MICHIGAN GHOST TOWN: Jerusalem in Washtenaw County
In Washtenaw County's Lima Township, the village of Jerusalem doesn't appear to exist anymore. However, the few residents who live in the area might argue that point.
Jerusalem was platted in the 1830's under the name New Jerusalem. The town began when John K. Bingham built a sawmill on Mill Creek in 1832. Soon, the "new" was dropped and the town simply became known as Jerusalem. In 1860, a grist mill was erected by Palmer Westfall.
There's not much known about Jerusalem, except it had a church or two and a couple of schoolhouses - one of which still exists on the corner of S. Fletcher & Sager roads. Although there are no old storefronts around, the homes that are still standing may possibly have been renovated from old shops, or are just original homes that have been there for over 100 years.
Jerusalem can be found down a couple of dirt roads, if you don't mind driving your vehicle down and gettin' 'em dusty. Perfect place to add to your Michigan roadtrip itinerary...but keep in mind, there are no restaurants, no gas stations, no stores of any kind.
Check out the photos below of what the remainder of the town looks like.