Petoskey City Map Poster

About Petoskey

Petoskey is the principal city of the Petoskey, Michigan Micropolitan Statistical Area. The area was originally inhabited by Native Americans. The first European explorers were French missionaries and traders in the late 17th century who established a Jesuit mission at Kekionga, now known as Fort St. Joseph (Michigan). This part of northern Michigan was under control of New France until 1763 when it passed to Great Britain after its victory in the Seven Years' War; it became part of what is now Canada after that country's victory in North America's Revolutionary War (1775–1783). In 1847 land north and west of Detroit along Lake Huron shoreline from Saginaw Bay to Grand Traverse Bay was ceded by treaty with Chippewa Indians at L'Arbre Croche ("the crooked tree"). It remained sparsely populated until 1855 when Dr.