The Former Train Stop of Charleston, Eaton County: Late 1800s

Once upon a time, in Eaton County, there was a town called Charlesworth.

Well, there still is...sort of. Charlesworth - also known as Charlesworth Station - was settled in 1863 and became a stop on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad in Hamlin Township.

The village appeared to be busy at one point in time, namely in the late 1800s to the early 1900s. The railroad went smack through town, bringing businessmen and travelers, and the local establishments were doing well. There were at least two mills, a depot, a church, schoolhouse and a few shops and stores.

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A post office began operating in 1874, closing for good in 1907.

Excitement in Charlesworth?
|On June 2, 1853, a tornado came through town and completely destroyed the home of Mr. & Mrs. Nathan Sayers, who got pinned to the ground under the rubble. A boy was sucked out of the house and carried by the storm but once landed, he was not badly injured.

As with many Michigan towns of the late 1800s, Charlesworth met the same fate: timber was depleted, the railroad shut down, businesses packed up and left. Today, the only reminders of what Charlesworth once was are the terrific old schoolhouse just west of town and the trail where the railroad came through. Other than that, there are a few homes scattered in the area.