Branch County (pop. 45,248) is east of St. Joseph County, on the border with Indiana. It’s the only Branch County in the U.S.
Branch County was named for John Branch, Jr., (1782-1863), secretary of the Navy under President Andrew Jackson.
It is Michigan’s third-smallest county in square miles, with about 100 lakes.
The county seat of Branch County is the city of Coldwater (pop. 10,945). A clock tower, adjacent to the courthouse, was built in 1988.
Downtown Coldwater is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Tibbits Opera House in Coldwater is the second-oldest theater in Michigan.
The Capri Drive-In Theater in Coldwater has been in operation since 1964.
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