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County in Michigan, United States

[[Image:1842 Okkuddo Cheonoquet Anamickee Shawwano Oscoda Negwegon counties Michigan. jpg|thumb|A detail from A New Map of Michigan with its Canals, Roads & Distances (1842) by Henry Schenck Tanner, showing Alcona County as Negwegon, the county's name from 1840 to 1843. It was at first named Negwegon County, after the name of a well known Chippewa chief, also known as "Little Wing". He was honored as having been an American ally against the British in the War of 1812. It was renamed to Alcona County on March 8, 1843, after a neologism created by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft from parts of words from Native American languages, plus Arabic, Greek and Latin. These were amalgamated to mean "fine or excellent plain". He was an influential US Indian agent and geographer. Alcona County was initially attached to Mackinac County for purposes of revenue, taxation, and judicial matters. The attachment shifted to Cheboygan County in 1853, to Alpena County in 1857, to Iosco County in 1858, and to Alpena County in 1859. Harrisville Township, then comprising the entire county, was organized in 1860. County government was organized in 1869, becoming effective on May 8, 1869. The county's slogan on its seal (a single gold star on a green field in the shape of Alcona County) is "First of 83," which refers to its place alphabetically among Michigan counties. In 2007, Alcona County was forced to explore options to remedy a major budget shortfall resulting from an official's embezzlement. Former County Treasurer Thomas Katona pleaded guilty in June 2007 to charges that he embezzled more than 1.2 million dollars from county funds to invest them in a Nigerian scam which he fell for. Katona was sentenced to 9–14 years imprisonment on June 12, 2007, by the 23rd Circuit Court. Judge William Myles said Katona's crimes warranted more severe punishment than called for in state sentencing guidelines, due to the amount of money involved and the number of victims in the case.

According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1791 square miles (4,639 km2), of which 675 square miles (1,748 km2) is land and 1116 square miles (2,890 km2) (62%) is water. The area is part of the Au Sable State Forest, specifically the Grayling FMU (Alcona, Crawford, Oscoda, and northern Iosco counties). The county is considered to be part of Northern Michigan. Alcona County has a shoreline on Lake Huron. Through Lake Huron, Alcona County has a water boundary with the Canadian province of Ontario. The Au Sable River flows through the southwest of the county.

The county government maintains rural roads, operates the local courts, records deeds, mortgages, and vital records, administers public health regulations, and works with state agencies to provide social services. The county
board of commissioners controls the budget and has limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions — police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance, etc. — are the responsibility of individual cities and townships. The Alcona County Circuit Court is part of the 23rd Circuit of Michigan. This multicounty circuit also includes Arenac, Iosco and Oscoda Counties. This court was previously part of the 26th Circuit, which included Alpena and Montmorency Counties.

The Alcona County Review located in Harrisville is the county's newspaper of record, and has served the community since 1877. The Alpena News serves the northeastern lower peninsula. The Oscoda Press is a weekly newspaper serving southern Alcona County and northern Iosco County. Daily editions of the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News are available throughout the area.

There is a senior citizens center building that opened in the 1940s. In 2023 there was a controversy over how to use a $12,500,000 grant that was to be used to build a replacement building.

Alcona County has been a part of developing the Oscoda Wurtsmith Airport, which became a public airport in 1993. It now occupies a portion of the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base, which is in Oscoda Township, Michigan in neighboring Iosco County, Michigan. It is primarily used for cargo and light general aviation activities. The Airport offers 24 hour near all weather daily access.