Clare County is named for County Clare in Ireland.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Missaukee County and Roscommon County
E – Gladwin County
S – Isabella County
W – Osceola County
Created: April 1, 1840
County Seat:
Farwell 1871 – 1879
Harrison 1879 – present
County Courthouse – Harrison
Location: 225 West Main Street / South Broad Street
Built: 1965 – 1966
Style: Modern
Architect: Brysselbout-Starke– Hacker & Simon Inc.
Contractor: Gregory Construction Company
Description: The building faces north and is a one story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Harrison. The east and west wings extend north from the main building. The central section is recessed with a portico in the center supported by two steel supports and backed by stone facing around the entrance to the flat roof line. The building has white colored vertical panels at the windows. In the interior is a large foyer on the south side. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 55th Judicial District, County District Court and County Probate Court. Additions were added on the south side in 1994 and 1998.
See: The 55th Judicial District includes Gladwin County.
History: The county was created in 1840 as Kaykakee County and renamed in 1843 as Clare County. Farwell was selected as the county seat in 1871 when the county was organized. The first courthouse was built at a cost of $500 and was destroyed by fire in 1877. The second courthouse was built by A N Gebhart which was rented to the county. In 1879, the county seat was moved to Harrison. The third courthouse was a two story structure built by I Hanna in 1879 at a cost of $2,689. The first jail was built in 1885. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1965 to 1966.
See: Michigan’s County Courthouses by John Fedynsky
County Courthouse - Harrison
Photos taken 2008 and 2010