Ola Corners in Gratiot County: Now Just Weeds and Grass

On our travels to northern Michigan on US-127 we pass by numerous things – some we know, some we don’t, some we recognize, some we wonder about, and some we are completely oblivious to.

One such roadside curiosity is probably a place many of you weren't familiar with: the former village of Ola Corners in Gratiot County.

You know those railroad tracks that appear between St. Johns and Ithaca? You know, the ones you sometimes need to stop at, interrupting your travels? Right there at that highway and RR intersection is where the community or Ola Corners used to be.

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Ola was once a little station on the Toledo, Saginaw & Muskegon Railroad in Gratiot County. Located west of Ashley and east of Pompeii, Ola originated in 1887 as a necessary station location. Ora was platted on December 17, 1888, and had its own post office; however, it was discontinued in 1904 thanks to the rural carrier system.

For such a small place, along with the depot and post office, Ola had a blacksmith, cheese factory, and general store.

In 1918. a camp sprung up just a few feet on the other side of the tracks – Ola Camp, founded by the newly formed Ola Holiness Association. It welcomed everyone of any denomination and is still operable in the 2020s.

Ola is now referred to as Ola Corners, and located – along with Ola Camp - in Gratiot County’s Washington Township. Scroll down and see how they both look these days!