[4][5] The land around Glen Arbor was first inhabited by Odawa, Ojibwe, and Potawatomi peoples, all members of the Council of Three Fires.

By 1886, lumberman D.H. Day bought vast swathes of land north of Glen Lake.

[6] In 1971, much of Day's former land was converted to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Meandering to the east of the town, the Crystal River intersects many roads and hiking trails before terminating in Lake Michigan.

The racial makeup of the township was 98.69% White, 0.44% African American, 0.44% Asian, and 0.44% from two or more races.

The gender gap of the town was almost split evenly, with females accounting for 53.71% and males for 46.29% of the population.