Kent County is named for Chancellor James Kent, who was a celebrated New York jurist.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Newaygo County and Montcalm County
E – Montcalm County and Ionia County
S – Barry County and Allegan County
W – Ottawa County and Muskegon County
Created: March 2, 1831 
County Seat:
Grand Rapids 1832 – present
County Courthouse – Grand Rapids
Location: 180 Ottawa Avenue NW / Lyon Street NW
Built: 2000 – 2001
Style: Modern
Architect: Tower, Finkster, Titus Associates and Hellmuth, Obata, Kassabaum Inc. (HOK)
Contractor: Owen-Ames-Kimball Company
Description: The building faces west and is a twelve story glass, stone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Grand Rapids in the center of Grand Rapids. The west side has a two story entrance hall projecting from the main building. Vertical windows are divided by vertical stone faced sections. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 17th Judicial District, County District Court and County Probate Court.
Note: County District Court meets in Grand Rapids at 1950 East Beltline Avenue, Grandville, Kentwood (Kentwood Justice Center), Walker and Wyoming (Wyoming Justice Center).
County Administration Building – Grand Rapids
Location: 300 Monroe Avenue / Michigan Street NW
Built: 1967 – 1969
Style: Modern
Architect: Bryon & Nachtegall
Contractor: Owens, Ames & Kimball
Description: The building faces east and is a three story glass, steel and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Grand Rapids. The glass walls are recessed with vertical pillars along the exterior. The roof line is flat.The building is located on the plaza with the City Hall on the north side.
History: The county was created in 1831 and Grand Rapids was selected as the county seat in 1832. The first courthouse was a two story frame structure built in 1836 on Fulton Street at a cost of $5,000. The courthouse was destroyed by fire on July 14, 1844. The second courthouse was a temporary building erected at a cost of $300 and which served for six years. The court met in various locations. The third courthouse was designed by Sidney J Osgood and built by Western Construction Company in 1892 at a cost of $277,611. The courthouse was razed in 1969 when the fourth courthouse, the Kent County Hall of Justice, a four story structure was designed by Byron & Natchegall and constructed by Owen Ames Kimball in 1967 to 1969. The courthouse was razed when the fifth and present courthouse was constructed in 2000 to 2001.
County Courthouse – Grand Rapids
Old Judge’s Bench from 1892 County Courthouse
County Administration Building – Grand Rapids
Photos taken 2008