Garnet, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Garnet, Michigan
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Signage looking east along Hiawatha Trail
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 Garnet, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Garnet, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Mackinac |
| Township | Hudson |
| Settled | 1891 |
| Elevation | 840 ft (260 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
49762 (Naubinway)
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| Area code(s) | 906 |
| GNIS feature ID | 626672 |
Garnet is a small, quiet community in Mackinac County, Michigan. It's not a city or a village with official borders. Instead, it's an "unincorporated community," which means it's a group of homes and buildings without its own local government. Garnet is located in Hudson Township, in the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Contents
A Look Back: The History of Garnet
Garnet started to grow around a railway line built in 1888. In 1891, a railway stop called "Welch" opened here. The community quickly grew, adding a sawmill and a general store.
Early Days and Growth
A post office opened in Welch on November 4, 1898. George Donaldson, who owned the general store, was the first postmaster. By 1900, about 500 people lived in Welch. The post office's name changed to Garnet on December 31, 1904.
The community thrived because of the sawmill. It also became a place where dairy products were made. Garnet had its own school, a hotel, a saloon, and other businesses. In 1906, the Hudson Lumber Company started a large sawmill and electric plant. They used steam power to cut down many hemlock trees in the area.
Changes Over Time
After its early growth, Garnet's population began to shrink. By 1915, only about 150 people lived there. Getting to Garnet was difficult, even with the railway and some early roads like M-48 and M-84.
In the 1930s, a major highway, U.S. Route 2, was built. But it bypassed Garnet, going further south for a more scenic route. In the early 1940s, the M-48 road through Garnet was also removed. Because it lacked good roads and other services, Garnet didn't benefit from the tourism boom after World War II.
Recent Times
The sawmill in Garnet closed down in the 1970s. The post office also stopped operating in 1972 and was completely closed in 1978.
Today, Garnet no longer has any businesses. You can still see some old, empty buildings scattered around. The railway line is still active, used by the Canadian National Railway, but trains no longer stop in Garnet. A small number of people still live there, but some consider Garnet to be a ghost town.
Exploring Garnet: Geography and Surroundings
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Garnet is located in the middle of Hudson Township in Mackinac County. This area is part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The community sits along Hiawatha Trail (County Highway 40), just east of Borgstrom Street. It's a very rural area, surrounded by the beautiful forests of the Lake Superior State Forest. The Hiawatha National Forest is also nearby, just to the east. Garnet is about 840 feet (256 meters) above sea level.
Nearby Places
U.S. Route 2 runs about 5.5 miles (8.9 km) to the south, along the northern shores of Lake Michigan. M-28 is about 12 miles (19 km) to the north.
The closest larger town is Newberry, which is about 20 miles (32 km) to the northwest. The city of St. Ignace is about 45 miles (72 km) to the southeast. Other smaller communities nearby include Naubinway to the southwest, Epoufette to the southeast, and Millecoquins and Engadine to the west. Rexton is another small community just east along Hiawatha Trail. It's the only other community in the very spread-out Hudson Township.
Local Services and Nature
Students in Garnet and the surrounding area attend Engadine Consolidated Schools. Garnet does not have its own post office. Residents use the Naubinway 49762 ZIP Code.
Garnet Lake is a beautiful lake right within the community. It covers about 32.1 acres (13.0 hectares). There's also the Garnet Lake State Forest Campground, a rustic camping spot by the lake. It used to be managed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, but now the township takes care of it.
