MICHIGAN GHOST TOWN: Deerfield Center, Livingston County
What s left of Deerfield Center (also spelled as “Centre”) can be found dead center of Livingston County s Deerfield Township.
A post office was established and given the name Madison sometime during the 1860s-1870s. It shows up on some maps and atlases at the same location as Deerfield Center. Why named Madison ? It s believed it was named after former president James Madison (1809-1817).
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The first house here was built in 1842 by Calvin Leonard. Afterward, a few more settlers arrived; there wasn t a big rush for businessmen to move to Deerfield Center, as there was no railroad going through to bring travelers and customers. Even so, at one time Deerfield Center had a blacksmith, church, general store, grocer, post office, schoolhouse, and townhouse...and a population of 50. Now there is just a church, township hall, and a smattering of homes remaining.
I ve written about the town of Jennings before, and realized it was time for an update with a gallery of old photos from over 100 years ago.
Jennings has been called “One of the Largest Michigan Towns to become a Ghost Town”, but it s more of a shadow town . All the old businesses have left along with most of the people, but the downtown blocks are still prevalent and there are a good handful of residents.
Briefly, Jennings was created as a logging town in 1883 by Austin and William Mitchell, who proceeded to call this new community “Mitchell” after their lumber company.
Marvin Gaye Lived in These Michigan Places, 1960s-1970s
Marvin Gaye was born on April 2, 1939 in Washington D.C.
During his high school years, he joined a few different singing groups, until he dropped out of school in 1956. He joined the Air Force, refused to follow orders, and was discharged.
He joined Harvey Fuqua in a revamped version of The Moonglows and recorded some tracks until the group split up in 1960. Now 21 years old, Marvin moved to Detroit. He became a session drummer and wound up performing at Motown Records owner Berry Gordy s house. Gordy was impressed with Marvin s drumming and singing, and soon he signed him to Motown s subsidiary label, Tamla Records.