Antrim County contains Torch Lake, the second most beautiful lake in the world, according to National Geographic Magazine. The west end of the county borders the East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay.   The county was originally named Meegisee after a Chippewa Indian chief whose name ment eagle but In 1843, in response to the increasing number of Irish Settlers in Michigan, five counties were renamed and given Irish names.   Meegisee was renamed Antrim after a County in Northern Ireland . The original county seat was located in Elk Rapids where one legend claims a early settler named Abram Wadsworth found a pair of elk horns in the rapids near the mouth of what is now known as the Elk River .   The county seat was later moved to the more central location of Bellaire.   Another city of interest is Mancelona an area frequented by a young Ernest Hemmingway who wrote several stories about the summers he spent in the area. Two major events take place in Mancelona each year in January the White Pine Stampede draws cross country skiers from around the world and the Bass Festival which celebrates it's 50 th year this June (2005).   The county is full of lakes and streams but the most notable is Torch Lake which is Michigan's longest inland lake at 18 miles and largest in water volume with an average depth of 200 feet.   Native Americans called the lake "Wass Waganing" meaning the place of birch bark torch as they used torches to hunt for fish at night. Antrim county occupies 25 miles of great lakes shoreline along with hundreds of acres of state land.

Antrim County Websites and Locations of Interest

http://www.whitepinestampede.org/ - White Pine Stampede

http://www.elkrapids.com/   - City website