The Shadow Town of Peacock in Lake County

This is another of the many communities that some sites refer to as a ‘ghost town’. That label seems to annoy the handful of people who still reside in that area. I would call the town of Peacock more of a ‘shadow town’, as it is now a shadow of its former self.

What's left of the village of Peacock can be found in Peacock Township, Lake County, 12 miles north of Baldwin and 40 miles northeast of Ludington. The village was located along the Chicago & West Michigan railroad, at the crossing of the Michigan East & West railway.

These days, driving through the one-lane back roads around Peacock may get a little unnerving, so, unless you have a weak heart, drive down these dirt roads some evening. They can get pretty creepy at night.

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Peacock was created as a lumber camp, railway station, and postal stop along the railroad. The post office opened on April 15, 1897 and the town was named after the first postmaster, David J. Peacock. The village didn’t really grow much, but along with the train station and post office, it had a livery stable and general store. By 1917, the town population had shrunk down to 31.

The Peacock post office lasted longer than many other P.O.'s in northern Michigan lumber towns, finally closing in 1943. Peacock also had a cemetery that was for African-Americans only. No whites were allowed.

Looking at the photos below, you can see that Peacock was a pretty decent little town at one time...now all the storefronts are gone, leaving a few current residents.