Village of Wetzell - Michigan Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

A town that was built by the timber industry, died when the forests were cut, now has nothing left to show it once existed.

Description: On November 10, 1881 the Antrim County Herald ran an advertisement about the village of Wetzell that read: "New Town, New Store; Everything New!" Earlier that year the Wetzell brothers had platted the village and opened a sawmill. As the town grew the pine forest were depleted. In 1886, Frank Harding changed Wetzell into a company town when he converted the sawmill into a wood turning factory that utilized the area's abundant hardwood forests. Harding attracted millhands to the town by guaranteeing them "steady work, good wages, free stove wood, free rent and water." Wetzell boomed. but its prosperity was fleeting. By 1909 timber supplies were low, the factory operated sporadically and Harding decided to cease operations. Without a new industry to sustain it, Wetzell became a ghost town. Parking nearby?: yes D/T ratings: Registered Site #: 1618 Historical Date: Not listed Historical Name: Not listed website: Not listed

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Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   12/27/2015 just for the fun visited it 07/02/2015 Historic Markers visited it 07/07/2013 PeterNoG visited it

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