{{distinguish|text=Merritt Township in Bay County}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement |name = Merritt, Michigan |official_name = |settlement_type = Unincorporated community |nickname = |motto =
<!-- Images --> |image_skyline = Merritt, Michigan community.jpg |imagesize = 275 |image_caption = Looking north along Merritt Road toward M-55 |image_flag = |image_seal =
<!-- Maps --> |pushpin_map = Michigan#USA |pushpin_label_position = left<!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none --> |pushpin_label = Merritt |pushpin_map_caption = Location within the state of Michigan##Location within the United States |pushpin_mapsize = |image_map = |map_caption = |image_map1 = |mapsize1 = |map_caption1 =
<!-- Location --> |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = United States |subdivision_type1 = State |subdivision_name1 = Michigan |subdivision_type2 = County |subdivision_name2 = Missaukee |subdivision_type3 = Townships |subdivision_name3 = Butterfield and Enterprise |government_footnotes = |government_type = |leader_title = |leader_name = |leader_title1 = |leader_name1 = |established_title = Settled |established_date = 1901
<!-- Area --> |unit_pref = |area_footnotes = |area_magnitude = |area_total_km2 = |area_land_km2 = |area_water_km2 =
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<!-- General information --> |timezone = Eastern (EST) |utc_offset = -5 |timezone_DST = EDT |utc_offset_DST = -4 |elevation_footnotes = |elevation_ft = 1155 |coordinates = {{coord|44|19|47|N|84|56|41|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
<!-- Area/postal codes & others --> |postal_code_type = ZIP code(s) |postal_code = 49667 |area_code = 231 |blank_name = GNIS feature ID |blank_info = 632136<ref name=GNIS>{{GNIS|632136}}</ref> |website = |footnotes = }} thumb|right|250px|U.S. Post Office in Merritt '''Merritt''' is an unincorporated community in Missaukee County in the U.S. state of Michigan.<ref name=GNIS/> The community is centered between Butterfield Township to the south and Enterprise Township to the north. As an unincorporated community, Merritt has no legally defined boundaries or population statistics of its own but does have its own post office with the 49667 ZIP Code.<ref name=ZIPC>{{cite web|last=UnitedStatesZipCodes.org|url=https://www.unitedstateszipcodes.org/49667/|title=ZIP Code 49667: Merritt|date=2020|accessdate=October 16, 2020}}</ref>
==Geography== The community is centered along Merritt Road and M-55 in eastern Missaukee County about {{convert|15|mi|km|1}} east of Lake City.
The Merritt post office currently uses the 49667 ZIP Code, which covers most of the eastern portion of Missaukee County, including the northern portion of Butterfield Township and the southern portion of Enterprise Township. The ZIP Code also includes a very small portion of Aetna Township to the west, as well as Lake Township in Roscommon County to the east.<ref name=ZIPC/><ref>{{google maps |url = https://www.google.com/maps/place/Merritt,+MI+49667/@44.3721613,-85.0718082,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x88202994999a5c99:0xf6c756ee7a009201!8m2!3d44.3809026!4d-84.9193082?hl=en |title = 49667 ZIP Code map |access-date = October 21, 2020 }}</ref>
The community is surrounded by portions of the Cadillac Forest Management Unit of Pere Marquette State Forest and is located about {{convert|25|mi|km|1}} east of the city of Cadillac.<ref>{{cite web|last=Michigan Economic Development Corporation|url=https://www.michigan.org/city/merritt#?c=44.4299:-85.1166:6&tid=472&page=0&pagesize=20&pagetitle=Merritt|title=Cadillac Area Visitors Bureau: Merritt|date=2020|accessdate=October 19, 2020}}</ref> Portions of the Muskegon River flow near Merritt, and other notable places within the area include Dead Stream Flooding State Wildlife Management Area, Merritt Speedway, and the Reedsburg Dam.<ref>{{GNIS|2104165|Dead Stream Flooding}}</ref><ref>{{GNIS|2501866|Merritt Speedway}}</ref><ref>{{GNIS|635768|Reedsburg Dam}}</ref>
Merritt is served by two separate school districts. Residents in the western portion of the community may attend Lake City Area School District, while the majority of residents to the east may attend Houghton Lake Community School.<ref>{{cite web|last=Michigan Geographic Framework|url=http://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/mgdl/pdfmaps/CountySchools/SD_BYCO_esize_MISSAUKEE%20COUNTY.pdf|title=Monroe County School Districts|date=15 November 2013|accessdate=May 12, 2021}}</ref>
==History== In 1901, Charles and Elizabeth Merritt traveled from Belleville near Detroit on a covered wagon trip that took three weeks. They settled in the rural area, and other families soon joined them. In 1908, the community was given the name Merritt for the first time when a railway was opened through the area. The area become popular for its abundant supply of lumber. Farming soon became a dominant industry in the area. A school district was established in 1920, and the District No. 3 of Butterfield built a high school in Merritt in 1936. A fire department was established in Merritt in 1955. In 1993, a new fire station was built along M-55.<ref name=HLR>{{citation|last=The Houghton Lake Resorter|url=https://www.houghtonlakeresorter.com/articles/merritt-has-long-rural-history/|title=Merritt has long rural history|date=7 August 2008|accessdate=October 21, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{GNIS|2501891|Merritt Area Fire Department}}</ref>
M-74 was a formerly designated state highway that existed from 1919 to 1939 near Merritt. The highway was located just northeast of the center of the community. After being decommissioned, it continues to exist as a local roadway called North Star Road, which connects Merritt to the community of Pioneer.<ref>{{google maps |url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Pioneer,+MI+49651&daddr=44.4602476,-84.9725953+to:N+Star+City+Rd&geocode=FTWFpgId15_s-in5yhDf8pAfiDE7dJWbOT-QAg%3BFddopgIdzWvv-imNn2jAXIgfiDHFazpwYUe6HA%3BFeuFpAIdDTvv-g&hl=en&mra=dpe&mrsp=1&sz=12&via=1&sll=44.40208,-85.063895&sspn=0.229342,0.232773&ie=UTF8&z=12 |title=Overview Map of Former M-74 |accessdate=October 21, 2020}}</ref>
The area received its first post office on November 22, 1910 with merchant Charles P. Sherman as the first postmaster.<ref>{{cite book |first1=Walter |last1=Romig |title=Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities |type=Paperback |orig-date= 1973 |date=October 1, 1986 |publisher=Wayne State University Press |isbn = 978-0-8143-1838-6 |location=Detroit, Michigan| page=363}}</ref> The post office remains in operation and is located at 329 South Merritt Road.<ref>{{GNIS|2501890|Merritt Post Office}}</ref> The post office has been in its present location since 1956.<ref name=HLR/>
==Notable people== *Burt Reynolds, actor, director, and producer who lived part of his childhood in Merritt<ref>{{citation|last=The Houghton Lake Resorter|url=https://www.houghtonlakeresorter.com/articles/merritt-area-residents-recall-memories-of-burt-reynolds/|title=Merritt area residents recall memories of Burt Reynolds|date=13 September 2018|accessdate=October 21, 2020}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}} {{Missaukee County, Michigan}}
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Category:Unincorporated communities in Missaukee County, Michigan Category:Unincorporated communities in Michigan Category:Populated places in the United States established in 1901 Category:1901 establishments in Michigan