The location of this cache is near the site in the settlement of O’Neil, on the Manistee & Northeastern Railroad. The cache is on Kalkaska County road right of way.
Little is known and little is left of O’Neil. It was likely named for one of the officers of the railroad. Presumably, this settlement was in support of lumber camps or may have been just a lumber camp itself. When the timber was gone, the rail line and the settlement disappeared.
The map below shows the M&NE grade (purple) approaching from the west and exiting east. The yellow line is the Grand Rapids, Kalkaska and Southeastern, from Rapid City, through Kalkaska and on to Stratford. The two lines did not interchange where they crossed.
The Manistee River branch of the M&NE was built from Buckley through O’Neil to Sigma in 1909 and extended to Grayling a year later. It served the town until it was abandoned in 1925. The grade crossed Mekum road (east-west) west of the intersection of North Sharon, and crossed North Sharon road about one hundred yards north of the intersection. M&NE served lumber camps and towns along the Manistee River, harvesting large stands of timber. Once the timber was gone, there was no reason to continue railroad operation. The M&NE Manistee River Branch was abandoned in in 1925.
This map shows the entire M&NE system, with lessor branches in lighter color
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Historical information about the M&NE can be found on the Pere Marquette Historical Society website (see Sources) but little is mentioned about the Manistee River branch. The Pere Marquette did not take control of the M&NE until after the Manistee River Branch was gone.
Sources:
Pere Marquette Historical Society: Manistee and Northeastern Railroad
RR MI Manistee & Northeastern (photos of the still standing M&NE stations)
RRHX: Walton Junction (photos of the GR&I at Walton Junction)
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