Welcome to Wellston, Michigan! Small Community, Big Adventure
Wellston is a hidden gem tucked among the forests and pine trees of the expansive Manistee National Forest. If you blink while driving down 55, you might just miss our little community that sits about halfway between the towns of Manistee and Cadillac. Together with the nearby community of Dublin, we comprise the Norman Township, which boasts just over 1600 residents altogether.
Though the area that became the state of Michigan had long been inhabited by indigenous people and then later by Europeans, the area of Wellston was settled much later than other areas of the U.S. It wasn’t until 1892 that the first post office was erected in this part of Michigan. Its first postmaster, Adelmer Wells, became the namesake for Wellston. Another notable community figure, Ed Norman, settled here in 1897 with his family of 18. He went on to spearhead efforts for the area to become a legitimized township. Thus, Norman Township was officially formed in 1911. The community’s growth was encouraged by real estate marketers during the early 1900s. These crafty real estate companies enticed people to buy up land and settle the area by offering them free vacations to Wellston via the Chicago and West Michigan Railroad.
Today, along with it’s beautiful recreational areas, the community of Wellston is proud to be the steelhead and salmon capital of the Great Lakes. Anglers flock to the area to fish on the Manistee, Pine, & Pere Marquette rivers, while outdoor adventurers enjoy hiking the Forest, paddling on the lakes and streams, and pitching their tent at one of the many campgrounds.
Though our township might be small, there are plenty of things to see and do in our beautiful neck of the woods. We invite you to visit Wellston and escape to a place of beauty and relaxation.