The village of Mesick, Michigan is in northeast Springville Township, Wexford County.
The Manistee River flows just west of the village limits, forming the west village limits in a couple of places.
The chief routes through the village are M-37 and M-115. Other routes include Old M-37, 11 Road, 13 Road, 16 Road, and 18 Road. Other cities and villages within twenty miles of Mesick include Buckley, Harrietta, Copemish, Thompsonville, Kaleva, and Manton.
Settled in the 1860s, a post office was established on January 9, 1881, with Henry N. Brooks as postmaster. The post office was named for Howard Mesick, who had opened a sawmill there. In 1890, the Toledo, Ann Arbor & Northern Michigan Railroad opened a station in Mesick. In this case, Mesick was the benefactor of an unfortunate event at nearby Sherman. Because of an issue with bonds, a planned railroad connection at Sherman was never built. Most of the rail business that would have been done at Sherman was carried out in Mesick instead.
The townsite was platted that year by Howard Mesick, a sawmill owner, and the village was incorporated in 1901.
The village grew as a shipping point for lumber and wood products, and early businesses include the sawmill, a handle factory, a blacksmith, a few general stores, a couple of saloons, a library, and four churches.
However, soon after the village was incorporated, the lumber industry went into decline, which led to a sharp decline in population in 1920 and a smaller decline in 1930. Since then, the village's population has fluctuated from decade to decade but has remained relatively steady since 1930. Its peak population was 510 in 1910, and its current population is just below 400. Most of the village's workforce is employed outside of Mesick.
Due to its proximity to the Manistee River and the Manistee National Forest, the village serves as a base for outdoor enthusiasts, with its nearby trails and access to thousands of acres of public land. Of course, the natural resources that bring vacationers to this part of the Lower Peninsula also serve to make Mesick an attractive place to live.
During the Great Depression, the Hodenpyl Hydroelectric Dam was built and is still in operation. The dam created a lake southwest of the village, which brings visitors to the village. There are two campgrounds west of the village, near where the Manistee River flows into Hodenpyl Dam Lake, and the Huron and Manistee National Forests are only about a mile away.
Mesick is known as the mushroom capital of the United States. Each May since 1959, people have come to join in on the activities of the Mesick Mushroom Festival. Hosted by the Mesick Lions Club, the event takes place on Mother's Day weekend and includes a parade, flea market, carnival, arts and crafts activities, a pastie sale, dancing, games, music, and several food venues. Participating mushroomers can purchase mushroom picking kits at the festival office, and head out to the forested area around the village to see what they can find.
The focus of this category is on the village of Mesick, Michigan. Appropriate resources for this portion of our guide include websites representing the village government, as well as local businesses, industries, schools, churches, organizations, attractions, events, and recreational opportunities within the village.
Recommended Resources
Open to the public seven days a week, from mid-April to mid-October, the 18-hole golf course features three sets of tees to accommodate different skill levels. A map of the course, as well as a hole-by-hole layout of the course, are displayed, with photos, the length, slope, and rating for each tee. Membership levels, benefits, and costs are stated and may be purchased online. Course rates, tee times, staff introductions, and contacts, including a contact form, are included.
http://antiochhillsgolf.com/
Formed in the early 1960s, the public school district currently has slightly less than six hundred students from Mesick, other northwestern Lower Peninsula villages, including Boon, Copempish, Harriet, and Yuma, as well as the surrounding rural areas. The district offers a PK-12th-grade curriculum through an elementary school and a combined junior/senior high school, both of which are featured here, with locations, schedules, faculty and staff contacts, policy data, and announcements.
https://www.mesick.org/
Located on West Mesick Avenue in Mesick, Michigan, the grocery store and market is family-owned and operated, and offers a variety of products, from the essentials to specialty items. Its location, hours of operation, and telephone number are posted on its site, which includes an overview of its products, arranged by department, as well as its services, advertising specials, recipes, and a meal planner. Customers may register for email offers and other features, including a shopping list.
https://mesickmarket.com/
Facilitated through the efforts of the Village of Mesick, the Mesick Lions Club, and area sponsors, the annual festival commemorates the village's place as the mushroom capital of the United States. Although events may deviate from one year to another, there will be activities for the family, mushroom hunts, food of all kinds, live music, activities for the children, baseball, volleyball, and a parade. Schedules are posted, and area lodging facilities and things to see and do are highlighted.
http://www.mesick-mushroomfest.org/
The seasonal campground is open from late April to mid-October, with online and office reservations beginning on January 24 each year, although by phone only during the first week. Its location, telephone number, rates, check-in times, and policy information are set forth, along with a campground map, gallery of photographs, directions, and a contact form. The NEC Pizzeria is also featured, with its hours and dates of operation, as well as a downloadable full menu.
https://northernexposureinc.com/
Situated thirty minutes south of Traverse City and twenty minutes west of Cadillac, Mesick is a general law village. The official municipal website offers a profile of the community, as well as village council meeting schedules, agendas, and minutes, ordinances, resolutions, and contacts for the current village council and administrative personnel. The Mesick water system, wastewater system, and fiscal reporting are outlined, including downloads of various reports, statements, and forms.
https://villageofmesick.com/
