GUIDE

GUIDE2010 COMMUNITY PROFILES 29
VANDERBILT
WATERS
—VANDERBILT—
Located in Corwith Township, Vanderbilt is
Otsego County’s northernmost municipality and
is best-known as the “Gateway to the Pigeon
River Country State Forest,” a 105,000-acre forest
home to Michigan’s only elk herd. The forest
attracts not just wildlife, but visitors and tourists
eager to experience a pristine wilderness where
blue ribbon rivers etch their way through miles
of woods, fauna and flora.
The village of Vanderbilt was established
in 1875, when the Jackson, Lansing & Saginaw
Railroad extended its line northward from
Gaylord. Construction on the railroad extension
began in 1881. Virgin woods native to the area
attracted timber buyers from across the country.
Besides the vast wilderness of the Pigeon
River Country State Forest, Vanderbilt
houses industries such as H&H Tube and
Manufacturing, Van Products and Grant Airmass
Corp. The village of Vanderbilt was established
in 1901 as a general law village.
Elected officials serve either two- or fouryears
terms. Village offices are located at 606
Garfield Street in Vanderbilt and may be reached
by calling 983-4244.
—Waters—
The community of Waters, 11 miles south of
Gaylord on Old U.S. 27, has undergone a face
lift recently, dressing up its downtown with new
streetlights, signage and landscaping. In 2007,
the community debuted Thunder Over Waters,
a festival with fireworks and activities, and residents
hope the Labor Day weekend becomes as
much a part of burg as its rich lumbering history.
The community has an up-and-down existence
since its establishment as a village in 1872,
being deserted and re-established three times. It
was once known as Bradford or Bradford Lake,
then Wrights, and now Waters.
The village flourished for many years under
the logging industry, but as the forest area was
cleared, residents began relocating, and little
remained of the community. In 1891, lumberman
Henry Stephens Sr. helped the village to
prosper again, and by 1905, about 300 people
lived there.
After inheriting his father’s fortune, Henry
Stephens, Jr. made Waters his home in 1912 and
built a large dairy farm. He began construction
of a glass bottle fence in memory of the lumberjacks
of the day. Portions of the fence still stand.
In 1927, the Remi Schotte family purchased
1,800 acres of land, donating parcels for a fire
department, post office and village park. Though
the Stephens farm no longer exists, Waters, the
heart of Otsego Lake Township, survives.
NAME: GUIDE-4C-LIVINGSTON TWP PG; WIDTH: 34P6; DEPTH: 4.37 IN; REQUEST
PAGE: 0; COLOR: PROCESS COLOR; COUPON: NO; UNIQUE ID: 509587751; AD
NUMBER: 00232117; CUSTOMER NAME: HAWKS LANDING DEV. CO.; SIZE: 8.74 IN
G A Y L O R D ’ S H O T T E S T L O C A T I O N !
Lots starting at $ 4,900
Roads and utilities in
Services
Contact Mike Heath @
Developer & Realtor Associate
989-619-0400
www.HawksLandingDevelopment.com
700 West Main St.
Gaylord, Michigan
Hawks
Landing
6/10 of
a mile
Hayes Road
M-32 East
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