Michigan Ghost Town of Bolton Faded Away Over a Century

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The former lumber town of Bolton in Alpena County, Michigan had over 10 businesses at its peak in the early 1900s, including a church, depot, stores, saloon, and mills. But by 1955, the town's population dwindled to nothing as the timber industry declined, leading to the closure of the post office and the town's eventual demise, leaving only two old buildings standing today.

Why it matters

Bolton's story is a common one for many small towns in Michigan's rural areas that were built around a single industry like lumber. As that industry declined, the towns could not sustain themselves, leading to widespread economic and population loss. Bolton's decline highlights the fragility of towns dependent on a single economic driver and the importance of economic diversification for long-term community resilience.

The details

At its height between 1905-1955, Bolton had a church, depot, dry goods store, general store, grocery, post office, saloon, sawmill, and shingle mill. A fire in 1900 nearly destroyed the entire town. By 1905, the population was 250, but as the timber supply was depleted, people began leaving and the population dropped to 150 by 1910. The post office, which opened in 1880, closed for good in 1955. Today, only two old buildings remain from Bolton's once-thriving downtown.

• Bolton was founded in the 1860s as a lumber town.
• Between 1905 and 1955, the town began to dwindle as businesses closed and people moved away.
• In 1894, there was a major railroad accident near Bolton that wrecked six timber cars.
• In 1900, a fire nearly destroyed the entire town.
• The post office, opened in 1880, closed for good in 1955.