This cache was hidden as part of the Abandoned Railroads of Newaygo County Geocache Rail Tour, presented by the Newaygo County Museum and Heritage Center and Silent Whistles. Record the milepost value contained on and/or in each cache container on the Ticket to Newaygo County form. See the additional information below for specific tour requirements.
This cache is located near the mill site of Eastman. The cache is a straight forward three stage multi, the first stage of which is at Eastman. The final is approximately one mile south.
Aerial image showing probable locations for Eastman, the Eastman Mill Spur and nearby White River Junction.
Eastman was a siding put in to serve a mill built by Felix Eastman in 1888. The mill was built at the tail end of the lumber boom, well after the white pine in the area had been harvested, and its purpose was to cut shingles from pine left behind that was not taken for lumber. The mill changed hands in 1890, being sold to A.R. Morehouse. It was sold again in 1893 to The Parks Brothers, and one final time in 1895 to W.C. Barrett & Co. It was assessed that year for $5,000, including the mill and stock of shingles. No record of the mill was recorded after 1895.
Aerial imagery from 1993 shows what appears to be the siding curving to the north-north-west off the main just south of Two Mile Road, on the west side of Spruce Road. This is a possible location for the mill. Neither the siding or the mill appear on the 1900 plat map. Both were likely removed prior to the turn of the century.
What became the Big Rapids Branch of the Pere Marquette Railroad was incorporated as the Muskegon & Big Rapids Railroad, with backing from the owners of the Chicago and Michigan Lake Shore Railroad. Construction began in 1872. Before it was completed, the M&BR was consolidated into the C&MLS. The line was completed to Fremont Center by the end of 1872 and service began to Big Rapids on July 21st, 1873. The line shared trackage north of Muskegon with another C&MLS subsidiary/branch, the Montague, Pentwater and Manistee, as far as Big Rapids Junction, now known as Berry.
In 1878, the C&MLS, was reorganized as part of the Chicago & West Michigan Railroad. In late 1899, the C&WM, the Detroit, Grand Rapids & Western Railroad and the Flint & Pere Marquette Railroad were purchased and merged into the Pere Marquette Railroad, which began operations January 1st, 1900, a few short years before the end of the railroad boom in Michigan. In 1926, with dwindling business, redundant coverage into Big Rapids from Ionia, and competition from the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad, the PM abandoned the portion of the original Big Rapids Branch from White Cloud to Big Rapids.
To claim a prize:
- Download and print the Ticket to Newaygo County form (PDF). See alternate below.
- Find 28 of the 35 cache hides in the table below.
- Find at least five of the seven mystery and multi caches in any combination.
- Record the milepost number from the label or log of each cache you find on a printed copy of the form. Milepost numbers are on cache labels and log book covers.
- Each individual GC account holder making the find must sign and date the paper log book in the cache with their GC account name. No group logs please.
- Optionally, upload a photo of your log entry. Be careful to not include the milepost value in the photo.
- Send the completed form via US Mail to the address on the form. Each GC account holder must send in a form.
Once your answers have been verified, the prize will be sent back to you via US Mail to the address you provide on the form.
The first 95 cachers to complete the tour will be awarded a Silent Whistles pathtag commemorating the Big Rapids Branch of the Chicago and Michigan Lake Shore Railroad.
One prize per completed form. One prize per GC Account.
Download the Ticket to Ride form:
Click Ticket to Newaygo County (PDF) to download a printable version the form (PDF).
Click Ticket to Newaygo County (PNG) to download an alternate, less clear graphic version of the form.
If you don't have access to a printer, printed copies can be obtained at the Newaygo County Museum and Heritage Center, or by sending a self addressed stamped envelope to the address on the bottom of the form.
Sources:
- Chicago and Michigan Lake Shore Railroad
- Chicago and West Michigan Railroad
- Pere Marquette Railroad
- The October Project, Newaygo County, Michigan
- Lumbering in Newaygo County, Harry L. Spooner, © 1946, Cooper Press, reprinted 1976 by the Newaygo County Historical Archive
- Michigan Place Names, Walter Romig, © 1986 Wayne State University Press
- Michigan Railroads and Railroad Companies, Graydon M. Meints © 1992, Michigan State University Press
- Michigan Railroad Lines, Graydon M. Meints © 2005, Michigan State University Press
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Visit the Newaygo County Museum and Heritage Center at: 12 Quarterline Road, Newaygo, Michigan (at the downtown light).
Visit the Newaygo County Museum and Heritage Center on Thursday, September 11th, 2014 at 7:00PM for the Heritage Speaker Series topic: Logging and Railroads in Newaygo County by Dr. Carl Bajema. Reservations are required