Schedule of Township Meetings for 2024
Custer Township Board Meetings are the 2nd Tuesday of the Month at 7:00 PM at the Custer Township Hall, located at 2949 Alden Hwy.
| November 12, 2024 | May 13, 2025 |
| December 10, 2024 | June 10, 2025 |
| January 14, 2025 | July 8, 2025 |
| February 11, 2025 | August 12, 2025 |
| March 11, 2025 | September 9, 2025 |
| April 8, 2025 | October 14, 2025 |
Custer Township Trash Pick-up Program Guidelines
The weekly trash pickup program is available to all homeowners of Custer Township. Trash must be generated in Custer Township.
Trash will be picked up on Monday. If New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, or Christmas Day should fall on a Monday then trash pick-up will be on the Tuesday of that week.
Please have your tote or bags curbside by 5:00 am to avoid being missed.
The Township strongly encourages that trash be put in a tote, wire cage or other type of receptacle to avoid having animals and birds tearing trash bags open and scattering trash. Neither the Township nor the trash haulers will be responsible for cleaning up scattered trash.
GFL will pick up the equivalent of 96 gallons (standard size GFL tote or ½ yard) of household trash per week. Trash exceeding 96 gallons may not be picked up. All trash must be in a tied bag.
Items that are prohibited:
Needles
Yard waste and paint
Industrial and hazardous wastes
A Township wide clean-up day is held every second Saturday in May and the second Saturday in September at the Custer Township Hall for large items and items that do not fall under the description of bagged household trash.
The County provides hazardous waste collection sites yearly.
If a homeowner has a large item, other items unable to be bagged or excessive amounts of trash they want to dispose of prior to cleanup day, they can choose to call GFL at 231-943-8088 to schedule a prepaid pickup at the homeowner’s expense.
Please help keep our Township clean by abiding by the above guidelines.
Any questions or concerns regarding the Trash Pickup Program Guidelines can be directed to the Township by calling 231-587-5118.
Effective February 1, 2024
Wicks Manufacturing TCE Plume – 110322 (Roxann Flake)
Click the above link for the information that was presented at the November meeting.
If you have questions regarding the Presentation or the meeting you may contact: Roxann Flake, Supervisor at 231-587-5363 or Janice Adams, EGLE at 989-619-4211
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History of Custer Township
Source: History book “Mancelona Area 1872-1972″pg 8 Sponsored by Mancelona Area Centennial Commission, Mancelona Elementary Library, Mancelona, MI The first settlers in Custer Township were John Adair, who arrived from Scotland to North America and after a short stay in Canada moved to Custer in 1867 and James Mills who also came to the area and homesteaded here in 1868. His brother Clark joined him a short time later and they carved their farms out of the wilderness. Their farms were later owned by Andrew Lennington and Ron Meeder. Another early settler was Noah Chapin, who was a shoemaker, as well as a farmer. Noah and his son built a boat twenty feet long and eight feet wide for the transportation of hay along the Grass River. The boat carried over a ton of hay and was mirthfully called “Noah’s Ark’. In 1868, Darius McGuirk settled in Eastern Custer Township, he was also later the township’s first Supervisor. He later moved to Mancelona. In this same year, Henry Maddocks and Benjamin Turk came with their families. In 1869 Peter Weaver and Charles Leonard established homesteads. Custer Township was organized in January, 1875. Mr. Leonard was the first Township Road Commissioner and owned the first threshing machine. Charles Leonard built the Leonard Centennial Home in 1902 from solid virgin timber of maple, pine, elm and cherry. The home has curly maple and walnut woodwork all taken from the farm. His granddaughter, Kathleen Leonard, was Treasurer of Custer Township for four terms in the 1970’s and 1980’s. The Centennial Farm is still owned by the Leonard Family to this day. The first annual meeting was held at Maddock’s Schoolhouse. The first inspectors of election were William Rush, Darius McGuirk and Theodore Meade. Elections were held at the Maple Grove School by those first settlers. Angus Campbell and his family arrived in 1870 and located in section 26. Abram Jackson and Z.T. Swawn came in 1872. Mr. Jackson was the first Treasurer of the township. Also arriving in 1872 were August Ludwig, William Call and David Lively. Issac Wilcox arrived in 1876. Ashley Elder, traveling by boat from Detroit to Northport to Elk Rapids to Spencer Creek, survived a near fatal storm off the shores of Elk Rapids to settle in Section 24 in 1872. Ashley was given his parcel of land for his service in the Civil War. He and his brother would later clear out a road between their homes. The road still exists today and is known as Elder Road. Ashley’s great, great grandson Ray Elder served 7 terms as a Custer Township Trustee. Ray’s daughter-in-law is today’s Township Treasurer. John and Joseph Troyer along with cousin Christian came to Custer Township in 1881. John and Christian owned a sawmill on Section 8. They later moved the sawmill to a place they called Arkona Siding. John was also the Postmaster at Arkona, having the Post Office in his home where a stagecoach made a stop and dropped off the mail. Christian’s granddaughter, Anna Simpson, was the clerk of Custer Township for many years. After retiring from her position as clerk, she served as Chairperson for the Election Board for many more years. She is still in the area and currently resides in Bellaire. Henry Richards arrived in 1882. He cleared his land single-handed. Henry named his prosperous homestead “Hilly Dell Farm”. Also arriving in 1882 was Samuel Chapman. He would move to Custer Township in 1888. He was a beekeeper and produced 23,500 pounds of honey in one year; a state record at that time. Mr. Chapman donated the land to the township for the Chapman Cemetery. You can view many tombstones in the Chapman Cemetery today that date back over a hundred years ago. Henry Wisthoff came to the township and would be the township blacksmith for many years. His home was considered a rendezvous for neighbors who came from miles around to have work done and socialize.
Information on the history of Custer Township will be added to this page as it becomes available.
If you are a resident and would like to contribute information please contact Gina Grote by phone at 586.482.2275 or email Gina.grote225@gmail.com