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Michigan Trails through Chippewa County
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SHELLDRAKE
Whitefish Township
Chippewa Co MI
Photo 1914, contributed by Paul Petosky
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Shelldrake takes its name from the merganser duck.
There were no roads so they brought their locomotive cars and tracks in by barge to the little harbor. They moved into the forest by rail, cutting their way and then sawing the wood at Shelldrake.
Shelldrake was once called Edwards after the first resident living on the site when the village was first founded in the middle 1890s.
Established on April 12, 1895 with George N. Hutton as its first postmaster. Discontnued operation on September 15, 1908 and re-opened on December 11, 1911 with Lena M. O'Brien as postmaster. Discontinued operation on June 15, 1925; with mail service to Eckerman.
In 1897 there were 150 people in Shelldrake. It once was a town of 45 buildings plus a sawmill. There was a daily stage to Eckerman in the summer and three times in the winter. There was also at one time a passenger boat that sailed from Shelldrake to the Sault.
There were a number of businesses including a hospital, school and several hotels. In 1921 the school was the largest in the township. The decline in the lumber industry led to the decline in Shelldrake.
Shelldrake, MI Post Office
(Whitefish Township) (circa 1913)
It was first established on April 12, 1895
with George N. Hutton as its first postmaster
Contributed by Paul Petosky-Postmarks From The Past
Postmasters that have served at the Shelldrake, MI Post Office
George N. Hutton.................April 12, 1895
William V. Penoyar..............May 9, 1896
Valentine W. Smith..............February 13, 1901
Donald B. McRae.................October 27, 1904
Discontinued operation September 15, 1908
Post Office re-established December 8, 1911
Lena M. OBrien.....................December 8, 1911
Louise M. LaVasser...............March 14, 1917
Goldie M. Burke.....................August 1, 1918
Michael S. Hotten...................February 18, 1921 to June 15, 1925 the last date of operation; with mail service to the Eckerman Post Office.
Shelldrake, MI postmark dated December 9, 1895 - Contributed by Paul Petosky
Russell Goodeman
Shelldrake MI - 1920
Shelldrake in 1947 -- Looks like a long cold winter
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