In 1825, a Scotsman Robert Smart, with the backing of Detroit interests, built a mill on the Black River.

Smart named the place "Clyde Mills", after the river in where he had lived as a boy.

Clyde Township was organized in March 1836 and took its name from the settlement.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 5,523 people, 1,931 households, and 1,591 families residing in the township.

13.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.