Osceola County, Michigan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Osceola County
U.S. county
Osceola County Courthouse
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Michigan
Michigan's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Michigan
Founded	April 1, 1840 (created) 1869 (organized)
Named for	Osceola
Seat	Reed City
Largest city	Reed City
Area
• Total	573 sq mi (1,480 km2)
• Land	566.39 sq mi (1,466.9 km2)
• Water	6.7 sq mi (17 km2)  1.2%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	22,891
• Density	41.4/sq mi (16.0/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	2nd

Osceola County (/ˌɒsiˈoʊlə/ OSS-ee-OH-lə) is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 22,891. The county seat is Reed City.

History

A detail from A New Map of Michigan with its Canals, Roads & Distances (1842) by Henry Schenck Tanner, showing Osceola County as Unwattin, the county's name from 1840 to 1843.

When established by the Michigan Legislature on April 1, 1840, it was named Unwattin County, after Chief Unwattin of the local Ottawa people. As a representative of the Ottawa nation, he participated in negotiations for the Treaty of Washington (1836) that granted a vast expanse of Michigan to the US Federal Government. The name was changed March 8, 1843, to Osceola, after the Seminole chief who achieved renown in Florida.

The county was initially attached for administrative purposes to Ottawa County. In 1855, it was attached to Mason County; in 1857, to Newaygo County; and in 1859, to Mecosta County.

As the population increased, separate county government was organized in 1869, with Hersey designated as the county seat. Reed City became the official county seat in 1927. The county was developed initially for harvesting and processing lumber, and many European Americans came to work in lumbering and the mills.

Geography

The low rolling hills of Osceola County were completely wooded prior to settlement; at present about half of the area has been cleared and converted to agricultural or urban use. There are numerous small lakes and ponds scattered across the county; the largest is Rose Lake, northeast of LeRoy. The highest point on the terrain (1,722 feet/525 meters ASL) is Grove Hill, in Sherman Township. According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 573 square miles (1,480 km²), of which 566 square miles (1,470 km²) is land and 6.7 square miles (17 km²) (6.7%) is water. The county is drained by the Muskegon River and branches of the Manistee River. Osceola County is part of Northern Michigan.

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics

Communities

Swedish Evangical Lutheran Church in Tustin

Cities

• Evart
• Reed City (county seat)

Villages

• Hersey
• LeRoy
• Marion
• Tustin

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Education

Intermediate School District

The Mecosta–Osceola Intermediate School District, based in Big Rapids, services the majority of the students in the county (Evart and Reed City), while Wexford-Missaukee Intermediate School District covering services for the others (Marion and Pine River). The ISD offers regional special education services, a residential at-risk youth center, and technical career programs for students of its districts.

Public School Districts

Osceola County is served by the following regular public school districts:

• Evart Public Schools
• Marion Public Schools
• Pine River Area Schools
• Reed City Area Public Schools

Private Schools

Osceola County has the following private schools:

• Trinity Lutheran School (Lutheran)

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Osceola (Míchigan) para niños