Idlewild, Michigan

jeff of pa · Mar 30, 2013

lonewolfe · Apr 3, 2013

Been there/hunted that!

It's not as much of a Ghost Town these days as it was like 15/20 yrs ago but it hasn't expanded or revived since the "boom" of the late 90s/early 2000s

when I 1st found the place back in 97/98 it was truthfully "scary" - it was 99% completely abandoned and dilapidated/overgrown.

During the next 5 or so yrs during the height of the boom - people started buying up the properties for next to nothing and reviving/rebuilding until the housing bust - now it has a few new homes, a few redone, and a store but it's still 60% or more abandoned

I hunted the lake once - that was it for me - it was really smelly and mucky - smell got into my wetsuit and it took several washes to remove it!

Didn't find much either - 1 merc dime and some odds/ends - someone else must have done it long before me

The home sites (cabin sites) and commercial properties are off limits and good luck getting permission these days... As a tip - if you're thinking about hunting this place/area - carry a gun and be careful (seriously)...

K Zack · Jul 2, 2015

Another real interesting place in that area is Marlborough, it is a true Ghost town. Almost nothing left of it and it was not there long enough to make worth hunting but it is cool place to check out. It was a very big place in its day. Be-aware, it is private property and that solid ground you think you are walking on just might be the roof of a basement or even a tunnel. The one tunnel we did go into a little bit, I could not see the other end of it with a 5 cell Mag-light. Some of the Big Blast furnaces were still there when we were there. This place boomed for just a few years and then faded into history. Cool Place but get permission and watch your step.

Scanman · Jul 8, 2015

Lots of history in the Baldwin/Idlewild area thats for sure, have not checked out Marlborough, looks like there is alot of lakes. Where is the tunnel located?

Scanman

releventchair · Jul 8, 2015

Running up 37 a lot of them towns are teetering. Still some sparks of life though.
Drove through last spring.

K Zack · Jul 8, 2015

Scanman said:
Lots of history in the Baldwin/Idlewild area thats for sure, have not checked out Marlborough, looks like there is alot of lakes. Where is the tunnel located?

Scanman

There was only one building left standing when I was there, about 1990. From just to the right of that building there was a trail leading into the woods. We walked back on that trail 150-200 yards to some steel I beams standing strait out of the ground. The Blast furnace and the basement that held the entrance to the tunnel are right in that area. The Graffiti in that basement and one other one that we found was from the people that built this place, very Cool.
The tunnel ran from the Blast Furnace to the lake, so I am told. I never went far enough into it to find out. Another point of interest was the pillars and I think they were Lions that were laying in the grass in front on the building. This was many years ago so my directions are far from exact. As far as I know, this is all still Private Property. I do have some pictures of this place from back then and I will post them when I find them.