Alden, Michigan - Definition and Overview

Alden is an unincorporated community located in Helena Township in Antrim County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated at the southeast end of Torch Lake, about 20 miles northeast of Traverse City.

Alden is at latitude 44° 52' north and longitude 85° 16' west. The ZIP code is 49612 and the FIPS place code is 01060. The elevation is 604 feet above sea level.

The community first began to develop after a store was built in Helena Township in 1868. The settlement that formed around it was initially called Noble. Because it was located at the mouth of Spencer Creek, the community became known as Spencer Creek and received a Post Office with that name on June 15, 1869. After a railroad line came to the town in 1891, the post office was renamed Alden on July 18, 1892, for William Alden Smith, who was an official with the railroad company. Smith later became U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from Michigan.

External links

• Some information about Alden and nice photographs of the Alden railroad depot (http://user.mc.net/~louisvw/depot/alden/alden.htm)