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Idlewild - Yates Township Population: 2000() 1990() Change()
Yates Township, located along the near southeastern border of Lake County, contains the community of Idlewild, which surrounds the lake it was named for. The headwaters of the Pere Marquette River run through here, with a couple of public access points adjacent to Broadway Road, where it crosses. About half of the township is contained in the Manistee National Forest.
Idlewild began around 1915 when the real estate firm of Branch, Anderson & Tyrrell bought and platted the site, then selling lots to blacks. The Pere Marquette Railroad built a branch line to the area by 1923. A post office opened that same year, with Susie J. Bantom as the first postmaster. The winding, curvy lake area became a popular vacation and resort spot for blacks, eventually being associated as part of what was then known as the "Harlem Renaissance." Many black celebrities visited here during the 20�s and 30�s, with two daily train runs from Chicago at the height of its popularity. |