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Crawford County, Michigan

47 topographic sheets cover 20 settlements here, and 3 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

3 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Michigan within the United States
Crawford County within Michigan

What the record shows

  • 270 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 3 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 2 buildings and 1 structure.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 20 populated places in this county; 20 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

3

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Douglas Housebuilding200101001017
Edward E. Hartwick Memorial Buildingbuilding199898001216
M-27-Au Sable River Bridgestructure199999001510

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

465 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 465 of them, burning about 19,253 acres. 15 started naturally and 33 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined167
Debris and open burning82
Equipment and vehicle use64
Recreation and ceremony37
Arson/incendiarism33
Power generation/transmission/distribution20
Misuse of fire by a minor17
Natural15
Smoking14
Railroad operations and maintenance9
Fireworks4
Other causes3

The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
18 May 2010Debris and open burning8,586 acresHuron-Manistee National ForestMERIDIAN
5 August 2016Missing data/not specified/undetermined2,250 acresMichigan Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
1 May 2018Missing data/not specified/undetermined1,900 acresMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesCRAWFORD 23 - RANGE 46
24 April 2008Railroad operations and maintenance1,345 acresMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesFOUR MILE
25 April 2015Missing data/not specified/undetermined844 acresMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesCRAWFORD 04 - RANGE 30
7 June 2011Power generation/transmission/distribution817 acresMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesCRAWFORD 09 HOWES LAKE FIRE
19 May 1996Natural628 acresHuron-Manistee National ForestHAGAMAN ROAD
26 March 1995Missing data/not specified/undetermined250 acresMichigan Department of Natural Resourcesnot named

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1967 to 2024

60 of 122 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 122 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 15 injuries and about $2,692,800 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind63
Hail45
Tornado12
Flash Flood1
Lightning1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
April 1975Tornado (F2)not stated14 hurt, $250,000no account filed
August 2006LightningCamp Grayling1 hurtA soldier at Camp Grayling was struck by lightning as he exited a car in an open field. He suffered burns on one hand, but no other injuries.
August 2015Thunderstorm WindFrederic$1,200,000The swath of damaging winds continued from further west, but damage was becoming less widespread and more spotty with time. Still, there were occasional pockets were dozens of trees were downed, especially from Frederic to near Grayling. Tress took down power lines, and damaged cars, homes, and businesses. Almost 100 buildings suffered some degree of damage due to the storm.
July 1995Thunderstorm WindGrayling$500,000Numerous trees and power lines were brought down by strong thunderstorm winds, some of which damaged houses and vehicles on the way down.
September 2014Tornado (EF1)Frederic$85,000An EF-1 tornado crossed northern Crawford County. The tornado uprooted or snapped many trees, and caused significant roof damage to one residential roof, and one barn. Peak winds were estimated at 100 mph.
July 2005Thunderstorm WindFrederic$70,000Sporadic tree damage occurred from Frederic southward to Lake Margrethe and Grayling. Downed trees damaged some homes and vehicles in the area, and a few roads were impassable for several hours until debris could be cleared. The winds also destroyed a swimming pool and shredded a large 7-Eleven sign. Some 3600 Consumers Energy customers lost power (some of whom were in Roscommon County).
June 2012Tornado (EF1)Grayling$60,000This EF1 tornado impacted the Forest Dunes Golf Club. The initial touchdown was near the entrance to the club. Damage along the first half of the path was sporadic, with some trees uprooted and/or snapped. Damage intensity increased as the tornado reached a clear-cut area adjacent to its path, allowing the winds to more directly strike a large stand of trees. Damage in this one stand, alongside one of the fairways at the club, was considerable, with the majority of the trees felled. All told, over 100 trees were uprooted and/or snapped, including a mix of hardwoods and softwoods. Maximum winds were estimated at 100 mph.
July 1995Thunderstorm WindGrayling$50,000Numerous trees and power lines were downed from thunderstorm winds along and over Stephan Bridge Road.
July 1995Thunderstorm WindLovells$50,000Numerous trees were downed by strong thunderstorm winds over and around County Route 612.
July 1995Thunderstorm WindGrayling$50,000Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down numerous trees and power lines across Beaver Creek Township, blocking a few roadways.
July 1994Tornado (F1)to$50,000A tornado touched down in Beaver Creek Township just north of Seven-Mile Road, about 1.5 miles west of Military Road. It moved generally eastward, along the north side of Seven-Mile Road, doing widespread tree damage. At about the time the tornado crossed Military Road, it appears to have dissipated as another vortex from the same parent cloud formed just south of Seven-Mile Road. The newly strengthened tornado then continued its movement east, crossing the U.S. 27 expressway, damaging the roofs of three houses and blowing over numerous large trees before it lifted, just after crossing Interstate 75. In all, more than 1,000 trees were destroyed, and at least five residences suffered some degree of damage. The worst damage was done to a residence along South Grayling Road, where virtually all of the large oaks around the house were torn down, doing extensive roof damage estimated at around $8,000. The tornado stripped bare the roof of an old motel just west of Old U.S. 27 Highway.
August 1993Tornado (F1)Grayling$50,000A small tornado touched down 2 miles north of the Crawford-Roscommon County border and 1.5 miles west of Interstate 75 then moved northeast for just under 8 miles before lifting. It dropped a tree on a house at the initial touchdown location then moved northeast generally tree-topping and doing only minor damage until it crossed Interstate 75. After crossing Interstate 75 the tornado strengthened and began doing widespread tree damage. In the next 1.5 miles it destroyed nearly a thousand large hardwoods and pines damaged a travel trailer and outbuildings at one residence and damaged the roof of another then tore the roof off of a 12- X 60-foot mobile home. After passing the intersection of Johnson and Seven Mile Roads 5.5 miles northwest of the village of Roscommon it proceeded northeast through a heavily wooded area for nearly another 4 miles uprooting or snapping off well in excess of another thousand trees.
June 2005Thunderstorm WindGrayling$40,000A large swath of sporadic tree damage occurred in eastern and northeast Crawford County. Several homes were damaged by falling trees.
September 2014Thunderstorm WindFrederic$35,000Many trees were downed over far northern Crawford County, along the southern edge of the damage swath that was mostly in Otsego County.
June 2024Tornado (EF0)Grayling$21,000A tornado briefly touched down on the Forest Dunes Golf Club grounds. Golfers on the course observed trees being blown down, but no injuries were reported. Among other numerous downed trees with this event, a couple trees fell on a house located on the club grounds.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindLake Margrethe$21,000Numerous trees were downed in the area just east of Camp Grayling. One falling tree damaged a garage.
October 2007Thunderstorm WindGrayling$16,000A large tree was downed onto a house, resulting in significant structural damage.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindLake Margrethe$10,000Multiple trees and power lines were downed in Beaver Creek Township.
September 2005Thunderstorm WindFrederic$10,000Several trees downed on the west side of Frederic. A large commercial sign was blown down.
November 2013Thunderstorm WindGrayling$9,000Multiple trees downed in the Grayling area.
October 2007Thunderstorm WindGrayling$9,000Numerous trees were downed, and siding was ripped off of a home.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindGrayling$8,000Multiple trees and power lines were downed in South Branch Township.
June 2015Thunderstorm WindFrederic$8,000Several trees and power lines were downed on both side of Frederic, along Old 27. Winds were estimated at 60 to 70 mph.
June 2014Thunderstorm WindFrederic$8,000Multiple trees and power lines were downed across Old 27 north of Frederic. The highway was briefly closed.
July 2006Thunderstorm WindGrayling$8,000Trees and power lines downed.
August 2015Thunderstorm WindLovells$6,000Several large trees were downed, blocking some roads in the Lovells area.
July 2006Flash FloodGrayling$6,000Runoff overwhelmed drainage system on Michigan Avenue. Water backed up from the street into storefronts.
August 2021Thunderstorm WindFrederic$5,000Trees and powerlines downed.
July 2017Thunderstorm WindLake Margrethe$5,000Multiple trees were downed, leading to localized power outages.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindGrayling$5,000Several large trees were downed.
September 2005Thunderstorm WindGrayling$5,000Trees were downed.
July 1995Thunderstorm WindGrayling$5,000A spotter on the northwest corner of Higgins Lake reported a wind gust of 62 mph with the passage of an intense gust front. Thunderstorm winds brought down numerous trees and a few power lines in the area.
August 1995Thunderstorm WindGrayling$5,000Numerous trees were brought down from strong thunderstorm winds between Grayling and Hartwick Pines along M-93.
July 1994Thunderstorm WindGrayling$5,000Damaging thunderstorm winds uprooted numerous trees and tore down power lines along the southeast shore of Lake Margrethe. Four buildings, mostly garages, sustained roof damage on Poplar Avenue and Margrethe Boulevard. An antique car was also damaged in this area.
April 1993Thunderstorm Windnot stated$5,000Over 1,000, 2- to 10-inch diameter pines were blown down or snapped off in a path 500 yards wide that begins along the east side of Highway F-97, 2 miles southeast of Lovells. The damage path extends northeast for 4 miles, then crosses into Oscoda County and continues toward Twin Lakes.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindLake Margrethe$4,000Several trees were downed around Camp Grayling.
June 2007Thunderstorm WindGrayling$4,000Several trees were downed near the I-75 and US-127 split.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindGrayling$3,000Trees were downed.
August 2006Thunderstorm WindFrederic$3,000Several trees downed along Old 27.
September 1985Tornado (F1)not stated$2,500no account filed
August 2021Thunderstorm WindLovells$2,000Reports of trees down from MPING.
July 2006Thunderstorm WindGrayling$2,000Trees downed just north of Higgins Lake.
July 1994Thunderstorm WindRoscommon$500Large trees were uprooted, torn down, or snapped off by strong thunderstorm winds along the South Branch of the Au Sable River in South Branch Township.
July 1994Thunderstorm WindGrayling$500Thunderstorm winds uprooted, tore down or snapped off several trees along highway M-72, 0.4 mile west of Au Sable Trail.
July 1994Thunderstorm WindGrayling$500Several trees uprooted, torn down or snapped off by strong thunderstorm winds along Au Sable Trail.
July 1994Thunderstorm WindGrayling$500Several trees uprooted, torn down or snapped off by strong thunderstorm winds near intersection of Tomahawk Court and Yorke Trail.
July 1987Tornado (F1)not stated$250no account filed
July 1994Thunderstorm WindGrayling$50Several trees uprooted, torn down or snapped off by strong thunderstorm winds along the north portion of the Interstate 75 Business Loop in the community of Grayling.
February 2017HailLake Margrethe-Penny-sized hail covered the ground.
June 2008HailLake Margrethe-Nickel sized hail fell along Four Mile Road, near and east of I-75.
June 2005HailGrayling-Penny-sized hail reported 2 miles north of Roscommon.
July 2004HailGrayling-Hail covered the ground.
July 2004HailGrayling-Near Deerheart Valley.
April 2002Thunderstorm WindFrederic-Numerous trees down.
July 2002Thunderstorm WindGrayling-Numerous trees down.
May 2001HailGrayling-An upper low and the associated cold air aloft caused scattered thunderstorms to develop during the afternoon and evening hours across northern Lower Michigan. A few of the thunderstorms produced severe hail.
June 2001Thunderstorm WindFrederic-One ten inch diameter tree and several branches blown down.
June 2001Thunderstorm WindFrederic-Several trees snapped off.
August 2001Thunderstorm WindGrayling-Trees down.
June 2000Thunderstorm WindGrayling-Several trees were blown down.

Mines and quarries

2 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 2 workings inside this county. 1 still produces and 1 is closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction2

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Jack Milliken PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Mackinaw Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer

Every populated place in the county

20

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.