[2][3] Waters is a rural community in Otsego County in Northern Michigan about 10 miles (16 km) south of the city of Gaylord.

[1] Interstate 75 passes along the eastern side of Waters, and the community is directly accessible via exit 270 (Marlette Road).

Other nearby unincorporated communities include Arbutus Beach and Otsego Lake to the north, Farrar Landing to the east, and Forbush Corner and Frederic to the south in Crawford County.

The name was chosen due to its location along the northern shores of Bradford Lake, and it developed as a sawmill settlement under the ownership of numerous lumber companies.

[26] The post office was renamed Waters on December 21, 1885 and was aptly named after the abundance of lakes in the area.

In 1891, Henry Stephens moved north from St. Helen and established his lumber company, which returned the community to profitability.

[28] By 1899, Waters consisted of about 100 homes, the Michigan Central Railroad train depot, post office, church, school, general store, and numerous buildings serving the lumber companies.

[32] Henry Stephens moved to Waters in 1891 and built a very profitable lumber company that helped redevelop the community.

His grandson, Henry "Tom" Stephens III eventually inherited the large family fortune and moved to Waters in 1912.

The property of the former barn and replica bottle fence is now occupied by the Otsego Lake Township Fire Department.

[27][29] Aside from the lumber industry, Tom Stephens also delved into professional sports by founding the Otsego Base Ball Club, which became a famous traveling independent baseball team.

Other professional recruits included Frank Bowerman, Urban Shocker, Red Oldham, and George Mullin.

In a charity exhibition game, the Otsego traveled to Navin Field to play against the Tigers after the end of the 1914 Major League Baseball season, in which Cobb had just won another batting title.

Many Otsego County residents traveled to Detroit to watch the game, and Stephens heavily hyped the event by bringing in a band to perform.

[35][36] Waters is known for the hometown of Ray Muscott, who in 1916 received the first American patent for a snow-vehicle using the now familiar format of rear tracks and front skis that became very popular at the time and appear on modern-day snowmobiles.

[38] The creation of this highway allowed Waters to recover slightly after several years of decline after the lumber industry ended.

They revitalized the town by operating a saloon, hardware store, and salvaging the leftover lumber from Bradford Lake.

[27][29] U.S. Route 27 was eventually truncated and partially replaced with Interstate 75, in which the segment running from Waters to Gaylord opened in July 1962.

[20] A parallel rail line operated by Lake State Railway continues to run through Waters, although the community no longer contains a train depot.

[40] In 2008, the community hosted the first Thunder Over Waters Festival, which has since been held annually over Labor Day weekend.

In 2024, the event held its 17th annual festival, which is a gathering meant to bring together the community with a parade, food, raffles, and crafts.