2019 Map of Hope

About this map

Billings and Hope serve as the primary hubs in this lake-and-drainage landscape along the Gladwin and Midland county border. The area is defined by its complex hydrology, with the Tittabawassee River system forming Wixom Lake and numerous drainage networks like Davids Drain and Schoolhouse Drain managing the low-lying terrain. To the east, the Kawkawlin Creek Flooding and Kawkawlin Creek indicate the heavy management of water levels common to this part of Michigan. A distinct geological feature, the Sand Ridge, runs through the northeast, providing a rare stretch of elevated ground. For researchers, the presence of three distinct burial grounds—Billings Cem, Hope Cem, and New Hope Cem—offers specific points of interest for genealogical study. The Midland to Mackinaw Boy Scout Trail also transits the eastern portion of the sheet, following the traditional routes northward through the wooded wetlands.