Lost Towns of Eastern Michigan

by Alan Naldrett

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781626197787
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	05/25/2015
Series:	Lost
Pages:	144
Sales rank:	1,055,092
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Alan Naldrett divides his time between being a librarian, lecturer and author, having written and co-written three local history books and a Michigan history book as well as a number of history columns. He is a life member of the Chesterfield Historical Society and the New Baltimore Historical Society, and a past vice-chairman of the Macomb County Historical Commission. Naldrett earned a bachelor's degree at Michigan State University and master's degrees in information science and archival science.

Table of Contents

Preface 7

Acknowledgements 13

1 Death by Annexation: Lost Towns within the Ghost Town of Detroit 15

2 Sunken Cities and Underwater Towns 37

3 Death by Disaster: The Great Fires of Michigan's Thumb and Other Catastrophes 39

4 Sawdust Cities and Mining Towns 49

5 Great Battles for County Seats 55

6 Lost Towns That Were Religious Colonies 61

7 Towns Destined to Fail: Podunk and Poverty Nook 67

8 When the Post Office Closes, There Goes the Neighborhood 71

9 Picking Up the Buildings and Moving to the Next Town 87

10 Some Towns Don't Die, They Just Fade Away 97

11 Towns That Died When the Railroad Stopped Coming 123

12 The First Nation Built the First Villages 131

Bibliography 135

Index 137

About the Author 143