Kalkaska County is named for the Chippewa word meaning “flat or burned over country” or from the word “Calcasca” created by Henry Schoolcraft.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Antrim County
E – Crawford County
S – Missaukee County
Created: April 1, 1840 
County Seat:
Round Lake 1871 – 1873
Kalkaska 1873 – present
County Courthouse – Kalkaska
Location: 605 North Birch Street / Evergreen Street
Built: 1975 – 1976
Style: Modern
Architect: Paul Hazelton
Contractor: Hallmark Construction and Comstock Construction
Description: The building faces east and is a one story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds on the north side of the center of Kalkaska. The building is two separate units with the Courts on the north and Administration on the south. There is a covered courtyard between the buildings. The windows are vertical and narrow. The administration section has a large white colored section of wall on the east side. The roof line is flat. In the interior, the courtroom has an impressive set of Fairbanks scales located near the judge’s bench. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 46th Judicial District, County District Court and County Probate Court.
See: The 46th Judicial District includes Crawford County and Otsego County.
History: The county was created in 1840 as Wabassee County and renamed in 1843 as Kalkaska County. Round Lake was selected as the county seat in 1871 when the county was organized. The county met in a schoolhouse. The house of A C Beebe was designated as the first courthouse. The county seat was moved to Kalkaska in 1873. The second courthouse was built by H L Birdsall in 1874 at a cost of $1,075. W A Jones did the lathing and plastering. The third courthouse was a three story brick structure designed by Julius Hess and constructed in 1883 at a cost of $20,000. The building was demolished and courthouse square became a park in the downtown area. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1975 to 1976.
See: Michigan’s County Courthouses by John Fedynsky
County Courthouse - Kalkaska
Picture 1883 County Courthouse
Photos taken 2008