Pere Cheney

Pere Cheney is a vanished village in Crawford County, Michigan, and holds the distinction of being the county's first community. It grew up around the sawmill of George M. Cheney in 1874, drawing lumberjacks who followed the Jackson, Lansing and Saginaw Railroad northward toward Mackinaw City. During its brief peak it functioned as a lumbering town and served as a temporary county seat for Crawford County. The settlement was also known by the names Cheney and Center Plains.

Today nothing remains of the working town, and visitors come primarily to explore the quiet, wooded site where the community once stood. It draws those interested in Michigan history and the atmosphere of a forgotten place rather than any developed amenity. Access and conditions are typical of rural Crawford County, making warm-weather months the most practical time to visit.