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.
Log train rolling by a wreck somewhere on the Potts Logging railway.
Townline:
The third station out of McKinley on the original North Branch of the Potts Logging Railway was known as Townline. It was near the intersection of Clinton, Comins and Elmer townships, but ironically, not on Town Line Road, which is six miles further west. No evidence of a settlement here has been uncovered, so it is fairly safe to assume it was the location of one or more logging camps, as the cluster of rail sidings would indicate. Townline appears on the 1892 timetable but not on 1894 or later timetables. It is likely that this was a hot spot for the Potts Logging Railway but was abandoned for other places when the White Pine in the immediate vicinity had all been harvested.
1908 Timetable showing Townline on the Twin Lake Division, another name for the North Branch.
The map below was created using Google earth aerial imagery and a good imagination. No claims are made to the accuracy of the map. The log siding were marked based on aerial imagery and older maps.
Probable Potts Logging Railway logging branches at Townline.
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 27th, 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 south-west into northern Ogemaw County, then west, then north back in to Oscoda County, along Big Creek to Luzerne. This line is referred to as the South Branch or Ogemaw Branch. At the same time, a second line was built northwest to what would become Fairview, then on to lumber camps at a place called Tong in north-west Oscoda County. This line eventually reached Twin Lakes (Lewiston) in Montmorency County and Bear Lake in south-western Otsego County. It was referred to the North Branch or Lewiston Branch.
Location of Townline on the North Branch.
Potts attempted 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 were 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 and changed the name of Potts to McKinley.
The North Branch grew and shrunk over years it was in service. It stretched to Lewiston and Bear lake for a few years before it shrunk back to a few miles east of Fairview in 1900 when a fire wiped out the railroad facilities in McKinley. The railroad headquarters was moved to Commins as a new branch from the North Branch had been built there. In 1907, the remainder of the old North Branch was abandoned and moved east to reach timber east and between Hardy and Commins.
Cache:
The cache is a traditional hide just off the grade (Pennsylvania Crossing Road).
To claim a prize:
- Download and print the Ticket to Au Sable (PDF).
- As an aide, download and print the RAAS Recommended Route Map (PDF).
- Find at least 46 of the 57 (80%) cache hides in the table below.
- Find at least seven of the ten mystery and multi caches, in any combination.
- Record the milepost value from each cache you find on this form. Milepost numbers are on cache labels and log book covers. Do not record the milepost value in your log at geocaching.com or it will be deleted.
- 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.
- Send the completed form via US Mail to the address on the form. Each GC account holder must send in a form. One prize per completed form. One prize per GC Account. Multiple forms per mailing is encouraged.
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, while supplies last. One hundred prizes have been minted..
Resources:
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
- 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 Ghost Towns Volume II, Roy L. Dodge, © 1971 Glendon Publishing
- 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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