Ionia County, Michigan

Ionia County is located in the central region of Michigan�s Lower Peninsula. A diverse economic base exists here, ranging from auto parts manufacturing to social services to agriculture. This is the location of the Ionia County Free Fair, considered one of the largest in the mid-western United States. Celebrated every summer at Ionia, (the county seat), you can see the best of the best in livestock, poultry, and agricultural displays, as well as an exciting midway.

Major features of this county are its lazy, slow-moving rivers, including the Grand, (the largest river in the state), and it�s tributaries, the Maple, Flat and Looking Glass. These rivers have seen the development of the land from the days of the Chippewa, Potawatome and Ottawa Indians who lived along their banks to the coming of the first white settler in the 1830�s-Samuel Dexter, who started the town of Ionia. Another highlight of the County is its turn-of-the-century style architecture, including well-preserved homes in Ionia, Lyons and Muir, and historic manufacturing plants such as the old silk factory in Belding. Don�t forget White�s Bridge, the oldest operating covered bridge in the state, (on the Flat River about 10 miles southwest of Belding.).

For a great tailgate picnic or Sunday drive,come spend a day in Ionia County and experience it�s warmth for yourself!

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