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Central Lake is situated at an altitude of 635 ft (194 m) in Antrim County, in the middle of Michigan's "Chain of Lakes" which is about midway between Traverse City and Petoskey. As of the census of 2000, Central Lake had a population of 990. The village is part of Central Lake Township (population in 2000: 2,254).

The picture on glass no.1968 [left] shows Central Lake Public School. The first school at Central Lake was already built in 1881 on a site about a half mile south of the village. In 1893 the school was moved to its present location and works on the first brick school began in 1895. Many improvements were made over the following years, but in 1927 a fire destroyed the school and the new gymnasium which had been completed only the year before. A new two-story building, which is still part of the present school building, was constructed in 1927 and classes resumed in 1928.