Alden, Michigan

Alden is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) 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 (32 km) northeast of Traverse City. The population of Alden was 125 at the 2010 census.[3]

Alden, Michigan
Census-designated place (CDP) & unincorporated community
Location within Antrim County
Alden Location within the state of Michigan
Coordinates: 44°52′52″N 85°16′32″W
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Antrim
Township	Helena
Settled	1868
Area [1]
• Total	0.400 sq mi (1.04 km2)
• Land	0.400 sq mi (1.04 km2)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation	604 ft (184 m)
Population  (2010)[1]
• Total	125
• Density	312.5/sq mi (120.7/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)	49615 (Bellaire)
Area code(s)	231
GNIS feature ID	619916[2]

Alden is at 44°52′52″N 85°16′32″W and the FIPS place code is 01060. The elevation is 604 feet (184 m) above sea level.[2] The Alden ZIP code 49612 serves portions of Helena Township as well as Custer Township to the east and Clearwater Township to the south and Rapid River Township to the south in Kalkaska County.[4]

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 the Pere Marquette Railway came to the town in 1891, the post office was renamed Alden on July 18, 1892,[5] for William Alden Smith, who was an official with the railroad company.[6] Smith later became a congressman and U.S. senator from Michigan.

The community of Alden was listed as a newly-organized census-designated place for the 2010 census, meaning it now has officially defined boundaries and population statistics for the first time.[7]