Nessen City

Michigan's ghost towns are copper and iron towns of the Upper Peninsula, plus lumber camps the pine barons abandoned.

Nessen City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Benzie County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 108 as of 2021. Nessen City is located within Colfax Township, and is located immediately north of the Manistee County line.

Calling it Nessen City was either optimism or a very good joke — boomtowns were never modest about their ambitions.

The on-the-ground condition of Nessen City 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.

Here's the honest truth: access to Nessen City 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 Nessen City is roughly 44.5200, -85.8783 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

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.