1783Culture
The area was ceded to the United States in 1783 following the Treaty of Paris, becoming part of the Northwest Territory.
1840Culture
Traverse City was originally part of Omeena County, which was originally set off in 1840 from Michilimackinac County.
1847History
In 1847, Captain Horace Boardman of Naperville, Illinois, purchased the land at the mouth of the Boardman River (then known as the Ottawa River) at the head of the west arm of t...
1851Economy
In 1851, the Boardmans sold the sawmill to Hannah, Lay & Co (made up of Perry Hannah, Albert Tracy Lay and James Morgan), who improved the mill greatly.
1853History
=== Late 19th century ===
As of 1853, the only operating post office in the Grand Traverse Bay region was the one located at Old Mission, which was then known as "Grand Traverse".
1872Infrastructure
In December 1872, rail service arrived in Traverse City via a Traverse City Railroad Company spur from the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad line at Walton Junction.
1881Government
Many more people started flocking to the small community, and in 1881, Traverse City was incorporated as a village.
1885Architecture
The hospital opened in 1885 with 43 residents.
1887Architecture
Twelve housing cottages and two infirmaries were built between 1887 and 1903 to meet the specific needs of male and female patients.
1890History
In 1890, another rail line was extended to Traverse City, this one from Baldwin via Copemish and Interlochen.
1895Government
On May 18, 1895, Traverse City was incorporated as a city.
1925Culture
=== 20th century ===
The first National Cherry Festival was held in Traverse City in 1925.
1928Government
Founded in 1928, Interlochen Center for the Arts is one of the nation's first and foremost institutions dedicated to the development of young artists.
1929Architecture
In 1929, Traverse City's first airport, Ransom Field, opened, offering flights to Grand Rapids.
1934Education
In 1934, the original Traverse City High School building burnt down, with no casualties.
1936Government
It closed in 1936, when the new Traverse City Airport (now called Cherry Capital Airport) was opened.
1937Education
Classes were moved back to the new school building in September 1937.
1952Government
The Traverse Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1952.
1953History
In 1953 the grounds of Ransom Field were redeveloped as Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
1960Education
In 1960, the high school was moved from downtown Traverse City to a new college-style campus on the grounds of Northwestern Michigan College, which opened a few years prior in 1...
1972Government
The Pathfinder School was officially founded in 1972 by Arthur and Nancy Baxter alongside a commitment of teachers from Interlochen, The Leelanau School, and Traverse City Area ...
1989Architecture
In 1989, the Traverse City State Hospital closed, leaving hundreds without jobs, massive abandoned buildings, and many homeless former patients.
1997Education
In 1997, the high school split into Traverse City Central and Traverse City West High Schools due to extreme overcrowding at the 1960s building.
2000History
Since 2000, the Minervini Group has undertaken the project of renovating the entire property into a social center, including many restaurants, retail spaces, office space, and r...
2002Education
The Traverse Children's House emerged as a unified Montessori school when it opened its main campus in 2002 on North Long Lake Road.
2004Government
In 2004 the legislature added "Blossom Days", again as a spring festival.
2005Culture
The Traverse City Film Festival was held in July and August from 2005 to 2019.
2008Culture
Excursion passenger trains from Traverse City have included a Cherry Festival train in 2008, and a "dinner train" from 1996 to 2004.
2014History
The Children's House expanded to include 7th and 8th grade in 2014.
2015Government
=== 21st century ===
On November 3, 2015, Traverse City elected Jim Carruthers, its first openly gay mayor.
2020Government
May 18, 2020, served as the city's 125th anniversary of Traverse City's incorporation as a city in 1895, and was known as the "quarantine quasquicentennial".
2021Government
After serving as mayor of Traverse City for six years, in June 2021 Jim Carruthers announced he would not run for his fourth mayoral term.
2022Education
In 2022, the growing young adolescent program became known as Compass Montessori Junior High and moved to its own campus in downtown Traverse City.
2025Culture
On July 26, 2025, a mass stabbing attack was committed at a Walmart store just south of Traverse City in Garfield Township, leaving eleven injured.