Otisville, Michigan is a small village in Genesee County, along M-15, just south of M-57. Wilson Road (Main Street) intersects M-15 in the center of town.
The village is surrounded by Forest Township. There is a string of small lakes or ponds in the eastern portion of the village, including Dock Lake, McCormick Lake, Bullhead Lake, Picnic Lake, and several smaller bodies of water. Picnic Lake, in the southeastern part of the village, is a private lake with an island.
Cities and villages within twenty miles of Otisville include Otter Lake, Columbiaville, Millington, Davison, Mt. Morris, Clio, Vassar, Burton, Goodrich, Birch Run, Lapeer, Flint, Montrose, and North Branch.
With a population of under nine hundred, Otisville is largely a residential community today. With an economy supported by commuter residents and local agriculture, the village includes several stores and small businesses.
European-American settlement of the area began sometime before 1840, as there were at least three homes there by that date, including those of Henry Heister, Matthew McCormick, and Stephen and Amos Biegel. John H. McCormick was the first European-American resident born in the settlement, which was sparsely populated until the early 1850s.
In 1851, John Hayes came to the community with men and equipment to build a sawmill on the east side of what is now M-15, near Picnic, McCormick, and Dock lakes. The following year, Francis Otis, who, along with his two brothers, owned five thousand acres of woodland in the township, bought the sawmill from Hayes. At one time, there were eleven sawmills operating in Otisville.
The Otis family arrived in the town that would be named for them in 1852. Two of his brothers came from New York, while another came from Cleveland.
A post office was established on February 14, 1855 as Forestville, with John Crawford as postmaster. On April 5, 1861, the post office name was changed to Otisville. In 1863, the townsite was platted and recorded by William F. Otis and T.D. Crocker, and the Pere Marquette Railway opened a station in Otisville in 1874. Otisville was incorporated as a village in 1877.
Otisville's economy ran in three phases. Like many Michigan communities, the village was formed as a lumber town. Its lumber era ran from 1850 to about 1880, after which it was dependent on agriculture until about 1935. Lastly, it became a local industrial center.
The village had a rich vein of gravel on the east side, and the Otisville Stone Company supplied gravel and sand to the state highway department, as well as a large asphalt company, for years. However, about thirty years ago, its excavators hit an underground water source that filled the gravel pit so quickly that its equipment is still at the bottom. The former gravel pit is now a narrow, privately-owned lake. Today, its major industry is the Mason Tackle Company, which manufactures fishing lines, tackle, and other products.
The focal point of this portion of our guide is on the village of Otisville, Michigan, as well as online resources representing local businesses, industries, schools, places of worship, organizations, attractions, events, and recreational opportunities.
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Recommended Resources
The civil township is in the northeastern corner of Genesee County, Michigan. The official township website features a brief history of the township, a map showing its location, the address of the township offices, office hours, and a telephone number. Other resources include meeting notices and agendas, meeting minutes, ordinances, tax data, and a calendar of events. Township hall rental information, services, and facilities are set forth, and a guide for new residents is included.
http://www.foresttwp.com/
Friends of the Otisville School
The locally-organized non-profit organization was formed to preserve and rehabilitate the Old Otisville School, and to create a cultural, artistic, education, and recreation center for the Otisville, Michigan community, area, and region. An introduction to the organization, its mission, and its officers is set forth, along a slide presentation stating its plan, photo galleries showing scenes of the building and past classes of students who attended the school. Contacts are included.
http://www.fotosotisville.com/
Headquartered in Otisville, Michigan, the K-12 public school district operates Columbiaville Elementary School, LakeVille Middle School, and LakeVille Memorial High School, each of which is featured here, with school schedules, registration information, counseling services, and contacts, as well as district administrative offices and departments, online enrollment services, finance data, district forms and bid information, employment opportunities, and parent/student resources.
https://www.lakevilleschools.org/
The third-generation family-owned business is based in Otisville, Michigan, currently producing and selling a wide variety of fishing products, such as hard type nylon leader material, fluorocarbon, monofilament lines, braided lines, wire products, leaders, rigs, and accessories, as well as specialty items and plastic spools. The company offers its products for sale through its website, which features a catalog of products, online shopping facilities, shipping information, and gift certificates.
http://www.masontackle.com/
Formed in 1880 by John H. McCormick, the Otisville, Michigan funeral home changed hands several times over the years. A profile and history of the business are put forth, and its address, directions, a map, and phone and fax numbers are posted on the site, along with a calendar of events, an overview of its services and merchandise, a general price list, and obituaries. Its plan-ahead program, a pre-planning form, and planning tips are included, as well as a grief library and bookstore.
https://www.hudsonfuneralservice.com/
Settled in 1836 and incorporated as a village in 1877, Otisville is in Forest Township, Genesee County. The official municipal website features a brief history of the village, as well as village ordinances, council, and planning commission minutes, and contacts for village staff, council, and commissions. Also included are a guide to local businesses, organizations, and events. Telephone and fax numbers for the village offices, an email address, and an online contact form are included.
http://www.otisvillevillage.org/
