Grawn () is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Grand Traverse County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the community's population was 816. The community is located within Blair Township on the border with Green Lake Township.
History
Grawn was founded in the 1870s as Blackwood after its first settler, James B. Blackwood.https://www.blairtownship.org/History/4.Pane_16.pdf The Chicago and West Michigan Railway was built through Blackwood in 1890, and the village was renamed to Grawn Station, after Charles T. Grawn, the former superintendent of Central Michigan Normal School, and later the superintendent of Traverse City Area Public Schools. In the same year, the name was shortened to Grawn, and the village was given a post office with William H. Gibbs serving as the first postmaster. By 1905, potatoes had become the main crop of Grawn.
In December 1995, a fire broke out at Carl's Tire Retreading Company in Grawn. The fire burned for 20 days and led to the evacuation of locals and of Blair Elementary School. In 2003, PFAS were found at the site and in local wells as a result of chemicals used to extinguish the fire.
The community of Grawn was listed as a newly organized census-designated place for the 2010 census, meaning that it now has officially defined boundaries and population statistics.
On September 17, 2026, an F-16 fighter jet belonging to the 149th Fighter Wing of the Texas Air National Guard crashed in a residential area south of Grawn during a routine training mission. While the pilot ejected safely, an area within a radius was evacuated due to hazardous chemicals spilled.
Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Grawn has a total area of , all land.
Major highways runs west–east at this portion of its route through the center of the community.
Demographics
Education The community is served by Traverse City Area Public Schools.
References