Ogemaw Springs is the oldest village in Ogemaw County. The spring that gave the town its name provided the sole supply of water for early settlers and supplied water for the boilers of the railroad steam engines that served the area's lumber industry. The arrival of the Jackson, Lansing and Saginaw Railroad in 1872 opened the region's rich timber resources. By 1873, two hundred people lived in the growing community, which included several saw mills, a post office, and a grocery. In 1875, Ogemaw Springs nearly became the county seat, losing to West Branch by only one vote. In 1888, the local Board of Health sought to protect the springs with an ordinance against placing "any rubbish or unclean thing within the spring." In the 1890s, depletion of timber in the area led to the town's decline.