The town of Shackhuddle does not exist anymore, and I'm beginning to wonder if it ever did. This little area sits near the bottom of Georgetown Township in Ottawa County.

Old atlases do not list it.
Old maps don't acknowledge it.
So how do we know it existed?
I'm curious...

There's the old Shackhuddle Cemetery that is hidden in the woods, that looks like it might be on private property. The old schoolhouse is still in the area, now being used as a residence. Shackhuddle was evidently a railway stop on the Grand Rapids, Holland, and Chicago Electric Railroad, and the old rail grade is still there running through the area. The “town” even had a sawmill...somewhere.

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If there wasn't a town, then why was the cemetery named “Shackhuddle”? There were eighteen burials in the cemetery from 1863 to 1901, and not one had the last name of 'Shackhuddle'. The names interred were Barber, Botzum, Edson (on whose property the cemetery was on), Hart, Kelly, Kibby, McCoy, Peasley, Tibbetts, and Waite. Not one single Shackhuddle.

When the cemetery ceased to bury the dead, it was abandoned, but not until they (supposedly) moved all the bodies to the Georgetown Township Cemetery. Even if they really did move 'em all, there are still gravestones scattered on the woodsy property.

In the past few years, attempts were made to uncover more headstones and determine if any bodies are still there. Most family members agree, if there are bodies remaining, just leave 'em there. Shackhuddle is considered by some to be a 'ghost town', but how can anyone prove there was an actual town there? If you do try to visit the cemetery, watch for any 'No Trespassing' signs, as it might - or might not - be on private property.

The gallery below shows pictures of the inside of this curious, hidden cemetery.

The Ghost Town & Cemetery of Shackhuddle

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