History The first settler in the Elk Rapids area was Abram S. Wadsworth, from Connecticut. Wadsworth platted the area in 1852, calling it Stevens. A post office opened in 1854. In 1858, Wadsworth renamed the area to Elk Rapids, after finding a pair of elk antlers near the mouth of the later-named Elk River. In 1863, Antrim County was organized, and Elk Rapids was made the county seat. However, the seat was moved to the more centrally-located Bellaire in 1879. In 1892, Elk Rapids became a station on a spur of the Chicago and West Michigan Railway. The town was incorporated as a village in 1900.
History The first settler in the Elk Rapids area was Abram S. Wadsworth, from Connecticut. Wadsworth platted the area in 1852, calling it Stevens. A post office opened in 1854. In 1858, Wadsworth renamed the area to Elk Rapids, after finding a pair of elk antlers near the mouth o.f the later-named Elk River. In 1863, Antrim County was organized, and Elk Rapids was made the county seat However, the seat was moved to the more centrally-located Bellaire in 1879. In 1892, Elk Rapids became a station on a spur of the Chicago and West Michigan Railway. The town was incorporated as a village in 1900.