Mason remains the seat of Ingham County even though Lansing, Michigan's state capital, lies within the same county; Lansing is the only U.S. state capital that is not also a county seat source
Community character
Mason was founded in 1836 and named for Stevens T. Mason, Michigan's first state governor, and it has served as the seat of Ingham County government since the county's early organization, anchoring a historic downtown around the Ingham County Courthouse square south of Lansing source
Ingham County Courthouse
Beaux-Arts courthouse at 315 South Jefferson Street built from 1902 to 1904 as Ingham County's third courthouse, designed by Lansing architect Edwyn A. Bowd, dedicated May 9, 1905, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 source
Mason Area Historical Museum
Mason Area Historical Society museum at 200 Oak Street, opened in 1998, displaying artifacts and documents on local history; the society also maintains the historic Pink School at 700 Ash Street source
Sun Dried Music Festival
Free outdoor music festival held each August in historic downtown Mason around the Ingham County Courthouse square, staged annually since 2009 source
Rayner Park
60-acre city park at 730 East Ash Street with wooded nature trails, soccer fields, a sand volleyball court, a baseball field, three ponds for catch-and-release fishing, and a 200-person pavilion source
Hayhoe Riverwalk
2.5-mile recreational trail following Sycamore Creek through the city, part of the City of Mason park system source
