Market file · Grand Traverse County, Michigan

Williamsburg home appraisals

Whitewater Township

Whitewater Township is the northeast corner of Grand Traverse County, with Williamsburg on M-72 about midway between Traverse City and Kalkaska. It had 2,688 people in 2020. Frontage on Elk Lake and Lake Skegemog, part of the Elk River Chain of Lakes, sets the top of the market. Inland, wooded acreage and trout creeks shape value.

2,688Population, 2020 Census (Wikipedia)

53.6 sq miTotal area, 5.8 sq mi of it water (Wikipedia)

2,766 acresSurface area of Lake Skegemog (Wikipedia)

$339,400Grand Traverse County median owner occupied value, 2020 to 2024 ACS (Census QuickFacts)

Williamsburg, Petobego and the Sand Lakes

Williamsburg strings along M-72, and Elk Lake Road heads north from it toward the water. Acme Creek, once called the Whitewater River, gave the township its name. Public land is everywhere. The township's own map lists Whitewater Township Park, Baggs Landing, the Petobego State Game Area and the Battle Creek Natural Area. Off Broomhead Road, the Sand Lakes Quiet Area holds five small lakes on about 2,800 acres of state forest. Angell and Mabel, old railroad stops, are ghost towns now.

A Chain of Lakes lot and a forty acre parcel by the state forest share a township and almost nothing else.

Chain of Lakes frontage first, acreage second

Chain of Lakes frontage comes first. The township has shoreline on Elk Lake and on Lake Skegemog, a 2,766 acre lake that links to Torch Lake through the Torch River and drains to East Bay through the Elk River. The chain covers 14 lakes over 75 miles. Away from the water, land size matters, since Pere Marquette State Forest lies south of Williamsburg and Acme Creek and Williamsburg Creek are trout streams. Parts of the township are in Elk Rapids Schools, whose Mill Creek Elementary is on Old M-72.

Areas, lakes and neighborhoods in this file

Williamsburg
Elk Lake
Lake Skegemog
Skegemog Point
Acme Creek
Williamsburg Creek

Landmarks around Williamsburg

Lake SkegemogInland lake
Skegemog Point SiteArchaeological site
Torch RiverRiver linking Torch and Skegemog lakes

Common questions

How is a home on Elk Lake or Lake Skegemog appraised?

Both lakes are part of the Elk River Chain of Lakes, a 75 mile waterway of 14 lakes (Wikipedia). An appraiser compares sales on the same lake first, then similar chain lakes, and looks at frontage, bottom type, depth and boat access. Navigable access to the rest of the chain can matter to buyers and is noted in the report.

Which school district serves Williamsburg?

Elk Rapids Schools covers parts of Whitewater and Acme townships, and its Mill Creek Elementary sits at 9039 Old M-72 in Williamsburg, per Wikipedia. Middle and high school students in that district go to Elk Rapids. Not every Whitewater address is in this district, so confirm it for the specific property.