GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY MICHIGAN

In 1840 that part of the state of Michigan embraced in towns 25, 26 and 27 orth, of ranges 9, 10, 11 and 12 west, and town 28 of ranges 9 and 10 west, and all of the peninsula at the head of Grand Traverse bay, was laid off into a separate county, and designated as Omena county. No county government was provided, however, as there were few white people to make use of such a thing at this time.

An attempt was made to organize Grand Traverse county by the legislature by an act which passed that body and was approved April 7, 1851, which reads as follows:

"The people of the state of Michigan enact, That all that portion of territory in the county of Omena, included in the boundaries hereinafter described, be, and is hereby, set off and organized into a separate county by the name of Grand Traverse, to-wit: Beginning at a point on the east side of the east arm of Grand Traverse bay, where the township line between townships 27 and 28 north strikes said bay; thence running east to the range line between ranges 8 and 9; thence south to the township line between townships 24 and 25 north; thence west to the range line between ranges 12 and 13 west; thence north to the township line between townships 27 and 28 north; then east to the west arm of Grand Traverse bay; then following the shore of said bay to the place of beginning; and the seat of said county shall be at Boardman's Mills on the east fraction of section No. 3, in township 27 north of range 11 west, until otherwise provided.

"There shall be elected in the said county of Grand Traverse on the first Monday in August, 1851, the several county officers provided by law for the other organized counties of the state, who shall hold their offices until the general election to be held in the year 1852, and until their successors are elected and qualified.

From Sprague's History of Grand Traverse and Leelanaw Counties Michigan Edited and compiled by Elvin L. Sprague, Esq. And Mrs. George N. Smith. Published 1903 by B. F. Bowen

The Insiders' Guide to Michigan's Traverse Bay | History

If you ever wondered how the people named in the 1860 Census of Grand Traverse County got to the area, here is an editorial from 1859 describing the transportation options, Getting to Grand Traverse

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