Discover Crystal Michigan – episode 21

Discover Crystal Michigan in Montcalm County.  The Crystal area has an abundance of lakes and natural resources. Outdoor enthusiasts can participate in watersports, hunting, and snowmobiling.  Other activities include roller skating, movies, motocross, and stock car racing.  The area also provides unique shops, convenience stores, and dining.  SOURCE: https://www.crystalareachamber.org/  

Crystal lies on the eastern side of the county and is bounded on the north by Ferris township, on the east by Gratiot county, on the south by Bloomer township and on the west by Evergreen.  This township was originally covered by forests of beech and maple timber, and after these were cleared of their trees the fertility of the soil was discovered and that fertile belt which lies in the east part of Bushnell township, and comprises the greater part of Bloomer, extends also into Crystal, reaching to and bounded generally by Fish creek, although the timber to the northland east of this creek was of a mixed variety. This tract, which lies in the basin of Fish creek, as was mentioned above, is the most productive and best-tilled part of the township, and comprises the more wealthy portion of its inhabitants. The township, on the whole, has a great number of good farms and the farming is done on an extensive scale and compares very favorably with any other township in the county.

In the month of June, 1852, John Smith and his brother, Humphrey, came to Montcalm county in the employment of A. Rust & Company, who at the time were engaged in the lumber trade in Marine City, and for whom they were looking up pine lands. The brothers traveled through the eastern part of Montcalm county, and coming to the shore of Crystal lake, were delighted with the beautiful sheet of water, and camped and remained here from Saturday until the following Monday.

The village of Crystal is situated near the east shore of the lake. The first settlement in this vicinity was made by Enos P. Drake who in the year 1857 built a small dwelling house and saw-mill, the latter on the outlet of Mud lake. Drake built the first mill. The first framed building was the Eagle hotel. The village was laid out by Asa Ward on land owned by Mr. Burtch and Mr. Drake.  SOURCE: http://www.migenweb.org/montcalm/townships/crystal.html