Monroe County (pop. 152,021) is one of 17 counties named for James Monroe, fifth president of the United States.

He was from Virginia.

Monroe County is in the southeastern corner of Michigan, along the shore of Lake Erie.

A geographical oddity in Monroe County is the “Lost Peninsula,” which is connected to Toledo, Ohio; drivers must go 10 minutes through Ohio to reach the rest of Michigan.

“Lost Peninsula” at upper right, above Toledo

Monroe County has the lowest elevation in Michigan, 571 feet above sea level along Lake Erie.

Sterling State Park and Fermi Nuclear Generating Station

The county seat of Monroe County is the city of Monroe (pop. 20.733).

Monroe County Courthouse (1880)

The Monroe Theatre (1938) in downtown Monroe is now the River Raisin Centre for the Arts.

It was vacant for many years.

General George Armstrong Custer (1839-1876) spent much of his childhood in Monroe.

Custer statue in Monroe (1910)

Model Christie Brinkley was born in Monroe in 1954, as Christie Lee Hudson.

The furniture manufacturer La-Z-Boy is headquartered in Monroe. The firm was founded in 1927.

Not just recliners anymore

The Cabela’s store in the village of  Dundee (pop. 3,957) claims to have “The World’s Largest Bronze Wildlife Sculpture.”

Two fighting (or kissing) bears

The unincorporated community of Ottawa Lake has a giant Uncle Sam statue.

Formerly in Toledo

Monroe County has a village called Maybee (pop. 562), named after one of its founders, Abram Maybee.

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