Gould City, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gould City, Michigan
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A view looking north along S. Gould City Road
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 Gould City, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Gould City, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Mackinac |
| Township | Newton |
| Settled | 1886 |
| Established | 1888 |
| Elevation | 742 ft (226 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
49838
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| Area code(s) | 906 |
| GNIS feature ID | 627018 |
Gould City is a small place in Mackinac County, Michigan, USA. It's called an unincorporated community. This means it doesn't have its own local government, like a city or town would. Instead, it's part of a larger area called Newton Township. Even though it doesn't have its own mayor, Gould City has its own post office with the ZIP Code 49838.
History of Gould City
Newton Township, where Gould City is located, was officially set up in 1878. Gould City itself started around 1886. A man named Sam Stiles, who worked with wood (a lumberman), was one of the first people to settle there. He even opened a grocery store!
The community got its own post office on September 26, 1888. Adolph Highstone was the first person in charge of it. This post office has been open continuously ever since. Sam Stiles named the community after the Gould family. They were some of the first people to fish for a living on the northern shore of Lake Michigan. They also worked in the lumber business, just like Stiles.
By 1893, Gould City had a railway station. This station was part of the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad, also known as the Soo Line Railroad. At that time, Gould City had its post office, several general stores, a mill for cutting cedar wood, and a pharmacy.
The lumber business really grew in Gould City around 1905. There was a lot of lumber development in the area. When the community was at its busiest, it had many sawmills, two churches, two hotels, two saloons, and lots of other small businesses. In 1910, Gould City's population reached its highest point, with about 200 people living there all the time. Even though the lumber industry started to slow down after this, Gould City's lumber businesses kept going into the 1930s.
A big fire in 1929 destroyed many of the buildings in Gould City. Because of this, very few buildings from before that time are still standing today. In the 1940s, U.S. Route 2 was built just north of Gould City. This road became a very important way to travel through the area.
Of the two original churches in Gould City, the Catholic church closed down and was taken apart around 1971. The other church, the Community Presbyterian Church, is still open today. One of the oldest buildings still standing is McNeil's Bar. This building used to be a hotel owned by Charles May. He was a local person who later became a representative in the Michigan House of Representatives. The railway line is still used by trains today, run by the Canadian National Railway. However, trains no longer stop or have a station in Gould City.
Geography and Services
Gould City is a rural community. It is located in the middle of Newton Township. It is about 30 miles (48 km) east of Manistique and about 70 miles (110 km) northwest of St. Ignace. Gould City is about 742 feet (226 m) above sea level.
The community is located about 0.5 miles (0.8 km) south of U.S. Highway 2. This highway is also known as the Lake Michigan Scenic Highway. Gould City is mainly centered along South Gould City Road. Other nearby communities include Corinne to the southwest, Curtis and Helmer to the north, Engadine and Naubinway to the east, and Blaney Park to the west. Lake Michigan is about 10 miles (16 km) to the south. Some of the areas around Gould City are part of the Sault Ste. Marie section of Lake Superior State Forest.
Gould City has its own post office, which uses the 49838 ZIP Code. The post office is located at N6116 South Gould City Road. This ZIP Code covers a much larger area than just Gould City. It includes most of Newton Township, and small parts of Portage Township to the north and Garfield Township to the east.
Students in Gould City go to Engadine Consolidated Schools. This school district is located to the east in the community of Engadine. The Newton Township Office is in the center of Gould City at N6164 South Gould City Road. This building also houses the Newton Township Volunteer Fire Department. Since most of Newton Township uses the Gould City ZIP Code, the two names are often used to mean the same area. For example, the Gould City Township Park is located much further south on Lake Michigan.
Images for kids
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Gould City shown on a 1911 county map -
A road sign along Gould City Road -
The U.S. Post Office in Gould City
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