The area was first settled as early as 1837 when Jonas Titus formed the new community of Milwaukie City. It was named as such due to its location along the small stream of Milwaukie Creek. Milwaukie City was never officially recorded with the state, although the name was recognized and became an early sawmill community. It was alternatively spelled as Milwaukee City. The community was located within the unorganized Birchville Township, which was settled and named after lumberman Jonathan Burtch in 1840. A post office named Burtchville began operating on January 20, 1846.
Passages that mention Lakeport, cut from the printed page as they were published.
St. Clair County, Michigan, its history and its people1912 · page 231Read the page →
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In 1836, Jonas H. Titus laid out Milwaukie City upon the south part of section 20, at the mouth of the small stream, which he named Milwaukie creek. This city never progressed beyond the paper plat, and afterwards in 1853 the village of Lakeport was laid out by B. C. Farrand, on the same site, and the name given because of its location, although it was a misnomer in that it possesses none of the qualities of a haven or port, being exposed to storms from every direction.
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St. Clair County, Michigan, its history and its people1912 · page 253Read the page →
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In 1836 Milwaukie City was platted upon the site of what was afterwards platted as Lakeport. A settlement in East China was called Hallville, and names have been given to other localities not platted or incorporated, as Grant Center, Jeddo, Riley Center.
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Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
