The town name appears on some state maps and on highway signage. The U.S. Postal Service accepts addressed to Bowstring, which is held for pickup at a contract post office located at the Bowstring store.
The town is named after nearby Bowstring Lake. Its population is about 15 people. Buildings include a church, the Bowstring store, the USDA fire warden's office, a community center, and several houses. It also features a telephone booth, which was an important feature up until the arrival of cellular phone service in the area in the 1980s.
The town has served travelers, tourists, and the area's few permanent residents since being settled in the 1920s.