[3] Prehistorically, the area surrounding Lake Mitchell was inhabited by the Hopewell civilization.

The lake was the southern terminus of what is now called the Old Indian Trail, an ancient pathway that was used to connect the Cadillac area with Grand Traverse Bay at what is now Traverse City.

[2] In 1873, local businessman George A. Mitchell founded the village of Clam Lake (renamed Cadillac, Michigan, in 1882) and constructed the canal connecting Big Clam Lake to Little Clam Lake.

At the time, the canal enabled logging on the west side of Lake Mitchell; logs floated through the canal entered Lake Cadillac, on the east shore of which stood lumber mills, the railroad and the Village of Clam Lake.

This Wexford County, Michigan location article is a stub.