Grawn, Michigan is an unincorporated village and census-designated place in upper-west Blair Township, Grand Traverse County.
There are several lakes and ponds just outside of the CDP, particularly to the west.
US Highway 31 passes east-west through the northern part of the CDP, intersecting County Road 633 and South West Silver Lake Road. CR-633 forms a portion of the western boundary of the CDP in the south, and Vance Road forms most of the CDP's southern boundary, while Sawyer Road forms its eastern boundary.
Blair Township Park is in the southwestern corner of the CDP.
Cities and villages within twenty miles of Grawn include Traverse City, Lake Ann, Buckley, Kingsley, Honor, Thompsonville, Mesick, and Copemish, while the unincorporated communities within ten miles of the community are Chums Corner, Keystone, Monroe Center, Interlochen, Bass Lake, Brookside, Hannah, and Neal.
Grawn is largely a bedroom community today and, with all of Blair Township, it is considered a suburb of Traverse City, less than ten miles to the north-northeast, although there are businesses, particularly along US-31, that serve local residents, travelers, and those who are vacationing along one of the nearby lakes.
Founded in the 1870s, Grawn was first known as Blackwood, for James B. Blackwood, the first European-American settler in the area. An important factor to the area's early economy was fruit production, with potatoes becoming the dominant crop by the early 1900s. The village was platted as Blackwood but never incorporated.
However, when the Pere Marquette/Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad came through in 1890, they named the railroad station Grawn Station, after Charles T. Grawn, the former superintendent of Central Michigan Normal School, and later the superintendent of Traverse City Area Public Schools. When a post office was established on October 19 of that year, it was shortened to Grawn. William H. Gibbs was the first postmaster at Grawn.
The railroad line passing through Grawn later became part of the Chicago & West Michigan Railway. Only its lines from New Buffalo to Holland, Grand Rapids to Ludington, Walhalla to Manistee, and Grawn to Williamsburg remain in use, while the rest of its track. has been removed.
The focus of this guide is on the unincorporated community of Grawn, Michigan. Online resources representing individuals, businesses, industries, churches, schools, organizations, attractions, and events within the Grawn census-designated place boundaries are appropriate for this category, as well as nearby addresses served by the Grawn post office unless they clearly fit within another locality.
Recommended Resources
Associated with the Bible Methodist Connection of Churches, the congregation meets on Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings, and on Wednesday evenings at its facilities along US-31 in Grawn, Michigan. The church's address and telephone number, as well as the pastor's cell phone number and email address, are published on the site. Sunday morning services may be viewed online through live streaming, and links to its sermon archive are posted. Announcements and special service schedules are highlighted.
https://www.grawnbmc.org/
The UMC congregation meets at its facilities on West Silver Lake Road, just north of the census-designated place known as Grawn, Michigan. Its location is shown on a map, the telephone number is posted, and a contact form is available. An introduction to the church is offered by the pastor, and its vision, mission, and core values are outlined. Worship service schedules are published on the site, along with a calendar of upcoming programs and events, and announcements are displayed.
http://www.grawnumc.com/
Kinney's Complete Auto Repair & 4 Wheel Drive Center
Situated along US-31 South, in the village of Grawn, Michigan, the auto repair shop is open Monday through Friday. Directions and a map show its location, the hours of operation are posted, and its services are described on the site. Customer reviews are posted, electronic coupons are displayed, if available, and a photographic slideshow of the shop is presented. Kinney's also offers a place where people can display their cars, trucks, RVs, boats, or trailers that they want to sell.
https://www.kinneysautorepair.com/
The Grawn, Michigan dog training facility offers flexible training schedules, known as levels training. With a levels membership, clients can bring their dog in for drop-in classes as often as they like, or for as long as they like. There are four levels of training, and these are described on the site, which includes an introduction to the program, cost options, services, and a monthly training schedule. A gallery of photographs, client testimonials, business hours, and contacts are posted.
https://www.peacefulpawsdogtraining.com/
Serving the Traverse City area, the authorized International, Cummins, and Mahindra dealership is in Grawn, Michigan. Carrying a large selection of new and used inventory, the company also stocks parts and provides servicing and financing. Its inventory of new and pre-owned equipment is highlighted here, along with service requests, finance information, and other details, such as a map showing its location, its hours of operation, career opportunities, and contacts.
https://www.pioneerdiesel.com/
