[4] The first European-American settlers arrived around 1823, traveling by pirogues or dugout canoes on the Maumee River, which was the primary transportation route before roads were established.

Horatio Nelson Curtis was another key figure in the township’s early history; he built a home that still stands today and served as Justice of the Peace.

The coach route followed what is now County Road 424 (formerly U.S. Highway 24), with New Rochester serving as a relay station where fresh horses were brought in for the journey.

In 2025, a historical marker was installed in the park as part of the Crane Township bicentennial celebration to commemorate the town's legacy.

The township was also home to Paulding Furnace, a company town established in 1864 to support an iron smelting operation.

[5] The township is governed by a three-member board of trustees, who are elected in November of odd-numbered years to a four-year term beginning on the following January 1.