Orion Township is located four north, range ten east. It was part of Oakland Township until May 1828, when it was set off and united with Pontiac Township. This realtion was substatined until Marcj 1835, when it was organized as a separate township to be named Orion. This name is generally believed to have been suggested by jessie Decker, who was impressed by the beauty of the name on seeing it in an old school reader. He urged and secured its choice at the primary meeting.
in 1836, James Stillson, a traveling auctioneer from New Yor, plotted 60 acres on the banks of a large lake which he called lake Canandiagua in honor of Lake Canandiagua in New york. To this city which he had planned, he also affixed the name of Canandiagua. For several years the little city did not thrive, but its gifts of great natural resources and beauty had so many advantages that it became a thriving village and summer resort. The name Canandiagua was so long that soon many people had shortened it to "Dog-way." The residents were not pleased with this appelation, so about the year 1863 the name was changed to Orion, it being the largest village and place of holding the primary or town meeting of Orion Township. The name of the lake was also changed at this time.
The only visible outlet to Lake Orion is Paint Creek, so called because of the presence of a mineral along its banks which give the water a reddish tinge, by building a dam across this creek, the level of Lake Orion was raised, forming many islands, twenty-one in number, of the before projecting headlands. Among them Bellevue Island, formerly known as Assembly Island, because of the Methodist Camp meetings or assembleys held there. Its present name, Bellevue, speaks for itself, also Park Island, the Amusement park, not only of the country but also is known and entertains resorters from many parts of the United States.

Romance Island received its most appropriate name because of the dense foliage which envelopes the beautiful castle that has been erectes upon it. Bell Island was named after Mr. Bell of Detroit, who is the sole owner of this small pretty island. Squaw Island sits off by itself in quiet beauty ever like an Indian woman.
Armada Island is entirely the property of people who came from Armada.
Rudd's Mill, a picturesque spot, was formerly owned by R. G. Rudd and Sons, but is now the property of the flourishing gravel company. For many years it was known as Valley Mills, as it is surrounded by high hills. The mill received its power from Paint Creek. Whne the mill was first built, a dam was erected, but it was not strong enough for the current and gave way several times, destorying a great deal of property. At lasr an order was issued forbidding the rebuilding of the dam, but after a few months the water in the mill pond grew stagnant and for the sake of the public health, the order was set aside and the dam was rebuilt, this time strong enough to hold, and no further trouble ensued. The mill now completely dilapidated.
Sections 5,6,8,10 and 20, were so densely covered with pine that this tract of land came to be know as "The Pinery." About 1835 a steam mill, the first in this part of the county was built in the Pinery, but after a few years the employees not beingpromptly paid, gathered the logs and lumber and burned them. This is still spoken of as the "big fire." The mill did not run again until 1844, when it was moved by Fred Merrick to the present site of Mahopac, which was then known as Steam Mill and the road leading from Baldwin Avenue, Pontiac was called the "Steam Mill Road."
The mill pond was known as Mill Lake and in spots on its banks, can still be found saw dust from the mill. Quite a settlement grew up around this mill, and the people decided to apply for a post office, but wishing to have a finer sounding name than "Steam Mill" they requested the department in Washington to supply them with one, and the indian name of Mahopac was accordingly sent.
The name Eames was also supplied by the government. When the Pontiac, Oxford, Northern Railroad was bilt, Mr. Carpenter gave them the right of way through his land also a site for the depot provided the station should be called Carpenter. This was agreed to, but is was found that already there was one town in the state by this name and the name of Eames was supplied.
Tommy's Lake on whose bank is Camp Pontiac (Boy Scouts of America) was named for Tommy Bates, whose home was on its banks and in the olden days the boys of the neighborhood would visit Tommy's Lake and go fishing and swimming. The land on the west side of this lake is now known as "Randall Beach" and also the railroad station at this place, having been purchased by Charles Randall who changed the name Cole Station to Randall Beach. The name Cole being in honor of Christopher Cole, who received the land from the government.
Many of the lakes in Orion township received their names because of some natural characteristic such as Long Lake, Round lake, and Mud Lake. The same Square Lake, however, is misleading as its shore line is very irregular and does not even give a suggestion of a square. It is thought to be a preversion of the word "Squaw." Many other lakes get their name from the people upon whose land they are located as Voorheis Lake, Walters Lake, White Lake, Lake Sixteen lies in section 16, LAke Judha and Mount Judah, often shortened to Lake Jude and Mount Jude, were so called in honor of Judah Church, who made the first land entry of land in that part, the southwestern, of the township.
Buckhorn Lake, has no visable outlet or inlet, its water is soft and excellent for laundry purpose. A pair of Buckhorn was found in the mire on its banks,
Bald Mountain, the highest point not only in Orion township, but in all of southern Michigan is so called because of the death of foliage upon its summit, of late years this name is often erroneously spoken as "Ball Mountain."
The names in Orion township are nor as rich in historical lore as those in some parts of the state. The names usually denoting some natural feature of else the name of the settler who resided there.


Cecile Hathaway, Orion, Mich, age 14.