder of the county. The county is part of the Au Sable State Forest , specifically the Grayling FMU (Alcona, Crawford, Oscoda, and northern Iosco counties). Parts of the county are also within
9116-521: The next most common source of county names are geographic features and locations, with some counties even being named after counties in other states, or for places in other countries, such as the United Kingdom (the latter is most common in the area of the original Thirteen Colonies in the case of the United Kingdom, or in places which had a large number of immigrants from a particular area for other countries). The most common geographic county name
9222-509: The northwest. Half of the land is the county is a gravel loam soil which can produce standard crops. Thousands of acres of clear-cut old growth pine in Crawford County is available to settle. Potatoes, clover and root crops will thrive in this soil. Growing clover seed has become recognized as a “money crop”. Fruit trees are becoming a popular choice with apples being prolific and flavorful. “Plains” soil supports native grasses which stockmen are using for profitable sheep and cattle ranches throughout
9328-424: The official record of all real estate transactions. Other key county officials include the coroner / medical examiner , treasurer , assessor , auditor , comptroller , and district attorney . In most states, the county sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer in the county. However, except in major emergencies where clear chains of command are essential, the county sheriff normally does not directly control
9434-443: The pine grove is a loop 1 + 1 ⁄ 4 miles (2.0 km) long. The Old Growth Forest is an even-aged stand of pines estimated to be between 350 and 375 years old. The tallest trees are between 150 and 160 feet tall, and have a girth of more than four feet DBH (Diameter at breast height). These eastern white pine are some of the largest trees in the eastern United States. The last remaining virgin maple and beech hardwood forest in
9540-448: The police departments of city governments, but merely cooperates with them (e.g., under mutual aid pacts). Thus, the most common interaction between county and city law enforcement personnel is when city police officers deliver suspects to sheriff's deputies for detention or incarceration in the county jail. In most states, the state courts and local law enforcement are organized and implemented along county boundaries, but nearly all of
9646-565: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 24.8% were of German , 12.5% English , 10.1% American , 8.9% Irish , 7.4% Polish and 5.9% French ancestry. 97.7% spoke English and 1.5% Spanish as their first language. There were 5,625 households, out of which 30.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.60% were married couples living together, 9.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.50% had someone living alone who
9752-582: The relationship between counties and incorporated cities. The powers of counties arise from state law and vary widely. In Connecticut and Rhode Island , counties are geographic entities, but not governmental jurisdictions. At the other extreme, Maryland counties and the county equivalent City of Baltimore handle almost all services, including public education , although the state retains an active oversight authority with many of these services. Counties in Hawaii also handle almost all services since there
9858-493: The responsibility of individual cities and townships. The county commission delegates authority to an appointed Controller who functions as the County executive , following the direction of the commission in daily operations and management. The controller in Crawford County is Paul Compo. The Crawford County Sheriff is elected to lead the county's law enforcement department. The sheriff's jurisdiction encompasses all areas where
9964-489: The speed record, but also the distance record, as his brakes failed to deploy and he was retrieved by snowmobile outside of the park near M-93. " In 1913, lumber baron Rasmus Hanson donated 147,000 acres (590 km2) of harvested timberland to the state of Michigan for military training. Most of the land is situated in Crawford County, with parcels in Kalkaska and Otsego counties. Troops first began training there in 1914. It
10070-517: The state is at Warren Woods State Park . There are two foot trails on the south side of M-93. The wooded Au Sable River foot trail is approximately three miles in length and takes hikers across the East Branch at two different locations. The Mertz Grade Trail winds through forest and field for approximately two miles and was named for the early logging railroad spur it shares for a portion of its distance. There are four small lakes located within
10176-487: The state park. Two of the lakes were originally named Bright and Star Lake. However, there were too many Star Lakes so they settled on Bright and Glory Lake. Although changes in drilling technology make drilling for oil and gas possible under historically nonproductive strata in northern Michigan, including sections of state forests, the state of Michigan decided in 2014 not to auction off mineral rights under Hartwick Pines. Crawford County, Michigan Crawford County
10282-556: The state's French and Spanish colonial periods. Before the Louisiana Purchase and granting of statehood, government was often administered in towns where major church parishes were located. Of the original 19 civil parishes of Louisiana that date from statehood in 1807, nine were named after the Roman Catholic parishes from which they were governed. The structure and powers of a county government may be defined by
10388-421: The substantive and procedural law adjudicated in state trial courts originates from the state legislature and state appellate courts. In other words, most criminal defendants are prosecuted for violations of state law, not local ordinances, and if they, the district attorney, or police seek reforms to the criminal justice system, they will usually have to direct their efforts towards the state legislature rather than
10494-399: The term "county equivalent" to describe places that are comparable to counties, but called by different names. Louisiana parishes, the organized boroughs of Alaska, independent cities, and the District of Columbia are equivalent to counties for administrative purposes. Alaska's Unorganized Borough is further divided into 11 census areas that are statistically equivalent to counties. In 2024,
10600-403: The trees gone, tourism became the center of the economy. In the 1870s Crawford County became a popular destination for recreational fishing. The Michigan grayling , found in the Au Sable River , first gained the attention of anglers. The Crawford County Avalanche began publishing a weekly paper in 1879. Their first edition featured a fishing story on the front-page. By the end of the century,
10706-562: The western frontier. With the advent of the Spanish–American War , his unit was sent to Cuba where he participated in the Battle of San Juan Hill . At wars end, he returned to Grayling and married Karen Bessie Michelson, then resigned his commission nine months later. He engaged in the banking and lumber business, prospered, and later moved to Detroit . When the United States entered World War I , he volunteered for service at age 46 and
10812-431: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.87. In the county, 24.50% of the population was under the age of 18, 6.30% was from 18 to 24, 26.60% from 25 to 44, 26.00% from 45 to 64, and 16.60% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 104.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.40 males. In 2000,
10918-453: Was commissioned an Army Major . After just a few months in France, he contracted meningitis and died. In 1927, Karen Michelson Hartwick purchased 8,000 acres (3,200 ha) including the last 85 acres (34 ha) of virgin old growth pine forest in Michigan's lower peninsula and donated it to the state of Michigan to honor her husband. Hartwick Pines State Park is the largest state park in
11024-409: Was derived from an Ojibwe word, zhaawanong , meaning "from the south". The area was administered by other Michigan counties before 1879 when the county government was organized. Due to the location in rural northern Michigan, Crawford County's greatest economic growth occurred in the 1800s when lumbering clear-cut most of the extensive forests of Norway pine, birch, maple, beech and hemlock. With
11130-440: Was dissolved by the District of Columbia Organic Act . Jefferson County , for Thomas Jefferson , is next with 26. The most recent president to have a county named for him was Warren G. Harding , reflecting the slowing rate of county creation since New Mexico and Arizona became states in 1912. The most common names for counties not named after a president are Franklin (25), Clay (18), and Montgomery (18). After people,
11236-534: Was renamed, Bear Mountain and they attempted to create a commercial ski area to compete with resorts further north. A legal challenge in 1973 resulted in a judgement giving control back to the county, which has operated it since then as Hanson Hills Recreation Area by the Grayling Recreation Authority. The annual canoe / kayak race record winning time is held by Scott Norman in his significantly modified kayak, which not only gave him
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