Leelanau County is named for the Native American word meaning “delight of life”.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
E – Antrim County
S – Grand Traverse County and Benzie County
W – Lake Michigan
Created: April 1, 1840
County Seat:
Northport 1863 – 1883
Leeland 1883 – 2004
Sutons Bay 2004 – present
County Courthouse – Suttons Bay
Location: 8527 East Government Center Drive / Highway 204
Built: 2007 – 2008
Style: Modern
Architect: Landmark Design of Grand Rapids
Contractor: DeVere Construction Company of Alpena.
Description: The building faces west and is a two story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds on the side of a hill in the center of Sutton Bay. The base of the building is concrete. The west front has a long canopy extending from the entrance. A square tower with clock rises on the north side of the entrance. The first story windows are arched. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 13th Judicial District, County District Court and County Probate Court.
Former County Courthouse – Leeland (demolished)
Location: 301 East Cedar Street / Charles Street
Built: 1966 – 1967
Style: Modern
Architect: Field, Graheck, Bell & Kline of Traverse City
Contractor: Arnold & Tezak, Inc.
Description: The building faced south and was a two story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The building was located on landscaped grounds on a rise in the center of Leeland. The south front had a raised portico supported by two brick pillars. There was a recessed glass wall around the entrance. The windows were vertical and the roof line was flat. The building ceased to act as a courthouse in 2008. The building was demolished but the old jail built in 1901 still stands.
See: The 13th Judicial District includes Antrim County and Grand Traverse County.
History: The county was created in 1840 and Northport was selected in 1863 when the county was organized. The first court met in a school in 1864 and the county occupied space above a store. In 1883, the county seat was moved to Leland and the first courthouse was a wooden structure that belonged to an ironworks enterprise. A jail was built in 1901 which is still standing. The third courthouse was constructed in 1966 to 1967 and was demolished. In 2004, the county seat was moved to Suttons Bay. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 2007 to 2008 at a cost of $10,600,000.
See: Michigan’s County Courthouses by John Fedynsky
County Courthouse – Suttons Bay
Former County Courthouse (demolished) – Leeland
Old County Jail (1901) – Leeland
Photos taken 2008
Images