Mecosta County, Michigan

Mecosta County is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 42,798. The county seat is Big Rapids.

The county is named after Chief Mecosta, the leader of the Potawatomi Native American tribe that once traveled the local waterways in search of fish and game. Chief Mecosta was one of the signers the Treaty of Washington in 1836. The easily navigated waterways soon led to a boom in lumber industry growth. Workers settled the area in 1851, the county was officially settled and the government officially organized in 1859. Mecosta County is home to over 100 lakes, rivers, and streams with the Muskegon River winding its way through the county seat and largest city Big Rapids (originally named Leonard).

Mecosta County was set off on April 1, 1840, but remained attached for administrative purposes to Kent County until 1857, when it was attached to Newaygo County. County government was organized on February 11, 1859.

Mecosta County comprises the Big Rapids, MI Micropolitan Statistical Area and is included in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Muskegon, MI Combined Statistical Area.

Mecosta

Mecosta was a 19th-century Potawatomi chief. His name in the Potawatomi language was Mkozdé, meaning "Having a Bear's Foot" but the name was recorded in English to mean "Big Bear."

Mecosta was born near what is today Big Rapids, Michigan. Mecosta County, Michigan is named for him.

Mecosta is best known as a signer of the Treaty of Logansport (7 Stat. 501) on April 22, 1836, which ceded lands reserved in the Treaty of Tippecanoe, and began the removal of Mecosta's band of Potawatomi from Indiana to lands west of the Mississippi River.

The following places in Michigan are directly or indirectly named for the chief:

Notes

Mecosta (YTB-818)

Mecosta (YTB-818) was a United States Navy Natick-class large harbor tug named for Mecosta, Michigan.

Construction

The contract for Mecosta was awarded 9 August 1971. She was laid down on 16 August 1972 at Marinette, Wisconsin, by Marinette Marine and launched 26 March 1973.

Operational history

Stricken from the Navy List 28 March 2003, Mecosta was transferred to the Local Redevelopment Authority 17 March 2004.

References

External links