For many years after the organization of Menominee County in 1863, all the west half was Menominee Township.  On March 16, 1977 an act was passed for the creation of Holmes Township as soon as its organization was perfected.  However, there were few people there and no steps were taken to organize until a petition was submitted to the supervisors in the fall of 1887, ten years later.  Following this, Holmes Township was organized separately, embracing what is now Holmes and Faithorn townships. 

 

Faithorn was separated in 1919. Holmes Township was so named in honor of Wm. J. Holmes, Former mayor of Menominee and prominent lumberman.  In early days it was the favorite hunting ground of Chippewa and Menominee Indians whose settlements were west of the Menominee River.  Joe Dakota, however, a Chippewa, settled near Chalk Hills on the Michigan side.  There was a burial ground south of White Rapids.  Hundreds came every springs to the Michigan side to make maple sugar and syrup.

The first railroad in the township was a narrow gauge logging road from what is now Koss to the farm now owned by Xavier Ducat.  It was called the Ingalls, White Rapids, and Northern.  Over it and its branches 500 million feet of pine were hauled to the Koss landing and from there floated down the Menominee River to the mills at Menominee and Marinette.  Joe Dakota took his first train ride at the age of 103. (NOTE: The item of age is a matter of local tradition, and perhaps is more nearly accurate than the age set down in the quasi-official death record.) In 1893 the survey for the Wisconsin & Michigan R.R. was made through the township.  Mr. Faithorn, Mr. Nathan, Mr. Fisher, and Mr. Bagley were the promoters of this road as finally built.  

 

 

Source:  Menominee County Book for Schools, edited by Ethel Schuyler.  Menominee, Michigan: Office of County School Commissioner, 1941.