Town file
Onaway, Michigan
Onaway, Michigan is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 448, "The Merry Mutilator" (10 December 2023). Heather Chantelle Young was born on 20 February 1974 in Cold Water, Michigan, and grew up around Marshall.
- Town
- Onaway
- State
- Michigan
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 448
- Approximate location
- 45.359, -84.227
Episode 448 / 10 December 2023 / 72 min / express
The Merry Mutilator
"We're going to Onaway, Michigan, in the far northern mainland panhandle, not in the UP, with Canada just across the water." about 0:04:20
The case: Murder of Heather Young (July 2016). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2023
- Population
- 796
- Median household income
- $28,162
- Median home value
- $121,700
History, in brief
- A farming community here received a post office in 1882, with Thomas Shaw as postmaster, and the place was named Shaw after him. about 0:05:53
- In 1886 Merit Chandler platted a community and called it Onaway, not Chandler. about 0:06:15
- Chandler took over as postmaster in 1890 and changed the name to Onaway. about 0:06:23
- Three years later Shaw became postmaster again and changed the name to Odalaska, Alaska with a d after the first a. about 0:06:31
- Five years later a new postmaster changed the name back to Onaway. about 0:06:46
- The town was incorporated in 1899. about 0:07:06
- At the beginning of the 20th century it was home to one of the world's largest wooden automobile steering wheel manufacturers, producing 65% of the world's wooden steering wheels. about 0:07:13
The reviews read out
5 stars
"Someone who grew up there and came back after college loves its uniqueness, knowing almost everyone at the grocery store or gas station, and how people look out for each other."about 0:07:48
3 stars
"Everyone knows everyone and people are helpful, but there is no work and you have to travel 30-plus miles for a good job; good schools, sports, fishing, hunting, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing."about 0:08:56
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Mio, Michigan48 miles
- Sand Lake, Michigan76 miles
- Manistique, Michigan106 miles
- Arcadia Township, Michigan115 miles
- Washington Township, Michigan157 miles
- Morrice, Michigan174 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.