The Shadow Town of Falmouth: Missaukee County, Michigan

They’ve heard the jokes about “foul mouth” before, so don’t even go there.

The town of Falmouth lies in Missaukee County, Clam Union Township. When the last census was taken in 2020, Falmouth boasted a population of 183.

The community began as a lumber settlement sometime during the 1850s-1860s and was called Pinhook, Pin Hook, or Pen Hook, depending on which source you want to believe. When a post office began operating in 1871, the name was changed to Falmouth. Once the mail started coming through, so did more businesses: a general store and three mills – saw, shingle, and grist.

Get our free mobile app

Falmouth was on its way to becoming the county seat, but it eventually lost that title to the town of Reeder, now called Lake City.

Beginning in 1920, Chris Ebels opened up Ebels General Store, delivering groceries by horse and buggy. Today, Ebels is still in business, although it has been renovated and modernized.

Falmouth also prospered, thanks to having a depot located on the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad near Houghton Lake. By 1931, many passenger trains in Missaukee County were discontinued, but Falmouth was able to retain its agency station.

Other businesses included a blacksmith, courthouse, and the Falmouth House Hotel....now all gone.

Many of Falmouth’s old buildings (although there didn't seem to be that many to begin with) are gone and replaced with newer ones or just left as empty lots. Considered a ‘ghost town’ by some, I see Falmouth as more of a ‘shadow town’ - that is, a town that used to be bigger, but over time when businesses and people left, it shrank and became a shadow of its former self.

Here are just a few photos in the gallery below...