Butman Township is located in northern Gladwin County just south of Roscommon County. It= s boundaries are M-30 east, Wirtz Road south, F-97 west and Sargent Rd. north. The population is diversified and includes farming families, a fairly large Amish community and a retirement/resort area known as Sugar Springs. Sugar Springs offers residents two golf courses, two lakes and many other amenites. Butman Township is basically a residential community with only a few small family owned businesses scattered throughout. It is a popular hunting/fishing area and the Sugar River, a trout stream, runs through it. The Sugar River empties into the Tittabawassee River and ultimately into Lake Huron.

No one by the name of Butman ever lived in Gladwin County or in the area now known as Butman Township. Evidently, the name was chosen by early settlers who wanted to impress a man by the name of Myron Butman who lived in Saginaw and had A business interests@ in Gladwin County since 1868. The first permanent settler was Lovell P. Sherman who brought his wife and two children to the area in 1878 by covered wagon from Providence, Rhode Island. Ironically, the township just west of Butman is named Sherman Township. Lovell Sherman built a two story log home and later put up a school, store and post office to serve the families of the woodsmen and lumber jacks who would soon be migrating north. All this activity took place in the northwest corner of the township, where Sugar River Road and F-97 is now located. Sawmills and grist mills would begin springing up as men and women of different cultures came together to establish their homesteads. The English, Scotch, Irish, German, Swiss and Danish came with their families to settle in and begin a new way of life. The first town meeting was held at the Allbright Lumber Company Store located at the corner of Grass Lake and Butman Roads. On May 8, 1884 the first township election was held. Lovell P. Sherman was elected Supervisor, George Cunningham, Treasurer and Frances Burkett, Clerk. During this time period lumbering and farming were the main industries. Lovell P. Sherman was born in 1830 and died in 1906 at the age of 76. He is buried on the hill in the Butman Township Cemetery. The earliest known burials in the cemetery took place in 1884.

With the passage of time, most of the forests disappeared and more farms began to develop. In 1972 a developer by the name if Isaacson purchased 4 2 sections of Butman Township and began a community now known as Sugar Springs. Roads, a sewer system, two lakes, a golf course, restaurant, club house, enclosed swimming pool and tennis courts were constructed. Lots were put up for sale and people who lived in Detroit, Saginaw and other southern Michigan locations purchased lots either to build cottages or to camp on in the summer. As these people began to retire, the summer cottages were converted to permanent residences. As more and more people retired, more lots were sold and homes were constructed. There are now over 1,100 permanent homes in Sugar Springs and 30-40 new homes are built each year. Many of these residents spend their winters in southern climes and their summers in Sugar Springs. The 2000 census showed a 64% increase in population for Butman Township. It continues to be a very popular recreational area. There is a large deer population and bear hunting has been approved for the first time. Deer camps are interspersed throughout the township. As more and more baby boomers retire, it is estimated that the growth will continue for many years to come.