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Present-day Washington Township was originally known for its rich and fertile soil and rolling hills, perfect for its many apple and peach orchards. James Thorington was the first settler of record in February 1819. Asahel Bailey bought the first government land in 1821. William Austin Burt settled here in the 1820s and is best remembered for his inventions of a typewriting machine, a solar compass, and an equatorial compass. Pres. James Monroe signed the deed for the government land bought by Elon Andrus in 1821. In 1850, the number of farms in the township was 116, and 24 years later, in 1874, there were 196 farms with land under cultivation. Over the years, Washington Township has developed from a pioneering settlement into an upscale residential community that, remaining true to its roots, still boasts several orchards.

Macomb Township is centrally located on the middle and north branches of the Clinton River, a location that has provided a fertile environment for the agriculture that has been formative in its development. After separating from its neighboring town Chesterfield in 1842, the area attracted German Lutheran settlers with its level land and rich soil. Soon, much of the land would be worked and settled by farmers. By the 1980s, many farmers sold off their land to developers, and subdivisions bearing the names of those previous farms took the space that crops had once filled. Over the years, Macomb Township has become one of the fastest growing communities in the county. Good schools and beautiful parks have been added along with a new township complex, a recreational center, and a public library. Created by settlers wanting greater connection to neighbors and friends, Macomb Township continues to offer that same type of close-knit community.