There's a particular quiet you only find where a town used to be. Cleon has it. Cleon Township is a civil township of Manistee County located in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,063 at the 2020 census, up from 957 in 2010.
Cleon is the lone documented ghost town in Manistee County — for now.
The story of Cleon
Michigan's ghost towns are copper and iron towns of the Upper Peninsula, plus lumber camps the pine barons abandoned.
Cleon Township is a civil township of Manistee County located in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,063 at the 2020 census, up from 957 in 2010.
What you'll find today
The on-the-ground condition of Cleon is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.
Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.
Getting there
Here's the honest truth: access to Cleon is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Cleon is roughly 44.4711, -85.8881 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.
Good to know
Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.
Survey Map
Approximate position — verify access locally before visiting
Cleon FAQs
01Where is Cleon located?
02What county is Cleon in?
03What is the history of Cleon?
04What remains at Cleon today?
05Can you visit Cleon?
Sources: account based on Wikipedia (“Cleon Township, Michigan”), CC BY-SA.
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