Escanaba

Escanaba Municipal Water Report Information
Escanaba Township represents one of 14 Townships within Delta County and is among 1242 townships in Michigan. Established in 1862, it originally covered a vast territory from Rapid River eastward to present-day Menominee. The township boundaries were later redrawn in 1863 when Delta County (named for its triangular shape) was subdivided into smaller regions.

Today, Escanaba Township encompasses 61 square miles of land. While its population initially decreased due to these divisions, it has steadily grown since the late 1800s, with the 2000 census recording 3587 residents. The name "Escanaba" derives from a Native American term meaning "Flat Rock," referring to the bedrock foundation of the Escanaba River.

The original settlement called Flat Rock was located at the current site of the paper mill and Pioneer Trail Park. The area's first post office was established in 1852 with Alden Chandler serving as postmaster. Mail delivery was conducted by runners traveling on foot and dog sled from Menominee to Marquette via Flat Rock, where they would rest at the Durancean boarding house and saloon.

As timber resources along the river diminished, residents moved further inland to pursue farming. In 1877, an Agricultural Society formed with several members from the Flat Rock area, holding their first fair the following year to showcase local produce. The Michigan Legislature later established the UP State Fair in 1927 to serve the region's agricultural, educational and commercial interests.

Escanaba Township has hosted two different airports over the years. During the Depression around 1930, the Bluff Golf Course area was cleared to create Whitney Air Field, though it never fully developed. Another airstrip built by aviation enthusiast John Thorin north of Carroll's Corner still serves as an emergency landing field today.

The township has long functioned as a bedroom community with minimal industry beyond some gravel operations and approximately a dozen commercial establishments. It features many well-maintained residential neighborhoods, including the Lake Bluff area with twelve separate subdivisions containing over 400 single-family homes and the Bluff Country Club, with the first home in this development constructed in 1970.