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.
Damon and surround area, showing the South Branch and possible logging spurs.
Damon:
The lumber town of Damon was settled in 1878 and named by George Damon. A post office was established in Damon on January 27th, 1880, with Frank W. Davison, postmaster. The H.M. Loud Company and Potts Salt and Lumber Company owned most of the white pine timber in the area. Once it was harvested, the Davision Logging Company moved in to harvest cedar and tamarack. Davison built a company store, hotel and a warehouse at the intersection of what is now McGregor and Fairview roads. The population was listed at 10 in the 1897 Gazetteer.
The post office closed on October 31st, 1907, but reopened on November 16th, and remained open until April 11th, 1911. The Davison Company operated in the area until around 1912, then left for "greener pastures". The store and warehouse were moved elsewhere. A small portion was left for a school for the locals. The last buildings were razed in 1924. After the second world war, some former residents made their way back and built homes, which are part of the small collection on the site today.
An interesting history of Damon can be found on the cache page for nearby GC2XERQ: MLT Damon. The write up is from Michigan Ghost Towns volume II and does not consider the Potts Logging RailwayAu Sable & Northwestern Railroad during its twelve years of service here.
Discovering how the Potts Logging Railway made it to Damon was (and possibly still is) a challange. It is now apparent that the main line of the South Branch to Luzerne passed east to west, a mile north of the Damon with at least one branch approaching from the north-east to a point a half mile north of town, then turning south-east. A second branch split off this branch near the main and headed south. It may or may not have wound its way through the village. The grade that can be seen in places may be only a skid road for horse drawn sleighs or big wheels. There were plenty of spurs for loading logs or lumber in the surrounding area. The map above only scratches the surface.
Potts Logging Railway South Branch, circa 1886.
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 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.
At the same time, a second 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. Stops along this line included Imlay, Church, Woodrow, Damon, Hicks, Big Creek and Luzerne, as shown on the map above.
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 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.
As the South Branch was never more than a logging line, when the available timber was harvested, the need for the branch went away. It is believed that the South Branch between Damon and Luzerne was abandoned in the mid 1890s. The entire branch was abandoned and torn up about 1898. The rails, no doubt, found their way to other locations and branches along the AS&NW.
Cache:
The cache is a traditional hide on the grade that was a siding off the main line into the valley north-east of the town site of Damon.
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.
- Henry M. Loud's properties in the Oscoda County
- 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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