Antrim County is named for County Antrim in Northern Ireland.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
E – Otsego County
S – Kalkaska County and Grand Traverse County
W – Leelanau County
Created: February 7, 1857
County Seat:
Elk Rapids 1863 – 1879
Bellaire 1879 – present
Old County Courthouse – Bellaire
Location: 205 Cayuga Street / Court Street
Built: 1904 – 1905
Style: Late Victorian / Romanesque Revival
Architect: Jens C Peterson of Traverse City
Contractor: Waterman & Price
Description: The building faces south and is a two story red colored brick, stone and concrete structure. The building is located on the landscaped grounds of the Courthouse Square in the center of Bellaire. The south entrance is framed with stone and there is a peak at the third story. Course stone forms the foundation of the raised basement. The east and west wings project from the main building. In the center of the building is a high square red colored brick tower with clock and steep roof. The roof is hipped. In the interior, there ia a two story atrium in the center. The courtroom is located on the second story. The courtroom has large vertical arched windows pale colored wood and subdued colors. The building houses the County Probate Court and Family Court. The building was renovated in 1990 after standing vacant for twelve years.
Note: A clock, manufactured by the E Howard Company of Boston was installed in 1921. A bell manufactured by the E Van Duzen Company of Cincinnati was installed in 1922.
County Courthouse – Bellaire
Location: 203 Cayuga Street / Court Street
Built: 1977 – 1978
Style: Modern
Architect: Kingscott & Associates
Contractor: Omega Construction Company Inc. of Grandville
Description: The building faces south and is a two story red colored concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Bellaire on the west side of the courthouse. The windows are vertical and the roof line is flat. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 13th Judicial District. The building is named as the Atrium County Building.
See: The County District Court is located at 280 Washington Street in Traverse City in Grand Traverse County.
See: The contractor, Omega Construction Company Inc.of Grandville, constructed courthouses in Emmet County, Luce County and Schoolcraft County.
See: The 13th Judicial District includes Grand Traverse County and Leelanau County.
History: The county was created in 1840 as Meguzee County and in 1843 was renamed as Antrim County. Elk Rapids was selected as the county seat in 1863 when the county was organized. The first courthouse was a wooden structure built in 1866 at a cost of #7,100. In 1879, the county sea was moved to Bellaire. Courthouse plans were prepared by Jens C Peterson of Traverse City but no courthouse was built and the county used rented premises until 1883 when the county rented space in the Kearney Township Hall as the second courthouse. The third and present courthouse was constructed using the plans of Jens C Peterson in 1904 to 1905 at a cost of $30,000. The County Building was constructed in 1977 to 1978 at a cost 0f $1,400,000.
See: Michigan’s County Courthouses by John Fedynsky
County Courthouse – Bellaire
County Building – Bellaire
Photos taken 2008
Images 9