The Michigan Shadow Town Built by Kitty Litter

This nearby small town is but a blip on the map but still has some significance to our state's history.

The tiny town of Jones was re-constructed as an old western town by Edward Lowe, the inventor of 'Kitty Litter' and later, in 1964, 'Tidy Cat'. Lowe grew up in nearby Cassopolis, where he began using Fuller's Earth for the neighborhood cats to do their business in. He decided to market his creation and from there he made his fortune.

It was with his kitty litter money he decided to build his own western town in a burg that already existed, named Jones; he basically remodeled an already existing town to his specifications, intending it as a tourist attraction.

Unfortunately, years later, there isn't much left of his dream cowboy town except a building once known as the "Tumbleweed Saloon" and some genuine old houses that still stand. Yes, people live there but you can still travel down south Main Street and see where Lowe had his little western town.

It's located on Highways 60 & 40, not at all hard to locate. It's 11 miles east of Cassopolis, 9 miles west of Three Rivers.

Lowe passed away in 1995, a multi-millionaire at the age of 75.

Jones would be an interesting stop for a few minutes during a Michigan roadtrip! Give it a shot!