Between 1840 and 1841, surveyors William Austin Burt,[4] John Mullett and Charles W. Cathcart, surveyed much of Northern Michigan.

[1] The county was named in 1843 for Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix, a Jesuit missionary of the French colonial era.

[7] In 1847, a group of "Strangite" Mormons settled on Beaver Island and established a "kingdom" led by "King" James Jesse Strang.

Due to Strang's influence, Mormons came to dominate Emmet county government, causing an exodus of many non-Mormon settlers to neighboring areas.

In a contested election in 1867, residents voted to move the county seat to Charlevoix, which was upheld by a Circuit Court decision in 1868.

[11] There are ten Michigan state historical markers in the county, and the area was once home to a thriving culture of Odawa fishers, hunters, and fur trappers.

Lake Charlevoix, with 17,200 acres (7,000 ha) surface area and 56 miles (90 km) of shoreline, is a very prominent feature of the county.

By land By water Charlevoix County contains portions of two Indian reservations, both of which are branches of the federally-recognized Odawa tribe.

The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians occupies a small reservation in southwest Evaline Township.

The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and other social services.

The county board of commissioners controls the budget but has only limited authority to make laws or ordinances.

In Michigan, most local government functions – police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance, etc.