Lost Towns Of Eastern Michigan

"Many of eastern Michigan's old boomtowns and sleepy villages are faded memories. Nature reclaimed the ruins of some while progress paved over the rest. Discover the stories of lost communities hidden in plain sight or just off the beaten track. The vanished religious colony of Ora Labora fell into a state of near-constant inebriation when beer became the only safe liquid to drink. Lake St. Clair swallowed up the unique currency of Belividere along with the place that issued it. Abandoned towns still crumble within Detroit's city limits. Alan Naldrett delves into the fascinating history of eastern Michigan's lost settlements."-- From back cover.

Eastern Michigan's vanished boomtowns and villages are uncovered and revisited in this fascinating look at the history of the lost settlements around Detroit and the Great Lakes. Many of eastern Michigan's old boomtowns and sleepy villages are faded memories. Nature reclaimed the ruins of some while progress paved over the rest. Discover the stories of lost communities hidden in plain sight or just off the beaten track. The vanished religious colony of Ora Labora fell into a state of near-constant inebriation when beer became the only safe liquid to drink. Lake St. Clair swallowed up the unique currency of Belvidere along with the place that issued it. Abandoned towns still crumble within Detroit's city limits. Alan Naldrett delves into the fascinating history of eastern Michigan's lost settlements.

More than a century ago, Mason County was a much different, harsher place. Arriving by foot and boat to find a dense wilderness, hardy pioneers carved out tiny settlements stretching right to the coast of Lake Michigan. When the lumber industry arrived in Michigan, the settlements grew to boomtowns and new towns formed. To serve the lumber industry, the railroad spread across the county, and immigrants and settlers flooded in to have their chance at the American Dream. But when the lumber ran out, the mills closed down. Jobs disappeared, and so did these towns. Out of the thirty-nine settlements, only two cities and six fading villages remain today. Join local author Sandi Lewis-Malburg as she uncovers the towns that time forgot.

Michigan has had several towns that have been abandoned or disappeared over the decades. Some were sawmill towns or mining towns that faded away after the trees were cut or the mine closed. Some towns moved when the railroad tracks passed them by and others faded away for some other reason. They show up on the map and sometimes have an old abandoned building or cemetery that mark their existence. This book tells the stories of some of the many towns that faded away. It has locations and things to see if you choose to visit them. Some locations in this book are places that are like ghost towns. They are modern construction made to look old or a collection of historic buildings in a park. They may not be actual ghost towns, but they are still fun to visit and explore. No matter where you live in the Great Lake State there are towns and stories in this book that are near you. There are places in the Detroit Metro area all the way to the Keweenaw Peninsula in the Upper Peninsula. If you love exploring Michigan and its history, this book is a great way to learn about the state's past with locations of some interesting and forgotten ghost towns or places similar to one.

Montcalm County, Michigan, has had 56 sites that qualify as ghost towns, shadow towns or paper towns. This book provides history and context to each one of them, township by township.

Based on the popular Lost In Michigan website that was featured in the Detroit Free Press, It contains locations throughout Michigan, and tells their interesting story. There are over 50 stories and locations that you will find fascinating.