2023 Map of Merrill Lake

About this map

Barryton sits at the intersection of a sprawling lake-and-river network in Mecosta County, where the North Branch Chippewa River meanders through lowlands. This modern survey illustrates a landscape defined by glacial kettle lakes and structured by a rigid section-line road grid, featuring many named water bodies like Big Lake, Merrill Lake, and the connected Rattail Lakes. The drainage patterns are clearly visible as Browne Creek and Thorn Creek feed into the larger river system. Genealogists will find several burial grounds mapped across the township, including Sparks Cem, Brown Cem, and Eaton Cem, which serve as quiet markers of the area's rural development. Extensive tracts are marked as Farm Service Agency Interest of Michigan, indicating the ongoing role of state and federal land management in this agricultural and recreational region.