Upper Tittabawassee River Boom Towns

This is a story that has long needed telling. It is the story of not one town, but four towns that made up an area, and as a result of their being, made possible the growth of a neighboring city. This is the story of the towns of Averill, Edenville, Hope, and Sanford, together with a short history of the early Indians of the area and the logging and salt wells that made possible the growth of the City of Midland, Michigan. In this story, one may read of "Red Keg" and "Camp 16", both famed in song and story. Averill, originally known as "Red Keg", was at one time the world's largest banking ground. Edenville or "Sixteen", was a robust logging camp, second only to Dodge City and Tombstone in the matter of roughness. The main difference being that in Edenville disputes were settled with fists, bottles, and calk boots, with the loser usually living to fight another day, whereas in Dodge and Tombstone, the loser was planted in "Boot Hill."