Curran, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Curran, Michigan
|
|
|---|---|
Looking south along M-65 / M-72
|
|
| Motto(s):
"The Black Bear Capital of Michigan"
|
|
 Curran, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Curran, Michigan
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Alcona |
| Township | Mitchell |
| Settled | 1875 |
| Elevation | 922 ft (281 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
48728
|
| Area code(s) | 989 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1619642 |
Curran (/kʌrˈræn/ KURR-ran) is a small, unincorporated community in Alcona County, Michigan. An "unincorporated community" means it's a place where people live together, but it doesn't have its own official local government or exact borders. Even so, Curran has its own post office with the 48728 ZIP Code. It's also known as the "Black Bear Capital of Michigan"!
Contents
Where is Curran Located?
Curran is in Northern Michigan, within Mitchell Township. It's in the western part of Alcona County. The community is about 45 miles (72 km) northwest of Oscoda.
Roads and Natural Features
The main roads in Curran are M-65 and M-72. These roads run together through the community. Locally, this stretch is called North Curran Road.
Curran sits about 922 feet (281 meters) above sea level. Two small streams, Little Wolf Creek and Yoder Creek, flow through the middle of the community. Curran is also surrounded by the beautiful Huron National Forest.
Local Services and Nearby Areas
The community's post office is located at 2071 North Curran Road. The Mitchell Township hall, where local meetings happen, is at 6849 West Tower Road.
Curran's 48728 ZIP Code covers most of the western part of Alcona County. This includes most of Mitchell Township and parts of other nearby townships. It even reaches into small areas of Oscoda County and Alpena County.
Other communities close to Curran include Fairview and Mio to the west. You can also find McKinley to the southwest and Comins to the northwest. To the east are Barton City and Hubbard Lake.
History of Curran
Curran was first settled in 1875 by a man named Phillip Curran. He built a camp there for cutting down trees, known as a lumber camp. More people started moving to the area around 1886.
Early Development
In 1890, a company called Loud & Sons Lumber built a special narrow-gauge railway. This train track helped move the cut timber. Curran also got its first post office on April 28, 1890. Edward Cunning was the first postmaster. The post office closed briefly but reopened quickly in October of the same year. Mitchell Township, where Curran is located, also became an official township in 1890.
By 1919, Curran had grown to about 150 people. Phillip Curran continued his logging business for many years. However, by the 1920s, most of the valuable white pine trees were gone. This led to the end of the big logging operations in the area.
The Black Bear Capital of Michigan
Curran is unofficially known as the "Black Bear Capital of Michigan." This is because many American black bears live in the area, especially in Mitchell Township. Another community in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, called Strongs, also uses this title.
Black Bear Festival
Every September, Curran hosts an exciting event called the Black Bear Festival. This festival started in 2005. It features a car show, a craft show where local artists sell their goods, live music, and many vendors.
The festival was canceled in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan. But don't worry, the Black Bear Festival returned in 2022 and was held again in 2023! It's a great way to celebrate the local wildlife and community spirit.
