The road network in Washtenaw County began centuries ago as a series of Indian trails, usually following rivers and streams and connecting Indian villages while providing access to hunting grounds. Such roads as Huron River Drive and US-12 generally follow Indian trails. Later, when settlers moved into the County, these trails were widened to connect major settlements, and thus roads like Dexter-Chelsea Road, Ann Arbor-Plymouth Road , Saline-Milan Road , etc. were established. After the county was surveyed in, a mile grid system of roads was superimposed over the existing road network.

Michigan became a territory in 1805 and in 1827 townships were given responsibility for road building within their jurisdictions. When Michigan became a State in 1837 the constitution provided for a continuation of the township road system. Under Michigan Law townships which controlled the construction and maintenance of the roads were divided into numerous road districts, each under the charge of a highway commissioner or overseer. Individual road property owners road taxes were assessed at 62.5¢ per day, however, township residents could work off the tax by working a certain number of days per year on road construction or maintenance, or providing a yoke of oxen, a team of horses or other equipment. The system of road districts did not result in a coordinated road system and, consequently, the Legislature in 1893 passed the County Road Law which encouraged counties, by vote of the people, to establish a County Road Commission. Washtenaw County voters approved the creation of a County Road Commission on April 11, 1919 with an initial County Road system of 22 miles.

The impetus to improve roads in the late 1800's and 1900's was led by the demand for bicycling, and the Michigan State Highway Department was formed in 1905 in response to bicyclists demands for an improved road system. At the same time the State also a State Reward Law which provided State Aid to townships and counties for roads constructed according to standards established by the State Highway Department, with up to $1,000 per mile being made available by the State. In 1915 the Legislature approved the Covert Road Law which encouraged road construction on secondary roads and increased the County share in the cost of building trunkline roads. This was followed by the enactment of a Weight Tax Law, leveling a tax on motor vehicles and returning half of the revenues to counties. A 2¢/gallon gas tax was approved in 1925. Prior to 1931 major roads in the county were under the jurisdiction of the County Road Commission while local roads were under the jurisdiction of townships. This changed in 1931 with the passage of the McNitt Act, which phased out township roads over a five year period, and gave county road commissions jurisdiction of all township roads. Since that time, a number of bills were approved pertaining to roads, the most significant being Act 51 of Public Acts of 1951, which clarified responsibility for roads between the three responsible jurisdictions; State, County and Municipal. It also included a formula for distributing funds raised by the State in the form of gas and weight taxes.

Washtenaw County is situated in southeastern Michigan approximately 30 miles west of Detroit : Ann Arbor is the County Seat. Four cities: Ann Arbor , Ypsilanti , Saline and Milan ; and four incorporated villages: Chelsea , Manchester , Dexter and Barton Hills are located within the County. The County spans a distance of 30 miles east-west and extends 24 miles in the north-south direction. In 1990 the population was nearly 283,000 persons. By the year 2000 the population is expected to reach 350,000. It is one of the few Michigan counties which continues to grow at a moderate rate.

1822 Boundary Lines The Washtenaw County boundary lines were established on September 10 by the Legislative Council, but the land area was attached to Wayne County , Territory of Michigan , for administration.

1823 Settlement About a mile southeast of Ypsilanti , Benjamin Woodruff began the first permanent European settlement.

1824 Allen Cabin The first cabin in what is now Ann Arbor was built near Allen Creek by Elisha W. Rumsey and John Allen during Spring of this year. Later in the year Ann Arbor was selected as the seat for County government. It is reported that there were 15-30 settlers in the "County" at that time..

1825 Public Services Post Office was established and John Allen became the Postmaster. The first school was a log building in Ann Arbor and Miss Monroe taught the classes. Old Chicago Road , the first public road in the County, was surveyed. This road, for the most part, followed the Detroit to Chicago Indian Trail.

1826 Formal Organization During the year the requirements for legally organizing into an independent county took place.

1827 County Established On January 1, Washtenaw County , Territory of Michigan , legally came into being. Division of the County into 20 townships began later that year. The population was nearly 1,000. The first session of County Court was held in the home of Erastus Priest by Samuel W. Dexter, Chief Justice; and by Oliver Whitmore, Associate Justice. The Legislative Council approved the first Circuit Court on April 13, and a Probate Judge was appointed. Marriages recorded.

1828 Circuit Court In November, the first session of Circuit Court was held by Honorable William Woodbridge.

1829 County Jail A jail was the first public County building to be constructed. The first newspaper, "The Western Emigrant" a five column folio, edited by Thomas Simpson, was published on November 18th, in Ann Arbor .

1833 Naturalization Filing of naturalization information began.

1834 Courthouse The County was seven years of age when construction of the first Courthouse was completed.

1835 Supervisors Records Filing of County Supervisors' records was initiated.

1837 Statehood The Territory of Michigan became a State.

1867 Vital Statistics The recording of births and deaths began.

1877 Second Courthouse A larger Courthouse replaced the one that was built 44 years earlier.

1955 Third Courthouse A new building replaced the Courthouse that was in use for 77 years.

1969 County Commissioners The Board of County Supervisors, composed of one representative from each Township and two or more persons from each City, was replaced by a smaller Board of Commissioners. Each Commissioner represented one of 13 districts into which the County was divided. Following the 1970 Census, Commissioner districts were increased in number to keep the population per district at approximately the previous level: the result, 15 districts.

There are many legends concerning the name Washtenaw. Some people think it was the name of an Indian who lived near the mouth of the river. Other people think it was the Potawatamie word for large stream or river. Emerson Greenman , a former curator of the museum of anthropology at the University of Michigan , wrote that Washtenaw derived from the Algonquin and meant 'Far Country' with Detroit as the Point of reference. Source: Michigan GenWeb .

W ashtenaw County was formed in 1826 from Wayne and Oakland Counties and at the time contained a portion of Livingston, Eaton and Jackson Counties with Ann Arbor as the county seat. There are many legends concerning the name Washtenaw. Some people think it was the name of an Indian who lived near the mouth of the river.

O ther people think it was the Potawatamie word for large stream or river . Emerson Greenman , a former curator of the museum of anthropolgy at the University of Michigan , wrote that Washtenaw derived from the Algonquin and meant 'Far Country' with Detroit as the Point of reference.

Lauren Wild, formerly of Saline, created the design which bears the date of Washtenaw County's legal organization, 1826, and three abstract symbols: tassels of wheat for agriculture, a gear for industry, and a lamp of learning with two flames, representing the County's two universities, the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University. The logo appears on most of the County's forms, letterheads, web pages, vehicles and publicity material.

Washtenaw County is located in the southeast section of Michigan's lower peninsula. It is a major metropolitan area best known as a major educational center. The University of Michigan, the first state university in the nation, was moved from Detroit to Ann Arbor, the county seat, in 1837. A few years later in 1852, Eastern Michigan University was formed in Ypsilanti, becoming the first teachers' college outside the 13 colonies. These institutions served as the focal point for the development of what has become one of the leading medical research and technology centers in the world, with many corporations and businesses choosing to make their home here.

The name Washtenaw is derived from the Chippewa "wash-ten- ong ," meaning "grand river," in reference to the Huron River which flows through the area. The Huron today remains a showpiece of the county, with a carefully developed Metro Park system available to enjoy. The area is also rich in turn-of-the-century architecture, which includes the old Clock Tower and Depot in Chelsea, as well as storefronts in some of the smaller towns including Manchester and Dexter. Truly, Washtenaw County remains one of the leading cultural centers in the world today.

Washtenaw County Websites and Locations of Interest

http://www.sos.state.mi.us/history/michinfo/michfaq/counties.html

http://multimag.com/county/mi/washtenaw/

http://members.tripod.com/~deemamafred/miwash.html

http://www.ewashtenaw.org/home/about_wc/wm_about.html

http://www.wcroads.org/RDChistory.htm