Ogemaw Springs: the town that lost the county seat by one vote
Ogemaw Springs was an early lumber settlement and nearly the county seat, losing to West Branch by one vote. Its old spring still flows along Maes Road.
Along Maes Road near Ogemaw Springs, an old well still sends water to the surface. Ogemaw Township simply calls it the area’s famous flow. It marks a settlement that came within one vote of becoming the center of county government.
The township’s history calls Ogemaw Springs one of the county’s oldest settlements. It dates the start of local lumbering to 1871 and says the railroad reached the settlement in 1872 before winter stopped construction. The county was formally organized in 1875. When voters chose a county seat, Ogemaw Springs lost to West Branch by one vote.
The surviving spring is the clearest reminder. The township says the well and a proposed Mineral Springs Park appeared on the recorded plat in 1879, although the park was never developed. It is a quiet place with a wonderfully Michigan-sized what-if attached to it: one more vote, and the county map might feel different today.
Where to see it
Ogemaw Township places the old flow on Maes Road at the edge of Ogemaw Springs. It is a simple historic stop rather than a developed attraction, so respect the site and do not count on visitor facilities.
Sources
Last reviewed against the listed sources: July 20, 2026.