Moran, Michigan is an unincorporated community in Mackinac County, in the southeastern Upper Peninsula.
Oddly, Moran is in Brevort Township, and not in Moran Township, which is adjacent to Brevort Township. More curiously, Moran Township includes an unincorporated community named Brevort.
Moran was named for William B. Moran, a member of the land company that developed the area, while Moran Township and other nearby places named Moran, such as East Moran Bay in St. Ignace, West Moran Bay on Lake Michigan, and the Moran River, all have a different origin.
The community is situated along M-123, mostly between Charles Moran Road and Dukes Road. The only incorporated city or village within twenty-five miles is St. Ignace, about twenty-one miles to the southeast.
The North Country National Scenic Trail runs through the community, paralleling M-123. Generally known simply as the North Country Trail, the NCT is a 4,600-mile footpath stretching from Middlebury, Vermont to Lake Sakakawea State Park in North Dakota, connecting the Long Trail and the Appalachian Trail with the Lewis and Clark Trail.
Originally, Moran was known as Jacob City, for a man named Jacob, who was the president of the German Land Company, a colonization land scheme that sold lots to settlers between 1881 and 1883. Mr. Jacob was accused of fraud in 1883, and ousted from the company, which then borrowed money from another of its members, William B. Moran, to acquire more land. They renamed the town for him in 1883.
A post office was established as Jacob City on February 23, 1882, with Frank J. Becker as postmaster. The post office was transferred to Allenville on April 1, 1898, but re-established as Moran on May 14, 1910.
Early businesses included the Sckeraszny Flour and Saw Mill, which opened in 1905, the Sveitner Sawmill in 1909, the Appleford Brothers Sawmill in 1917, and the Quay Lumber Company Sawmill around that same time. The Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway came through, establishing a depot in Moran, as well as a junction switch to the north-northeast, serving the Quay Mill. The standard-gauge railroad extended north from Moran. Its depot was moved to St. Ignace in July of 1947.
The focus of this category is on the community known as Moran, Michigan. Businesses, industries, schools, churches, organizations, attractions, and events within the community are appropriate topics for this portion of our guide.
Recommended Resources
The civil township in Mackinac County includes the unincorporated communities of Moran and Allenville, the latter being a former railroad and lumber community that is more of a ghost town today. The township offices are in Moran, Michigan. The official township website features a schedule of events, meeting minutes, election information, contacts for township board members and administrative personnel, tax data, access to various forms and ordinances, and a directory of local businesses.
https://www.brevorttownship.com/
Brevort Township Community Library
Situated on Church Road in Moran, Michigan, the library is a branch of the Superior District Library system. Physical and mailing addresses are published on the site, along with a map showing its location, its hours of operation, and a telephone number. Other resources include a calendar of events, an overview of the library system, and a list of other branch facilities within the system. Research facilities and resources, as well as its programs for children, teens, and seniors, are included.
https://sdl.ploud.net/our-locations-and-hours/brevort-township-community-library
Established in 1978, and known for their smoked fish and beef jerky, Gustafson's is in Moran, Brevort Township, Michigan, about twenty-five miles from the Mackinac Bridge. Situated along US Highway 2, the store is open seven days a week. Its address, a telephone number, and an email address are posted, along with a contact form. Its products include smoked whitefish, lake trout, and salmon, fish dip, and several types of beef jerky, and an online shop is available, although currently down.
http://www.gustafsonssmokedfish.com/
Immaculate Conception Cemetery
Also known as Immaculate Conception Catholic Cemetery and Saint Mary's Cemetery, the cemetery is on Dukes Road, just west of the village of Moran, Michigan. Its location is shown on a map, and the Find a Grave site allows people to upload photos of the grounds, the headstones of people interred there, and virtual flowers, as well as details, such as dates of birth and death, obituaries, and cross-referencing with other family members as an aid for genealogical research.
https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/784/immaculate-conception-cemetery
Moran 166 is a gravel bike race through the Hiawatha National Forest, involving about 2,400 feet of elevation gain, 82% fast-rolling gravel, and 18% pavement, and includes a shorter, 64-mile option, as well as the full 166-mile event. The full course race begins at 7:30 am, so riders will have to average 12.5 miles per hour in order to complete the course before dark. The route may be viewed online, and GPX files are also available for both options. Online registration and results are included.
https://www.moran166.com/
