Traverse City

Traverse City is located in Grand Traverse County (of which it is the county seat) north of Grand Rapids along US Highway 31 on the banks of the Boardman River near Grand Traverse Bay and Lake Leelanau. The population estimate for July 1, 1998 was 15,158, an increase of 3 since 1990.

Traverse City was incorporated in 1881 as a village and later as a city in 1885. First settled in the 1850s by William Boardman near the mouth of the river now named after him, this town built-up by lumbering due to its accessibility to shipping on Lake Michigan. The lumber mill which Boardman and his son started was later bought out by Perry Hannah, who escalated development of the town into a city and is considered its founding father.

Today, Traverse City is a favorite place to begin a vacation due to its central location to so much of the Lake Michigan Coastline and Michigans great Northland. It has also become a popular place for retirement as well as to locate a business due to its diverse economy.