The land of water and light
Explore Iosco history
Travel through Iosco County, one community and one story at a time.
Stories from the archive
Featured stories
15 communities. Countless stories.
Find the history closest to home.
Iosco’s story was shaped by Anishinaabe homelands, Great Lakes waters, white pine, railroads, farms, industry, and generations of neighbors. Choose a place to begin.
County story
A History of Iosco County
From the land of “water of light” to the communities that line Tawas Bay.
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Industry
Alabaster Township
The gypsum works, quarry, railroad, and company town.
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River & lumber
AuSable Township
A river community shaped by timber, fishing, and Lake Huron.
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Schools & farms
Baldwin Township
The people and places of Baldwin Township.
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Inland Iosco
Burleigh Township
Settlements, farms, families, and community life.
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Tawas Bay
City of East Tawas
The resort, railroad, and lakeshore city where the museum lives.
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County seat
City of Tawas City
The county seat founded amid the white pine era.
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Western Iosco
City of Whittemore
A close-knit city rooted in agriculture and trade.
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Township story
Grant Township
Community history from the heart of Iosco County.
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Au Sable River
Oscoda Township
Lumber heritage, the river, and Wurtsmith Air Force Base.
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Hale
Plainfield Township
The history of Hale and northern inland Iosco.
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Township story
Reno Township
Farmsteads, schools, and families of Reno Township.
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Township story
Sherman Township
The communities and working lives of Sherman Township.
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Township story
Tawas Township
Rural life between the bay and Iosco’s inland communities.
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Township story
Thompson Township
Stories from Iosco County’s earliest township boundaries.
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