Mears State Park was among 13 parks established in 1920 following the creation of the Michigan State Parks Commission a year earlier. The park land, which was once owned by lumber baron
Charles Mears, was donated to the state by his daughter Carrie Mears. The park originally comprised only 16 acres "strictly made up of lake sand." In 1921, the vegetation that held the sand in place was disturbed during a grading process, resulting in a loss of sand to the winds, much to the annoyance of neighboring dwellers. To cure the man-made problem, five tons of marsh hay were "evenly distributed and disked in." A toilet and fireplaces were also constructed. ==Activities and amenities==