Long a part of territory under the Council of Three Fires (comprising the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi), Grand Traverse County's first European settlement was established in 1839.

Prior to European settlement, Grand Traverse County was part of territory under the Council of Three Fires (comprising the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi).

The seat of government was designated to Boardman's Mills, a location in the young Traverse City.

[10] However, the act contained no provisions on formation of townships or choosing of election officials, thus Grand Traverse County had no legal government until 1858.

An 1884 article called the Traverse Region famous for "its productiveness of soil, salubrious climate and romantic scenery".

In 1912, it supported Bull Moose candidate Theodore Roosevelt as the GOP was mortally divided.

[24] In the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump carried the county, despite losing the state of Michigan.

[26] Despite Trump's relatively similar percentage, his margin was massively decreased due to the lack of third party options in 2020 as well as a higher turnout for Democrats.

In 2004, Republican president George W. Bush received 27,446 votes in the county (59.42%) to Democrat John Kerry's 18,256 (39.52%).

[30] 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.

In the Michigan House of Representatives, Grand Traverse County is divided between the 103rd and 104th districts.

The 103rd, which comprises Traverse City and the townships of East Bay, Garfield, Long Lake, and Peninsula, is represented in Lansing by Betsy Coffia (D).

It serves the 21-county Northern Michigan area, and has year-round and seasonal destinations around the United States.

Other airparks in the county include: Formerly, there was an airport on the south side of Traverse City called Ransom Field.