Welcome to Lapeer County
Web Site:
Lapeer County's Website

Lapeer derives it's name from the French and Indian traders who traveled the Flint River. The river's rocky bed suggested "The Stone" or in French "LePierre", the English translation being "Lapeer".

The Lapeer County courthouse, of Greek Revival architecture, is the oldest courthouse still is use in Michigan. It was built in 1846 by Alvin Hart, a state senator, and was rented to the county for one dollar.

Today, Lapeer is a well-balanced community of farms, small industry, and urban residents, serving the heavy industry of Oakland and Genesee counties.

A Deeply Rooted Community

Lapeer County's boundaries were set in 1822, but it remained part of Oakland County until it officially organized as a county in 1835. With just over 500 people voting, the first recorded elections for county officers took place in 1837.

Alvin A. Hart, Lapeer's first settler, left Connecticut in 1831 to settle in Michigan. Years later he platted the village of Lapeer. Hart served as sheriff and in 1843 became a state senator representing Lapeer, Oakland, Genesee, Shiawassee, Tuscola, Saginaw and the upper peninsula.

In 1846 Hart built the Lapeer County Courthouse. This impressive Greek Revival Structure is listed on the National Historic Site as Michigan's oldest working courthouse.

You'll find many other historic building in the city of Lapeer. The Piety Hill Historic District is home to 29 structures dated between 1830 and mid 1850s. Many homes here are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Lumber was Lapeer's principal industry from the 1830s until late mid century when agriculture became the county's backbone, taking advantage of the area's prime farmland.

Through the mid to late 1800s the lumbering era prompted growth throughout the county and other new communities began to sprout. The lumber was floated down the Flint River to sawmills in Flint, Saginaw and Bay City.

By the mid 1850s there were 10,000 people living in the Lapeer County area. Forest fires sparked in 1871 made for farming settlers to move to the area after clearing the land. Crops at the turn of the century were barley, oats, wheat and potatoes.

Dairy farming in Lapeer County was big by the 1940s, with historical records indicating 46 cows per square mile, making it the highest concentration of dairy cattle in Michigan.

In the 1970s the area saw a substantial increase in population due to the influx of people coming from he bigger cities like Flint, Pontiac and Detroit.

With a 1990 census count of 74,768, Lapeer County is now a well-balanced community of productive farms, small industry, and attractive urban residential areas. It consists of 18 townships, 7 villages, 2 cities and covers approximately 666 square miles. Tour the Piety Hill Historic District, home to a variety of historic homes that have been restored and maintained to display their original elegance. Adjacent to Lapeer's Central Business District of Nespessing Street are 29 properties; many churches, but largely nineteenth century dwellings. A significant number of the structures are Greek Revival in style, dating from the 1830s through the 1850s. Featuring Gothic, Italianate and Queen Anne architectural designs, many of the historic homes are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Pix Theatre serves as a focal point to local arts and community activities. Restored by the Lapeer Downtown Development Authority in 1997, the Pix Theatre is a 306 seat theatre that showcases musical and theatrical performances, second run film showings, and is available for rent.

Built in 1941, its flashing marquee and porcelain enamel panels were the pride of the community. Today, the PIX retains its original art deco facade and marquee, and many of the interior elements are retained during  the DDA's $325,000 renovations.

 

 

Equal Housing Opportunity

TEAM ONE Town & Country
786 S. Main St.   Lapeer, MI 48446