The Michigan Shadow Town of Boyden, in Isabella County

The community called Boyden has been called by some to be a 'ghost town', even though it's more of a 'shadow town'.

Boyden can be located at the intersection of S. Winn & W. Remus Rds, in Deerfield Township, Isabella County. The town originated as a post office in 1893 and soon had a church, cooper shop, two general stores, lath factory and schoolhouse.

As a matter of fact, the post office wasn't really a post office.....mail was being handled by Lucy Boyden from her family farmhouse. Thus, the area was dubbed “Boyden”.

The post office shut down in 1902.
By 1910, the population was down to 25.
In 1918, only one store remained.

Today there are a few houses in the area, and nothing like it was over 100 years ago, with all original businesses gone. One abandoned shop remains on the corner, facing a Dollar General on the other side of the road. It looks like all original structures have been demolished.