1st Mason County Courthouse (Burr Caswell Home)

Some buildings carry a county’s entire origin story within their walls. The 1849 Mason County Courthouse — originally the home of Burr Caswell, the territory’s first permanent pioneer — is exactly that kind of place.

Built by Caswell himself in 1849, it holds the distinction of being the first frame house constructed in Mason County. It served as both a private residence and a county courthouse in the settlement’s earliest years, a practical arrangement common to Michigan’s rapidly growing frontier communities. Today, it is listed on the State Register of Historic Places, recognized for its rare historical significance.

Visitors who walk through its door are stepping into the founding moment of Mason County — meeting the man who planted roots here first and set in motion everything that followed.

Adopted By

Warren & Christy Abrahamson