Designed by Charles H. Peale and built in 1883 near the site where the earliest white settler, Abram Wadsworth, had lived, the Elk Rapids Township Hall served as a social and political center for over ninety years. Largely due to lumbering and related industries, the village was the most important economic force in the area. Located on Grand Traverse Bay, the prosperous community needed a permanent meeting place, so the hall was erected and hosted theatrical, patriotic, school, and township activities.