Originally Posted by
Platy
I think you're probably right. Wasn't one of the center sections customarily reserved for schools and other public purposes, or something like that?
I'm relying on an aging memory here, but I believe that 4 sections per township were reserved for schools. This wasn't necessarily to provide a place to put the schools. The land in the "school section" could be sold, and the proceeds used to fund the schools.
There are still places in Michigan called "School Section Lake" and "School Section Rd."