Branch, Branch County, Michigan facts for kids

Branch was a small settlement in Michigan, USA. It was chosen in 1831 to be the very first county seat for Branch County, Michigan. A county seat is like the main town or capital of a county, where the local government offices are located.

Both the settlement of Branch and Branch County were named after John Branch. He was an important person at the time, serving as the Secretary of the US Navy.

What Happened to Branch?

The story of Branch as a county seat is quite interesting.

Choosing the First County Seat

When Branch County was first being set up, another village called Mason was initially picked to be the county seat. However, there was a mistake in the official process. Because of this error, the decision was cancelled.

Instead, the village of Branch was chosen as the new county seat. At that time, Branch was not even built yet! It was just a planned settlement.

Life in Branch Village

A post office opened in Branch in 1835, which meant people were living there and sending mail. This post office stayed open for many years, until 1864.

However, Branch's time as the county seat did not last very long. In 1842, the county seat was moved to a different town called Coldwater. After losing its important role, the village of Branch slowly became less active and eventually faded away.