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.

[2] The community is centered along Merritt Road and M-55 in eastern Missaukee County about 15 miles (24.1 km) east of Lake City.

[8] In 1901, Charles and Elizabeth Merritt traveled from Belleville near Detroit on a covered wagon trip that took three weeks.

After being decommissioned, it continues to exist as a local roadway called North Star Road, which connects Merritt to the community of Pioneer.

[11] The area received its first post office on November 22, 1910 with merchant Charles P. Sherman as the first postmaster.