This Michigan Ghost Town Only Has One Old Schoolhouse Remaining

Doyle is one of those Michigan towns that barely existed...and when it did, it wasn't for long.

Doyle was located on the border of Macomb & St. Clair Counties in Riley Township. It was created specifically as a post office in 1885 and was also a railroad station along the Port Huron and Northwestern railway, approximately 23 miles west of Port Huron. The railway later became part of the Flint & Pere Marquette Railroad.

Some sites reference Doyle as being at the junction of Bordman & Cryderman roads...but the railroad tracks actually went through a half mile north on Riley Center Road, where you can still see where the tracks were originally laid on satellite maps. Another half mile up the road is an old schoolhouse.

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Even though Andrew Martin was the first area postmaster, to his chagrin the community was not named after him; that honor went to train agent Charles Doyle.

The Belle River was about 4 miles east of Doyle, from which the town of Memphis reaped the benefits. Water sources for Doyle were the skimpy Ashery Creek (south) and Sage Creek (northeast).

Finally, in 1913, the trains stopped coming through Doyle. With that revelation, the post office had no choice but to shut down for good. Today, no one would ever know there was once the faint glimmer of a village that failed to grow. The old one-room schoolhouse just north of town is now used as a residence.

Looking at satellite maps, it looks like another railway may have come through town, running NW & SW. Just below that is where the Port Huron and Northwestern railway went through, now used as a path for electric wire towers.

When roadtripping near the thumb, add Doyle to the itinerary. There are no stores, gas stations, or eateries so don't plan on stopping to pick up any road munchies here. There are a very few homes scattered around, so be respectful if you visit.