Alcona County (/ælˈkoʊnə/al-KOH-nə) is a county of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,167.[2] Its county seat is Harrisville.[3] Alphabetically it is the first county in Michigan; as its flag states, it is the "First of 83".
History
A detail from A New Map of Michigan with its Canals, Roads & Distances (1842) by Henry Schenck Tanner, showing Alcona County as Negwegon, the county's name from 1840 to 1843.[4] Several nearby counties are also shown with names that would later be changed.
The county was created by the state legislature on April 1, 1840.[5][6] It was at first named Negwegon County,[4] after the name of a well-known Chippewa chief, also known as "Little Wing". He was honored as having been an American ally against the British in the War of 1812.
It was renamed to Alcona County on March 8, 1843, after a neologism created by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft from parts of words from Native American languages, plus Arabic, Greek and Latin.[7][8] These were amalgamated to mean "fine or excellent plain".[1][9] He was an influential US Indian agent and geographer.
Harrisville Township, then comprising the entire county, was organized in 1860. County government was organized in 1869, becoming effective on May 8, 1869.[10][11] The county's slogan on its seal (a single gold star on a green field in the shape of Alcona County) is "First of 83," which refers to its place alphabetically among Michigan counties.[12]
In 2007, Alcona County discovered that $1.2 million was missing and was forced to alter its $4 million budget. An investigation revealed that Thomas Katona, who had been the county treasurer for thirteen years, had wired $186,500 of county funds to accounts associated with a well-known Nigerian scam.[13][14] Katona, who had already lost more than $70,000 of his savings on the scam, ignored repeated warnings from friends and his bank that his so-called investments seemed suspicious.[15]
Katona was sentenced to 9–14 years imprisonment on June 12, 2007, by the 23rd Circuit Court. Judge William Myles said Katona's crimes warranted more severe punishment than called for in state sentencing guidelines, due to the amount of money involved and the number of victims in the case.[16]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,791 square miles (4,640 km2), of which 675 square miles (1,750 km2) is land and 1,116 square miles (2,890 km2) (62%) is water.[17]
The area is part of the Au Sable State Forest, specifically the Grayling FMU (Alcona, Crawford, Oscoda, and northern Iosco counties). The county is considered to be part of Northern Michigan.
Alcona County has a shoreline on Lake Huron. Through Lake Huron, Alcona County has a water boundary with the Canadian province of Ontario. The Au Sable River flows through the southwest of the county.
The county government maintains rural roads, operates the local courts, records deeds, mortgages, and vital records, administers public health regulations, and works with state agencies to provide social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget and has limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions — police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance, etc. — are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.
The Alcona County Circuit Court is part of the 23rd Circuit of Michigan. This multicounty circuit also includes Arenac, Iosco and Oscoda Counties. This court was previously part of the 26th Circuit, which included Alpena and Montmorency Counties.
In 2000, the median income for a household in the county was $31,362, and the median income for a family was $35,669. Males had a median income of $29,712 versus $20,566 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,653. About 9.10% of families and 12.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.80% of those under age 18 and 9.00% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Alcona County is served by three public school districts. Public school district boundaries are not coterminous with the county boundary or any municipality boundaries within the county. Only one district, Alcona Community Schools, is entirely contained within the county, enrolling 690 students for the 2021-2022 school year.[26]
Alcona County has been reliably Republican since the beginning. Since 1884, the county has voted against the Republican nominee for president only five times.
United States presidential election results for Alcona County, Michigan[29]
Springport Inn,[34]Springport home of Civil War Captain Joseph VanBuskirk.[35]
Parks and recreation
There is a senior citizens center building that opened in the 1940s. In 2023 there was a controversy over how to use a $12,500,000 grant that was to be used to build a replacement building.[36]
Transportation
Highways
US 23 — north of Standish, it has been designated the Sunrise Side Coastal Highway. Parallels the Lake Huron shore, connects with M-72 in Harrisville. US 23 is the most proximate connector to Alpena and Mackinaw City.
M-65 — runs along the western side of the county, from US 23 north of Standish to Rogers City.
M-72 — In 1936, downtown Harrisville became the eastern terminus[37] of the 133 miles (214 kilometers) M-72, which runs across the lower peninsula from Empire, Michigan. It is one of three true cross peninsular highways.[38]
F-41 — runs north–south from US 23 at Oscoda to US 23 south of Ossineke.
Airport
Alcona County has been a part of developing the Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport, which became a public airport in 1993. It now occupies a portion of the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base, which is in Oscoda Township, Michigan in neighboring Iosco County, Michigan. It is primarily used for cargo and light general aviation activities. The Airport offers 24-hour near all weather daily access.
^ ab"State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
^"Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
^ abNewberry Library. "Michigan: Individual County Chronologies". Atlas of County Historical Boundaries. Archived from the original on November 6, 2016. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
^George Dawson (1840). Acts of the Legislature of the State of Michigan Passed at the Annual Session of 1840. Detroit. pp. 196–200.
^Romig, Walter (October 1, 1986) [1973]. Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities (Paperback). Great Lakes Books Series. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-1838-X.
^Names of Michigan Counties Archived March 13, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
^"Officials begin talks on how to make painful budget cuts," Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback MachineThe Bay City Times, May 31, 2007.
^"Michigan Attorney General press release", June 12, 2007
^"Money is gone and town's trust nearly spent". The Seattle Times. February 6, 2007. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
^"Former Alcona treasurer sentenced to 9-14 years," Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback MachineThe Bay City Times, June 13, 2007. Accessed June 24, 2007.
^"2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
^"Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
^"US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
^"Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
^"Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
^"Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
^"Oscoda Press home page". Iosco County News Herald. East Tawas MI. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
^"Michigan Historical Markers". michmarkers.com. Archived from the original on March 15, 2010. Retrieved January 8, 2008.
^"Springport Inn". Archived from the original on July 9, 2008. Retrieved May 29, 2008.
^"Platt, Connie Faussett, Northern Journal (November-December, 2004), Captain Joseph VanBuskirk of Springport (Harrisville, Michigan)" (PDF). mieastsidepubs.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 25, 2008.
^Moore, Lindsay (February 2, 2023). "Conservative politics, alleged racism and $12.5M divide Northern Michigan county". MLive. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
^"Photos of ends of M-72". state-ends.com. Archived from the original on December 9, 2007.
"History of Alcona County". History of the Lake Huron shore. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers. Ann Arbor MI: University of Michigan Library. 2005 [1883]. pp. 255–274. Retrieved April 11, 2007.
Powers, Perry Francis (2005) [1912]. "Alcona County". A history of northern Michigan and its people. Ann Arbor MI: University of Michigan Library. pp. 498–505. Retrieved April 11, 2007.
External links
Alcona County Government
Alcona County Review Newspaper
Alcona County Historical Society
Alpena News (serving N.E. Michigan)
Alcona Park
"Bibliography on Alcona County". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
Enchanted forest, Northern Michigan source for information, calendars, etc.
Harrisville City Airport information and map
Harrisville Harbor, information, webcam, etc.
Information and links about Harrisville
Michigan Department of Natural Resources maps of lakes in Alcona County.