Montmorency County, Michigan | ||
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Location in the U.S. state of Michigan |
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Michigan's location in the U.S. |
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Founded | 1881 | |
Seat | Atlanta | |
Largest village | Hillman | |
Area | ||
• Total | 563 sq mi (1,458 km2) | |
• Land | 547 sq mi (1,417 km2) | |
• Water | 16 sq mi (41 km2), 2.8% | |
Population | ||
• (2010) | 9,765 | |
• Density | 18/sq mi (7/km²) | |
Congressional district | 1st | |
Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 | |
Website | www |
Montmorency County is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,765. The county seat is Atlanta.
The county was created by the Michigan Legislature in 1840 as Cheonoquet County, after a well known Chippewa (also known as Ojibwa) Chief, whose name meant Big Cloud. Cheonoquet took part in Indian treaties in 1807, 1815, 1825 and 1837. Renamed Montmorency County on March 8, 1843, it was originally spelled Montmorenci, and historians conjecture this reflects the area's French-Canadian influence: the French Duke of Montmorency purchased a lieutenant governorship in Canada and the first archbishop of Canada--Montmorency-Laval--both could be influences on the county's name. (There was no "Count Morenci" aiding the American Revolution). The county was organized in 1881. The reason for the change in spelling is subject to some dispute.See List of Michigan county name etymologies. The name Montmorency probably means Mountain Moor. Montmorency is very much a boggy land or moor that is at the top of a broad mount or highland. When the county was formed in 1881, some land area was taken from Cheboygan and Alpena counties. Three townships were divided, namely Briley, Montmorency and Rust. By 1901 Albert, Hillman and Wheatfield were added. Brush Creek, now known as Hillman, was the first county seat. In 1891 the county seat was moved to Atlanta.