Our history
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Denton Township is located in central Roscommon County along the southeast coastline of Houghton Lake, Michigan's largest inland lake. Its largest community is Prudenville, where our township offices are located. Originally named Edna, Prudenville was settled in 1870 and had roughly 150 residents, most of which were homesteaders. This small village was a major shipping location for logs, fish and fur.
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In 1875, the logging era began. Over the next fifteen years hundreds of men called lumber jacks or "jacks" and "shanty boys" were imported to harvest the white pine trees. As the population increased, the immediate need arose for hotels, a school, general stores, a blacksmith shop and a post office. Clara Denton was the first postmaster in 1875.
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