History of Plainfield Township

Plainfield Township was organized in 1868, with its first meeting held at the home of B.M.
Earl and Samuel W. Chilson, serving as the first Supervisor. At the time, the Township
included Township 23 North, Ranges 5, 6, and 7 East, encompassing three adjacent 36-
square-mile townships.
The Township’s boundaries changed over time. In the early 1870s, Range 7 East was
separated and combined with Range 8 East to form Wilber Township. In 1905, Township 24
North, Range 5 East, was transferred from Oscoda Township to Plainfield Township,
creating the Township’s present-day L-shaped configuration.
Early settlement was driven by farming and the lumber industry. Two villages developed
within the Township: Hale, established in 1889 with the construction of its first store, and
Long Lake, a lumbering settlement founded in the 1880s. The arrival of the Detroit and
Mackinaw Railway in 1893 supported the local economy, including the shipment of ice
harvested from area lakes. Today, the Long Lake area is characterized by seasonal and
recreational residences.
As Michigan’s pine forests declined due to extensive logging, the Huron National Forest
was established in 1909 to preserve remaining forest resources. Much of the eastern
portion of Plainfield Township is now located within the National Forest.
The Township’s first hall was built in the early 1890s, followed by a second hall in 1941 with
assistance from the Works Progress Administration. After that building was destroyed by
fire in 1958, the current Township Hall was constructed in 1961. Since 2013, Township
offices have been located in the former Hale Area High School building, now known as
Eagle Pointe Plaza, which also houses the Eagle Pointe Community Center.
Source: Plainfield Township Centennial Booklet, published by the Tawas Herald, 1968.