Tawas City, Michigan

48764

Photos courtesy of:
K. Huisjen

Tawas City, county seat for Iosco County, is located along Lake Huron’s western shoreline on Tawas Bay. Its economy is supported by tourism, auto parts manufacturing, and gypsum products, to name a few. It has a sandy beach which parallels US-23 through town, complete with playground, shelter and historic fieldstone town hall. There are numerous resorts, motels and cottages in the area from which vacationers can enjoy the variety of places to see and things to do along the coastline and inland.

Named after a local Ottawa Indian Chief, Otawas, it was founded in 1854 by Gideon O. Whittemore, a former judge in Oakland County, who moved here and built a sawmill. Tawas City was a major player in the lumber era of the late 1800’s, being the home of the historic Detroit & Mackinac Railroad. Some of its buildings still exist today, and can be seen along US-23 to the east. It was incorporated as a village in 1885 and later as a city in 1895.

Tawas City, Michigan

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Tawas City, Michigan

48764

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