The name for Midland County did not come from an Indian word, It was not named after somebody but it was named after it's location. The county is near the geographical center of the Lower Peninsula . So it is Midland County . Historically, the area was inhabited by Pottawatomi, Chippewa and Ottawa Indians who in 1819 ceded the land to the US Government. For several years the area remained hostile as many of the Indians were angry over losing most of their lands.   French settlers were the first to arrive and made their home in an area called "The Forks," it's where the Pine and Chippewa Rivers flow into the Tittabawassee River.   The Indians referred to the area as "shining" river due to the spectacular clarity the water possessed.   The county seat of Midland County is the City of Midland and as the lumbering boom hit the region it grew because it was a strategic distribution point for floating wood down the rivers. In 1897 the groundwork was laid to give Midland County Worldwide Notoriety.   A man by the name of Herbert Henry Dow sunk the first salt well in the state and thus founded the Dow Chemical Company. Dow was known to live by the motto "If you can't do a thing better than it's already being done, why do it?," Seams to have worked because today the Dow Chemical Company is the second largest chemical company in the world and the world's largest producer of plastics with such products as Ziplock bags and Saran Wrap (2004).   A lesser known architectural wonder that is a must see in Midland County is the "Tridge" a triple-sectioned walking bridge that spans the junctions of the Chippewa and Tittabawassee Rivers. City officials' proudly proclaim it's the only one in the world.   With Midland County's access to the Chippewa, Pine, Salt, Sturgeon, Tittabawassee, and Tobacco Rivers not to mention all their Tributaries and streams, Midland county is never overlooked in Outdoor Michigan.

Midland County Websites and Locations of Interest

http://www.infomi.com/county/midland/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midland_County%2C_Michigan