Surrey Township is located in Clare County our office is at 110 E Michigan P.O. Box 647, Farwell, Michigan, 48622.
Surrey was established in 1870 by the Chippewa Indians.
Surrey Township was known for the logging business. At this time Surrey was the largest governmental unit in the county. The county seat was given to Farwell on May 11, 1871. The Clare County Courthouse later burned in 1877. There was a vote and it was said that the men in the lumbering camps in Harrison were all brought into vote. The decision was to move the county seat to Harrison, where it still is today.
Since 1870 Surrey has grown to become an industial township, with numerous sub-divisions, four lakes, fairgrounds found in the Village of Farwell; which rests in the middle of Surrey Township.
Surrey Township is a full functioning operation. A fire department, mobile medical unit assessor, board of review, planning commission and a zoning administrator along with a township Deputy from Clare County Sheriff Department, and Farwell Schools has a full time Liaison officer.
Snowmobilers are able to ride through Surrey on the rails of trails during the winter months, and in the summer ride a bicycle or walk. These rails of trails lead to Cadillac for all those outdoor fanatics.
Surrey also has a railroad that runs through the Township which was used for transporting people to town. In 1871 Mrs. Hitchcock and her daughter, Alice were the first to travel on the new railroad from Detroit to Surrey.
During this time the lumber was being cut for new buildings and the camps started into full swing.
Mrs. Hitchcock stayed in Surrey with her husband George Hitchcock and brother Edmund Hall. Hitchcocks home was the first home in Farwell and any people passing would stay at their home. In 1918 the home was dismantled and moved to Crooked Lake.