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Arenac County
July 4, 1871 — Before the railroad, Standish was reached by stage from Pine River. That changed on July 4, 1871, when the first passenger coach arrived in Standish attached to a construction train. The City of Standish history says the first hotel in the village was also built in 1871. The Standish House gave travelers a place to stay and helped support the young settlement as rail traffic grew.
July 4, 1918 — Owen Glover of Omer rented the Lentz Fishery at Timber Island and planned to provide supplies for bathers and boaters.
July 4, 1977 — Arenac County’s hazard records list a July 4, 1977, F2 tornado, with one injury and $250,000 in reported property damage.
The Arenac County Historical Society’s centennial scrapbook index includes “Centennial Historical Notes July 3, 1884.”
Crawford County
The Crawford Avalanche of June 28, 1883, urged people to come to Grayling for the Fourth. The paper’s local items show a town preparing for a full day and evening of holiday fun. Stores were advertising Fourth of July goods. A theater show and dancing were planned for July 4 night. Fireworks were a major draw, including “Floral Bomb Shells,” a “Silver Cross” exhibition piece, Roman candles, sky rockets, wheels and other pyrotechnics. The paper also noted that six, 15-feet and six 30-feet balloons would rise from Grayling that night.
The Avalanche mentioned an egg race, a glass ball shoot on July 4, and a baseball game between Roscommon and Grayling.
Iosco County
July 1, 1898 — The Huron Shores Genealogical Society cites the Tawas Herald for a story about Grace Redhead, who was 13 when she wrote a poem called “The Troops from Alpena.” The poem honored members of Co. B, 33rd Regiment. The soldiers later sent her a note of thanks and awarded her a purse of $4.40.
June 24-30, 1962 — East Tawas celebrated its centennial, according to the The Clarke Historical Library.
June 30, 1993 — Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda officially closed on June 30, 1993, after being selected for closure under the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure decision. The closure ended a major military chapter in Iosco County history.
The impact was large. Oscoda Township says the departure included 3,200 military personnel and 700 civilian jobs, with a direct negative economic impact of more than $85 million. The closure also affected schools, retail businesses and the local tax base.
Wurtsmith remains a major 21st-century story because of reuse, redevelopment and long-running environmental cleanup. The state says the Air Force has invested more than $85 million in cleanup actions connected to the former base. Cleanups due to extensive PFAS contamination are ongoing.
Ogemaw County
July 3, 1906 — The first West Branch city library was housed on the third floor of the West Branch Hotel. On July 3, 1906, fire destroyed that block. Library business then moved to the top floor of the Tolfree Livingston Block, where rent was $4 a month.
June 30, 1927 — Goodar Township history says a post office was established at Maltby on Feb. 13, 1900 and discontinued June 30, 1927. Maltby had grown around lumber. The Goodar Township history says Fred Woods was the first postmaster, operated a general store and served as secretary-treasurer of the Goodar Lumber Company. The Michigan Gazetteer listed Maltby’s population at 50 in 1901, and the lumber company operated a saw and shingle mill.
Oscoda County
July 2, 1997 — Oscoda County hazard records list a July 2, 1997, F1 tornado in Big Creek Township.
July 3, 1999 — The most destructive tornado recorded in Oscoda County struck on July 3, 1999. The county hazard plan says the storm caused $1.5 million in damage and two injuries, and a governor’s disaster declaration was issued. NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory case study says the storm developed near the Montmorency/Oscoda County line around 7:21 p.m. EST, strengthened to an F2 tornado and passed through Comins before dissipating around 7:48 p.m. EST.
Roscommon County
July 5, 1920 — The Village of Roscommon Master Plan includes a historic image captioned “July 5, 1920, typical 4th of July weekend crowd in Roscommon.”
July 4, 2024 —David Dark, 68, of Freeland, died after a two-boat crash on Houghton Lake in the Long Point area of Lake Township. Two other people were treated at a hospital.
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Resources: Crawford Avalanche archive, Crawford County Library, Arenac County Historical Society, City of Standish history pages, West Branch District Library, Goodar Township history, Ogemaw County newspaper indexes, Huron Shores Genealogical Society, Tawas Herald references, Clarke Historical Library county bibliographies, Michigan PFAS Response, Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport history, NOAA/NSSL, Oscoda County Hazard Mitigation Plan, Village of Roscommon Master Plan, UpNorthVoice.com, WNEM, 9&10 News, Detroit Free Press, Detroit News, Detroit Times, Bay City Times, Saginaw News, Alpena News, Arenac Independent, Ogemaw County Voice, Houghton Lake Resorter, Oscoda County Herald and Iosco County News-Herald.
