WEST BRANCH TOWNSHIP
Established in 1895
Situated in the eastern portion of Marquette County, West Branch Township residents enjoy the rural atmosphere of its location. The city of Marquette lies fifteen miles north on U.S. Highway 41, or State Road, as it was known in 1895.
Of the 19 townships in Marquette County, West Branch is the smallest at 36 square miles, forming a perfect square with no geographic interruptions, hence our motto, ‘The Perfect Township‘.
West Branch was the last of five townships to split from the parent township of Chocolay. Others were Forsyth, Turin, Sands and Skandia (1892). The reason for the split is unclear, perhaps because residents wanted a closer voting site or because of a dispute regarding operation of the area’s first cemetery.
The first annual meeting of the township was held on April 22, 1895 and the first Township Supervisor was Alger J. Libby.
Centennial 1895 – 1995
In 1995, a group of West Branch Township Residents created the West Branch Township Centennial Committee, which gathered and compiled a Centennial hardcover book. The book is intended to be a historical review of the growth of West Branch Township, and its people. It includes photographs, personal histories, and recollections that have been generously supplied by individual township residents.
The hardcover book is available for purchase at the West Branch Township Hall for $10.
