Antrim County, Michigan Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Antrim County
U.S. county
Antrim County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Michigan
Michigan's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Michigan
Founded	1840 (authorized) 1863 (organized)
Named for	County Antrim
Seat	Bellaire
Largest village	Elk Rapids
Area
• Total	602 sq mi (1,560 km²)
• Land	476 sq mi (1,230 km²)
• Water	126 sq mi (330 km²) 21%%
Population (2020)
• Total	23,431
• Density	50/sq mi (20/km²)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	https://www.antrimcounty.org/

Antrim County (pronounced AN-trəm) is a county in the state of Michigan. In 2020, about 23,431 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, is Bellaire. The county got its name from County Antrim in Northern Ireland.

Antrim County is home to Torch Lake. This is Michigan's deepest and second-largest inland lake. Torch Lake is famous for its clear, blue water. It is part of the Chain of Lakes Watershed. Most of this watershed is within Antrim County. The county's western side touches Grand Traverse Bay, which is part of Lake Michigan.

Exploring Antrim County's Past

Antrim County has a rich history. It was first created in 1840.

How Antrim County Got Its Name

The area was first called Meegisee County in 1840. This name came from a Chippewa chief. He signed important treaties in 1821 and 1826. The name "Meegisee" also comes from the Ojibwe word migizi. This word means bald eagle.

In 1843, the county's name changed to Antrim County. This was one of five Michigan counties given Irish names. It was done to honor the growing number of Irish settlers in Michigan.

Early County Government

For a while, Antrim County was connected to Grand Traverse County for government purposes. But in 1863, Antrim County started its own separate government.

The county seat was first in Elk Rapids. However, it moved to Bellaire in 1904. This move happened after 25 years of legal arguments.

Important Moments in History

YMCA Camp Hayo-Went-Ha opened in 1904. It is on the shore of Torch Lake. This camp is the oldest American summer camp still on its original site.

Antrim County was in the news during the 2020 presidential election. An early vote count showed a surprising result. The County Clerk quickly found it was a human mistake. She fixed the count before sending it to the state. This error and a related lawsuit were mentioned in some election discussions.

Geography and Natural Beauty

Antrim County covers about 602 square miles. Of this, 476 square miles are land. The remaining 126 square miles (21%) are water.

Grand Traverse Bay borders the county to the west. This bay is part of Lake Michigan. Many lakes in the Chain of Lakes are in Antrim County. This includes the famous Torch Lake.

Major Lakes in Antrim County

Antrim County is known for its many beautiful lakes.

Important Rivers in Antrim County

Several rivers flow through Antrim County.

Communities and Towns

Antrim County has several villages and smaller communities.

Villages in Antrim County

Bellaire (the county seat)
Central Lake
Elk Rapids
Ellsworth
Mancelona

Other Communities

There are also smaller communities and places called census-designated places (CDPs).

Indian Reservations

The Grand Traverse Indian Reservation has small areas within Antrim County. These are located in Helena Township and Milton Township.

Education in Antrim County

Students in Antrim County are served by the Northwest Educational Services. This organization helps students in several counties. It offers special education, early education, and programs for English learners. It also provides technical career training.

Public School Districts

Antrim County has several public school districts:

Alba Public Schools
Bellaire Public Schools
Central Lake Public Schools
Elk Rapids Schools
Ellsworth Community Schools
Mancelona Public Schools

Private Schools

There is one private school in Antrim County. It is the Ebenezer Christian School.

Getting Around Antrim County

Antrim County has several important highways that help people travel.

State Highways

US 31: This highway runs north-south along Grand Traverse Bay. It goes through towns like Elk Rapids and Eastport.
US 131: This highway runs mostly southwest-northeast in the eastern part of the county. It passes through Mancelona and Alba.
M-32: This east-west highway is in northeastern Antrim County. It goes through Elmira.
M-66: This north-south highway goes through central Antrim County. It connects with US 131 in Mancelona.
M-88: This highway is entirely within Antrim County. It connects Bellaire and Central Lake to US 31 and US 131/M-66.

County Highways

Antrim County also has county-designated highways. These roads help connect smaller communities.

C-38
C-42
C-48
C-65
C-73

Air Travel

The Antrim County Airport is a public airport. It is northeast of Bellaire. It is used for general aviation, which means smaller planes. It does not have airline service.