383 Acre Michigan Recreational Parcel For Sale. This large, wooded recreational property is located near a small unincorporated Village called Helps, which was once a stop along the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. It is located in Spalding Township, the most north-western township of Menominee County. The township is named after Jesse Spalding who operated a steam sawmill on the Menominee River. In the early days of the 1800S, the Menominee River was filled with bobbing logs led down to the mills by hard working loggers. But the history of this County began a long time before that. After the ice age passed, this area was dotted with crystal lakes and swift streams, and was inhabited exclusively by indigenous people of the Menominee tribe. The name "Menominee" (County, and River) came from their language, a distinct dialect of the Algonquin, and means "wild rice", "good seed" or "wild rice people". Following that by perhaps thousands of years, the first white men who explored this beautiful area was in 1634, when Jean Nicolet ventured up the Menominee River to find a shorter route to China. It wasn't until the 1800S, that French Canadians built fur trading posts along and near the mouths of rivers in the County. The forests were filled with pine and hardwood saw timber which was in demand by the growing Nation, so the logging era began about the same time. During the 1880S and 1890S the numerous creeks and rivers in the area were used extensively for log drives. By the 1850S the favorable weather and soil conditions created the growth of farming. With Dairy Farming becoming one the county's most important industries. Today, Agriculture and Forest products continue to play prominent roles in the county economy. Running south-easterly in the north-western corner of the County is State Highway M-69, which provides year round access to the property being offered for sale. There is a half mile of frontage along the highway, and a private gated easement driveway provides access to the property. Along the highway is the path of the former C and N Railway, which is now a Multi-Use trail for horseback riding, snowmobiling, mountain biking and hiking called the Felch Grade Route. So you can use this recreational trail to all parts of the U.P. right from your property. Less than a mile to the west, you can pick up another Multi-Use State Trail the runs northward and is called the Helps Arnold Trail Number 33. The northern part of the property contains an area of Wetlands, that are forested with Whitecedar, Tamarack, and Spruce. This area supports wetland vegetation and aquatic life, and provides wildlife habitat for waterfowl and and migratory birds. The West Branch of the Ford River runs just west of the property. This branch joins with other branches, and becomes the 108-Mile-Long swift and spirited Ford River, which flows into Lake Michigan. The Ford is a cold water Blue Ribbon Trout river, that is known for Brook Trout fishing. Some parts of the river flows through the pristine forested Cedar-Ford Rivers watersheds and are used for outstanding canoeing and kayaking. (At 1,018 square miles, the Cedar-Ford Rivers watersheds are nearly as large as the 1,045 square mile , state of Rhode Island.) Further south into the property you start climbing a nice sandy ridge. This area becomes more Upland Forest, which is characterized by tree cover with an understory of natural plant material and ground covers. Tree heights of 20 feet and over generally dominate this area. You will find huge White pine, and dense aspen stands. Throughout the Aspen lifecycle, it provides everything a Ruffed Grouse gruffed grouse, American woodcock, snowshoe hare, and numerous smaller animals and migratory birds. In the Mid-1990s a harvest of mature aspen was done - and... Con't In Associated Documents.  MLS# 1120007