Houghton Lake

Houghton Lake
Area Ghost Towns
Click on blue text below for satellite view





Michelson
Once a booming lumber town of over 500 people, just
north west of Houghton Lake on the Muskegon river.                                    
The Michelson family founded a large saw and shingle
mill, which operated there from 1909 to 1924.
Pine and cedar logs came from the vast areas of the
Dead Stream Swamp and around the Houghton
Lake  area, floated on the lake to the
Muskegon River and then down to the mill.



Mill foundation at Michelson.
Note Reedsburg Flooding at upper left.
             





mossy foundation.



Looking at the Reedsburg Flooding
from the camp ground. Michelson is 
around the point on the right.






Glenn Robinson's farm house near Michelson,
He ran the general store in Michelson.

  and his barn.

Nellsville
This town was just west of M-55/US 27 overpass.
A few houses remain in the area. Large lumber camps were
built in the area, one was on the south east side of US 27 where
a milk company stood before the highway was built.
Population in 1905 was 70.



Markey
Near the Roscommon Airport north of Houghton Lake
had a population of 300 in 1917.
This village had three saw mills, meat market,
two hotels, feed mills and general store.
The village was named after ex-speaker of the
State House of Representatives, D.P. Markey.
Founded in 1890.


Loxley
Located near the US 27 exit between Old US 27
and the highway, south of the Houghton Lake
State Police Post on M-55. Population in 1917 was 200.
The village had a general store, hotel, saw, flour
and shingle mills. Had a post office until about 1918.



Edna
Edna was later changed to Prudenville. Settled is 1871 this
small village was a shipping location for logs,
fish and fur. Population in 1877 was 50. Prudenville
is by no means a ghost town.



While walking down an old railroad grade south of Houghton Lake
I found this railroad spike sticking out of the sand.