Shiawassee: The Mid-Michigan Village That Failed to Grow

You've heard of Shiawassee County, Shiawassee River, and Shiawassee Township, but how many of you knew there was a community by the name of Shiawassee?

It resides in Shiawassee Township at the junction of Bancroft and Bennington roads.

In 1837, a post office was established here, named simply "Shiawassee", meaning either "Sparkling Waters" or "Twisting (rolling) Waters". Twenty years later, the name was changed to "Shiawassee Town" and later shortened again to just "Shiawassee". The town's founding fathers planned on making this the capital of Michigan, with up to ninety city blocks, a park and two town squares.

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The township of Shiawassee began when two settlers opened a trading post to do business with other settlers and the Indians.....Charles Bacon originated the town by forming a company to buy and resell land.

1836: Village was platted and recorded.
1837: Post office begins operating.
1857: P.O. re-named ‘Shiawasseetown’.
1863: P.O. re-named ‘North Newberg’.
1893: Post office closes permanently.

More and more people came to settle in Shiawassee Township, and soon many more businesses popped up: bank, carding mill, churches, elevators, flour mill, general store, hotel, planing mill, the above-mentioned post office, sawmill, schoolhouse, taverns, and others.

A couple of other towns were settled in the township, Bancroft and Newburg. A village named Fremont didn't last very long, thanks to the railroad that went through the other villages in Shiawassee.

This is a well-hidden village – no stores – that is rarely visited by outsiders. So take a drive-thru when you have a free afternoon and explore the park and the canoe/kayak launch. But you better bring your own food...there are no restaurants, gas stations or party stores.