The Greatest Offer Ever Made- Meredith, Michigan

As the lumbering camps continued to move north a new town was established in 1883 in near the Roscommon and Gladwin county lines called Meredith. Franklin township was not established until April of 1884.   The luxurious three-story Corrigan House opened in 1884 and supposedly had the longest bar in Michigan at one hundred feet.  The lawlessness in Meredith soon had a reputation that far exceeded Harrison.  Jim Carr and many other Harrison businessmen went into business in Meredith to capitalize on its growing population. Meredith was in constant controversy with fights, prostitution, murders, and general civil disorder.

Harrison’s notorious reputation of having 22 saloons was rivaled only by Meredith in the mid-1880’s and several years later by Seney in the Upper Peninsula.

Meredith grew so quickly in 1883 newspapers were reporting, “The town is in the center of a large lumber district and it is probable that the birth of Meredith may be the death of Harrison, as the lumbermen’s supplies will be kept at the former place and will draw business away from Harrison.”

A post office operated in Meredith January 14, 1884, until October 14, 1895.  In 1893 the rails were pulled up; the depot was dismantled, and the crews moved on.

After lumbering operations put Meredith almost to a ghost town the Wilson and McNally Tobacco Company of Ohio bought a section of land and platted 3,990 lots.  In a promotional sweepstakes 16,000 deeds were given away as prizes.  The township supervisor sent tax bills to every state in the union, but taxes were rarely paid. The Board of Supervisors petitioned the state, and its subdivisions were dissolved and its status as a village was officially ended in 1899.  Shortly afterward a fire swept through Meredith leaving it in ashes. 

The claims of the ‘Meredith Land and Improvement Company’ are fantastic, from coal fields to the promise of good farmland.

"A magnificent lake of pure water near enough to supply the future City. Splendid roads, build by the State, leading to all parts of the County. Taxes so low they are almost nothing. The vicinity is dotted with immense Saw and Lumber Mills, employed hundreds of hands..."

Earl’s Lunch built in 1948 by Earl and Edna Mitchell on M-18 in Meredith. The first home was built in Meredith after it was a ghost town for many years in 1940. Built by Merrill and Myrtle Hoard the cabin still stands today. After the lumbering was over what did not burn was hauled away and used for homes and farms leaving Meredith deserted. Meredith revived from ghost town status in the 1940s to the unincorporated community still enjoyed today by full and part-time residents.