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In recent years it has become known as the Inland Waterway across the "Tip of the Mitt" of Northern Michigan. In the center of this transportation route is Tuscarora Township, which includes Indian River and portion of both Mullett Lake and Burt Lake.

After the Civil War, the first white settler came to this area in 1873. Then there appeared, along heavily wooded shores of this scenic water route, pioneer log cabin homesteads. Timber cutting and prosperous saw mills, followed by orchards and farms, eventually cleared the land.

At the turn of the century, along this water route, more than 32 steamboats carried supplies, mail, logs and forest products. Later, encourages by the new railroads, touring passengers arrived. Many of them settled in summer hotels and in river and lakeside vacation homes. With the arrival of these settlers and the lack of timber left to cut, Indian River became the resort area it is today.

In 1911, Indian River was devastated by a fire along the downtown area, destroying much of the business district in Tuscarora Township. However, the township has recovered and is still growing. There are two accounts as to how the township derived its name of Tuscarora:

• One of the accounts states that at the request of W.M. McArthur the township was named after the New York State tribe of Indians by the name of Tuscarora.
• The second account states that W.J. Stone, an early pioneer, was quoted saying, "the township of Tuscarora was organized in our home, and in that home, everything connected with the organization of the Township had its beginning. When question arose to the name of the Township, my mother suggested that we were in Indian Country and an Indian name would be appropriate. She suggested Tuscarora." This was in 1879.