Fairview, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Fairview is an unincorporated community in Comins Township
, Oscoda County
in the northeastern Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state
of Michigan
. It is at the intersection of routes M-33
and M-72
at 44°43′30"N 84°03′04"W. It is considered the Wild Turkey
capital of Michigan
The Fairview post office, with ZIP code
48621, serves most of Comins Township, as well as small portions of Clinton Township
to the north and Mentor Township
to the south.
. Wildlife are nearby, including bear, deer, eagles, Kirtland's Warblers, and turkeys. Local attractions and activities include:
Comins Township, Michigan
Comins Township is a civil township of Oscoda County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,017 at the 2000 census.The unincorporated community of Comins is located on M-33 in adjacent Clinton Township on the north side of Comins Township....
, Oscoda County
Oscoda County, Michigan
See also: List of counties bordering eight counties-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 9,418 people, 3,921 households, and 2,717 families residing in the county. The population density was 17 people per square mile . There were 8,690 housing units at an average density of 15 per...
in the northeastern Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. It is at the intersection of routes M-33
M-33 (Michigan highway)
M-33 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that runs from Interstate 75 at Alger in Arenac County north to M-27 near Cheboygan. In between, the trunkline runs through rural sections of the northeastern Lower Peninsula including state and national forest areas...
and M-72
M-72 (Michigan highway)
M-72 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan, running from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan across the northern part of the Lower Peninsula. The highway connects M-22 in Empire with US Highway 23 in Harrisville. It is one of only three Michigan state trunklines that cross the Lower...
at 44°43′30"N 84°03′04"W. It is considered the Wild Turkey
Wild Turkey
The Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...
capital of Michigan
The Fairview post office, with ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
48621, serves most of Comins Township, as well as small portions of Clinton Township
Clinton Township, Oscoda County, Michigan
Clinton Township is a civil township of Oscoda County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 511 at the 2000 census.The unincorporated community of Comins is in the township on M-33 at...
to the north and Mentor Township
Mentor Township, Oscoda County, Michigan
Mentor Township is a civil township of Oscoda County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,220 at the 2000 census.- Communities :...
to the south.
Geographic features
- Fairview is situated near the Au Sable RiverAu Sable River (Michigan)The Au Sable River in Michigan runs approximately through the northern Lower Peninsula, through the towns of Grayling and Mio, and enters Lake Huron at Oscoda. It is considered one of the best brown trout fisheries east of the Rockies and has been designated a blue ribbon trout stream by the...
Valley. - It is surrounded by the Huron National Forest and near the Rifle River State Recreation Area.
- The area is part of the Au Sable State ForestAu Sable State ForestThe Au Sable State Forest is a state forest in the north-central Lower Peninsula of Michigan. It is operated by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources....
, specifically the- Grayling FMU (Alcona, Crawford, Oscoda, and northern Iosco counties).
- The Oscoda County Park is minutes away.
- Fairview is part of Northern MichiganNorthern MichiganNorthern Michigan, also known as Northern Lower Michigan , is a region of the U.S. state of Michigan...
. - Fairview sits on the "Grayling outwash plain", a unique habitat. Glaciers shaped the area, creating a unique regional ecosystem. A large portion of the area is the so-called Grayling outwash plain, which consists of broad outwash plain including sandy ice-disintegration ridges; jack pine barrens, some white pine-red pine forest, and northern hardwood forest. Large lakes were created by glacial action.
Major highways
M-33M-33 (Michigan highway)M-33 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that runs from Interstate 75 at Alger in Arenac County north to M-27 near Cheboygan. In between, the trunkline runs through rural sections of the northeastern Lower Peninsula including state and national forest areas...
runs from Alger in Arenac CountyArenac County, Michigan-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 17,269 people, 6,710 households, and 4,717 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 9,563 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile...
north to CheboyganCheboygan, MichiganCheboygan is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,295. It is the county seat of Cheboygan County....
at the tip of the "mitten".
M-72M-72 (Michigan highway)M-72 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan, running from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan across the northern part of the Lower Peninsula. The highway connects M-22 in Empire with US Highway 23 in Harrisville. It is one of only three Michigan state trunklines that cross the Lower...
passes through Mio. It is the 133 mile (214 kilometers) road that runs across the lower peninsula from EmpireEmpire, MichiganEmpire is a village in Leelanau County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 378 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Empire Township.-Description:...
to HarrisvilleHarrisville, MichiganHarrisville is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Alcona County. The population was 493 at the 2010 census. The city is surrounded by Harrisville Township, but is administratively autonomous...
. It is one of three true cross peninsular highways.
Attractions
The community is centered in the Huron National Forest along the Au Sable RiverAu Sable River (Michigan)
The Au Sable River in Michigan runs approximately through the northern Lower Peninsula, through the towns of Grayling and Mio, and enters Lake Huron at Oscoda. It is considered one of the best brown trout fisheries east of the Rockies and has been designated a blue ribbon trout stream by the...
. Wildlife are nearby, including bear, deer, eagles, Kirtland's Warblers, and turkeys. Local attractions and activities include:
- AmishAmishThe Amish , sometimes referred to as Amish Mennonites, are a group of Christian church fellowships that form a subgroup of the Mennonite churches...
Community - Mennonite Relief Expo & Fair
- Michigan Shore to Shore Riding & Hiking Trail passes nearby. It runs from EmpireEmpire, MichiganEmpire is a village in Leelanau County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 378 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Empire Township.-Description:...
to OscodaOscoda, MichiganOscoda is an unincorporated community in the U.S. state of Michigan located on the northern side of the Au Sable River where it enters Lake Huron. The community of Au Sable is on the other side of the river. Oscoda is in Oscoda Township in Iosco County, and not in Oscoda County, which is to the...
, and points north and south. It is a 500 mile interconnected system of trails. - Steiner's Museum of pioneer artifacts is in Fairview.
- The Michigan Au Sable Valley Railroad is located in Fairview. It is a 1/4 scale 16 gauge railroad, that offers rides on a passenger train through the scenic Northern MichiganNorthern MichiganNorthern Michigan, also known as Northern Lower Michigan , is a region of the U.S. state of Michigan...
landscape. The railroad runs on weekends from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. It operates in jack pineJack PineJack pine is a North American pine with its native range in Canada east of the Rocky Mountains from Northwest Territories to Nova Scotia, and the northeast of the United States from Minnesota to Maine, with the southernmost part of the range just into northwest Indiana...
country between Memorial Day and Labor Day. It is also open two weekends in October for fall colors. This is optimal for viewing of Kirtland's Warblers, as they are usually in the area between May and October. Riders travel through parts of the Huron National Forest and overlook the beautiful Comins Creek Valley. It takes riders on the "route of the Kirtland’s Warbler." The roadbed includes two trestles and a tunnel, as well as many natural attractions. It was built by Diane and Howard Schrader, and took almost ten years to build. Though they still run the train today, youngsters now help run the train as conductors. Popcorn and beverages are available for refreshment. There is also a gift shop to obtain train trinkets and keepsakes from the train catalog also run by the Schraders. Train rides are free for those under the age of two; all others cost five dollars for a ticket.
Activities
- Birding -- Kirtland Warbler Habitat and Festival. The Kirtland's WarblerKirtland's WarblerKirtland's Warbler is a small songbird of the New World warbler family , named after Jared P. Kirtland, an Ohio doctor and amateur naturalist. Nearly extinct just 50 years ago, it is well on its way to recovery. It requires large areas of dense young jack pine for its breeding habitat...
has its habitat in the area. There is a Kirtland's Warbler Festival, which is sponsored in part by Kirtland Community College. - Boating, Paddling (canoeCanoeA canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
and kayakKayakA kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
) - Fishing, particularly trout fishing
- Hiking
- Hunting
- Cross-country skiingCross-country skiingCross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
- ORV, motorcycle and groomed snowmobileSnowmobileA snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
trails, including the renowned Bull Gap.