Walton, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Walton, Michigan
Walton Junction
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Sign along Union Street
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 Walton, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Walton, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Michigan |
| County |  Grand Traverse |
| Township | Fife Lake |
| Settled | 1872 |
| Elevation | 1,027 ft (313 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
49633 (Fife Lake)
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| Area code(s) | 231 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1615746 |
Walton, also known as Walton Junction, is a small, quiet place in the northern part of Michigan. It's called an unincorporated community, which means it's a group of homes and businesses that isn't officially a city or town with its own local government.
Walton is located in Fife Lake Township, which is part of Grand Traverse County. It sits right at the northern edge of Wexford County.
Contents
The Story of Walton
How Walton Began
Walton started because of railroads! In 1872, a railroad line called the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad was extended north. This new line created a special spot where the tracks split into two directions. This split was called a "wye junction" because it looked like the letter 'Y'.
One part of the 'Y' went northeast towards Fife Lake and eventually to Petoskey. The other part went northwest to Traverse City. Because of this important railroad crossing, the area became known as Walton Junction.
Early Days and Growth
A post office, where people could send and receive mail, opened in Walton on February 14, 1873. For a while, the community was known for being a bit wild.
As more trains traveled north to Traverse City and Petoskey, Walton grew throughout the 1880s and 1890s. In 1890, a local publisher named DeWitt Clinton Leach built a dam. He used it to create a special wet area called a cranberry bog to grow cranberries. However, this cranberry farm was no longer used by the early 1920s.
Changes Over Time
Another railroad, the Manistee and North-Eastern Railroad, also came through Walton in 1909. This line connected Mesick to Grayling. But this railroad line was removed in 1925.
In 1940, a major road called US Highway 131 was moved. It used to go right through Walton, but it was rebuilt to run just east of the community.
Today, Walton is much quieter. You'll find only a few homes there. The original railroad junction is still used by the Great Lakes Central Railroad.
Where is Walton?
Walton is located in the beautiful northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. It's just north of the line that separates Grand Traverse County from Wexford County.
Walton is about the same distance from two larger cities:
- About 17 miles (27 km) north of Cadillac.
- About 17 miles (27 km) southeast of Traverse City.
Roads Near Walton
- US 131 is a big highway that runs north and south. It passes right by Walton, just to the east.
- M-113 is a road that mostly goes east and west. It connects US 131 to the Traverse City area.
