Clare County

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Clare

Clare County is named for County Clare in Ireland.

 

Surrounding County Courthouses: 

N – Missaukee County and Roscommon County

E – Gladwin County

S – Isabella County

 Osceola County

 

Created:  April 1, 1840                            Map of Michigan highlighting Clare County

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

 

 

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County Courthouse - Harrison 

 

 

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Photos taken 2008 and 2010