Elk Rapids was platted in 1852 and being the first town in the county of Antrim, Michigan. Elk Rapids was also the county seat until 1879 when the county started to grow and the seat was moved to Keno (now Bellaire, Michigan). Today the county continues to thrive, and Elk Rapids is at the heart of this growth with a complete renovation of the downtown area, a new and expanded marina on Elk Lake and Lake Michigan, and a community spirit that lends itself to the quality of life that residents here are so proud of.
Boaters, day-trippers and sunbathers seek out Elk Rapids' sandy shores, quaint shops and unique restaurants. Although the village covers only one square mile, its forefathers have preserved its most scenic areas and dedicated them to public use. Memorial Park and Antrim County Park each offer several hundred feet of shoreline for swimming and relaxing along the east arm of Grand Traverse Bay. The 212-plus-slip harbor is considered one of the best in Michigan. Public boat launches on Bass, Birch and Elk lakes and Grand Traverse Bay give anglers endless chances to cast their lines for lake trout, bass, steelhead perch, whitefish and pan fish. 

Handicapped-accessible piers in the harbor and the boardwalk around Kids Pond are favorite fishing spots for young and old in all seasons.
The Village of Elk Rapids is within twenty minutes of Traverse City, the hub city of our area. It borders Elk Lake, one of the Chain of Lakes of Antrim County containing seventy-eight miles of navigable waters. The Village also borders the harbor at Elk Rapids, which leads into Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan and thereafter to all the Great Lakes and their tributaries.