West Branch: the county seat and I-75 stopover

West Branch is the heart of Ogemaw County — the county seat, the biggest town around, and the spot where most everyone goes for shopping, healthcare, and errands. It sits right on I-75, which has made it a natural stopping point for travelers heading up north for generations.

The town is probably best known to outsiders for the Outlets at West Branch (formerly Tanger Outlets), an open-air outlet mall right off the highway with a dozen-plus brand-name stores — a real draw that pulls in shoppers from a wide area. But there’s also a quaint historic downtown full of specialty shops, antique stores, and bakeries, plus the area’s hospital and the main schools.

For buyers, West Branch is the practical anchor of the county: highway access, a hospital, a real downtown, and more amenities than anywhere else in Ogemaw — while still being a small northern-Michigan town surrounded by woods and lakes.