SWS (RAAS) - Glennie on the AS&NW (D&M) Multi-Cache

This cache was hidden as part of the tRails Along the Au Sable Geocache Rail Tour, presented by Silent Whistles, the Oscoda - Au Sable Historical Museum, and the Steiner Museum. Record the milepost value contained on and/or in each cache container on the Ticket to Au Sable form. See the additional information below for specific tour requirements.

Hayes Lumber camp near Glennie.

Glennie:

A lumberman named Vaughn owned much of the land here and built a logging camp in the the early 1880s. When E.F. Potts extended his lumber railroad towards Au Sable in the late 1880s, a stop called Glennie Station was created at the camp. On October 5^th, 1889, a post office was also established with the same name, with Ella Deacon as the first post master. The name was shortened to Glennie on October 2^nd, 1894. The population in 1897 was around one hundred. Ten years later, it had grown to three hundred-fifty, however this may well have been the population of Curtis Township. . The village survived the abandonment of the railroad and was officially platted in 1940. Today, it is a solid Northern Michigan village. The grade of the railroad crossed the golf course, then about fifty yards southwest of the intersection of M-65 and Bamfield Road, from southeast to northwest.

AS&NW, Alcona County, Bryant to Flat Rock.

Railroad:

In 1886, the J.E. Potts Lumber and Salt Company built a narrow gauge (3' between the rails) logging railroad from it's company headquarters at Potts (later McKinley) in eastern Oscoda County. On July 27^th, 1887. Potts organized the railroad as the Potts Logging Railway. The railroad was constructed in two different directions from Potts to tap stands of timber. One line was built northwest to what would become Fairview, then on to lumber camps at a place called Tong in north-west Oscoda County. A second line was built south-west into northern Ogemaw County, then west, then north back in to Oscoda County, along Big Creek to Lewiston.

Potts made a bold attempt to connect his isolated lumber railroad to the outside world and become a common carrier (passengers and other freight). By early 1891, he extended the line south-east to connect with the Detroit, Bay City and Alpena Railroad and Great Lakes Shipping docks in Au Sable. In doing so, Potts overextended the company and it failed financially.

The troubled Potts Logging Railway and its parent, J.E. Potts Lumber and Salt Company was purchased by the H.M. Loud Lumber Company on July 17th, 1891. Henry M. Loud reorganized the railroad as the Au Sable and Northwestern Railroad. New lumber camps and loading decks popped up along the line, including at Vaughn.

The 1911 fire in Oscoda and Au Sable all but wiped out the lumber company. On June 1^st, 1912, the Detroit and Mackinac Railway leased the AS&NW with the option to purchase. The option was exercised on June 1D&M had an interest in havesting remaining lumber, but also used the railroad to haul construction equipment and materials to several hydro-electric dam sites along the river. In late 1915 and early 1916, the D&M converted the main line to Commins and a branch to Curran from narrow to standard gauge (4' 8 1/2" between the rails). An anticipating influx of farmers and settlers following the timber harvest did not materialize, largely due to World War I. The railroad suffered over time and in 1927, the D&M finally abandoned what had become their Au Sable River Branch which ran through here.

Cache:

The cache is a two stage multi, with the first stage being a field puzzle at the posted coordinates. Use the following information found at stage one to locate stage two. Neither stage is on the old railroad grade.

• N 44^o 34.ABC' W 083^o 43.DEF'
  
  
• A = Number of trees on the object.
• B = Number of streams on the object.
• C = Number of letters on a diagonal.
• D = Number of words on the object, minus 1.
• E = Number of "hearts" on the object.
• F = Number of letters in the first word on the bottom line on the object.
  
  
• Check your solution

To claim a prize:

Resources:

• Ticket to Au Sable (PDF)
• RAAS Recommended Route Map (PDF)
• Bookmark lists for Geocache Rail Tours:
  • tRails Along the Au Sable (6/2016)
  • Abandoned Railroads of Newaygo County (9/2014)
• Bookmark list for Entire Silent Whistle Series:
  • Silent Whistle Series

Sources:

Many thanks to the hard work and research performed by Mr. Graydon Meints, which would have taken years to do on my own. Also, thanks to Charles Conn for allowing the use of his collection of photographs at the Clarke Historical Library, and thanks to the Library staff for their help.
Also, thanks to James S. Hannum, Michigan and Washington railroad author, for sharing research, opinions and guidance along the right of way.

• AS&NW History
• RRHX: Au Sable & Northwestern Railroad
• Detroit and Mackinac Railway
• Detroit and Mackinac Historical Society
• Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University
• target="_blank" href="http://www.alconacountychamberofcommerce.com/towns/glennie.aspx">Alcona County Chamber of Commerce: Glennie
• Michigan State Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1897, R.L. Polk & Co.
• Michigan State Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1907, R.L. Polk & Co.
• 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