Central Upper Peninsula

A Sentinel on Lake Superior’s Shipwreck Coast If you’ve ever driven along Lake Superior’s stunning shoreline near Grand Marais, you’ve probably noticed the iconic white tower of Au Sable Light standing guard over the lake. The light is part of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. This lighthouse has a fascinating history tied to one of the most treacherous stretches of water in the Great Lakes. From shipwrecks to foggy storms, the Au Sable Light Station has been a beacon for sailors since 1874. Before 1910, this lighthouse was known as Big Sable Light. Do not confuse it with Big Sable… Read More »

On October 15, 1966, Congress designated this area as a National Lakeshore, making Pictured Rocks the very first in the nation. It wasn’t formally established as a unit of the National Park System until October 6, 1972. This stunning stretch of Michigan wilderness, with its towering sandstone cliffs painted in vibrant mineral hues, pristine beaches, waterfalls, and old-growth forests, was officially recognized as a place worth protecting forever. Humans have called this area home for more than 10,000 years. The Anishinaabe people, the original inhabitants, continue to live on and care for the land. They carried forward deep traditions tied… Read More »

The 1844 Discovery That Built Michigan’s Mining Legacy On September 19, 1844, William Austin Burt and his surveying crew were trekking through the rugged Upper Peninsula wilderness when their compasses began acting strangely. The needles wavered and swung off course and not because of supernatural forces. But because they were standing atop one of the richest deposits of iron ore in North America: the Marquette Iron Range. The following year, the Jackson Mining Company opened the Jackson Mine, and with it, the foundation for the city of Negaunee, Michigan. Before long, Ishpeming followed. While the California Gold Rush of 1848… Read More »

🎡 From 50 Cents to a U.P. Tradition: If there’s one thing the Upper Peninsula knows how to do, it’s throw a fair that celebrates hard work, community pride, and just the right amount of fried food. On September 17, 1928, Escanaba welcomed visitors to the very first Upper Peninsula State Fair. It was a celebration born out of a 1927 law signed by Governor Fred W. Green to promote agriculture and industry in the region. Tickets cost just 50 cents for adults (a bargain even back then) and dropped to 25 cents after 6 p.m. The fair is an… Read More »

The Vagabonds Land in the U.P. On this day in history—August 17, 1923—three of America’s most iconic innovators set foot in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. They arrived for a camping trip that was anything but rustic. Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and Harvey Firestone, along with their wives, friends, and an entourage of staff, arrived in Escanaba aboard Ford’s massive luxury yacht, Sialia. The group, known as “The Vagabonds,” wasn’t just on a vacation—they were making history. The Sialia, a 300-foot sea-going vessel equipped with every modern safety and comfort feature, cruised through dense fog across Lake Michigan after a tour of… Read More »

Barrels of Change In the early days of the mining boom, the iron ore buried beneath the rugged wilderness held promise. But little practicality, transportation was a nightmare. Mule teams, makeshift plank roads, and schooners only getting the job halfway there. The dreaded St. Marys River rapids brought things to a halt. But on July 7, 1852, a tiny but mighty shipment changed all of that. That day, the Marquette Iron Company shipped six barrels of Lake Superior iron ore to New Castle, Pennsylvania. This marked the first time iron ore made the full journey via the Great Lakes from… Read More »

Exploring the Unknown – Michigan’s Upper Peninsula In the early 1800s, Michigan had a bit of an image problem. The eastern folks weren’t eager to settle there—rumors of swampy land, poor soil, and an unpleasant climate didn’t exactly scream “dream homestead.” So Michigan Territorial Governor Lewis Cass decided to do something about it. On May 24, 1820, Cass teamed up with geologist Henry Schoolcraft and launched the first major American expedition to explore Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, aiming to rewrite the narrative—and maybe pick up a few useful minerals along the way. The Cass/Schoolcraft Expedition was more than just a sightseeing… Read More »

Michigan’s Baby County Let’s rewind to May 21, 1891—a day that marked the end of county-making in Michigan’s history books. On this day, the state officially established its 83rd and final county: Dickinson County, carved from parts of Marquette, Menominee, and Iron counties in the Upper Peninsula. Youngest in the lineup but rich in industry and heritage, Dickinson County tells a story of iron, lumber, politics, and perseverance. Named after Donald M. Dickinson, who served as U.S. Postmaster General under President Grover Cleveland, the county was created by Public Act 89 of 1891, which was signed into law on May… Read More »

Grand Island’s Journey to Recreation Area Status Tucked just off the shores of Munising in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Grand Island is a place of rugged cliffs, lush forests, and serene lake views. On May 17, 1990, this stunning Lake Superior island officially earned its place as a National Recreation Area. Its status as a haven for outdoor lovers and history buffs alike firmly established. The island, covering about 13,500 acres within the Hiawatha National Forest, was purchased by the U.S. Forest Service from Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company. This move turned a once-private industrial holding into a publicly accessible natural retreat…. Read More »

The 1881 Discovery That Sparked Michigan’s Mining Dreams If you think Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is only famous for copper and iron, think again. On this day in history—May 17, 1881—Julius Ropes, a local chemist from Marquette, unearthed something that would ignite dreams of fortune and glory: gold. Ropes had been studying rock samples in the area and noticed traces of gold and silver. When he discovered a gold-bearing quartz vein just outside Ishpeming, it wasn’t long before the Ropes Gold and Silver Company was formed and the U.P. got its very own gold rush. The Ropes Mine was the only… Read More »

The Journey Begins On May 17, 1673, two unlikely adventurers—Jesuit missionary Father Jacques Marquette and French-Canadian fur trader Louis Joliet—pushed off from St. Ignace in canoes, beginning one of the most significant exploration journeys in North American history. Accompanied by five voyageurs and guided by Indigenous knowledge, their mission was to find and map the mighty river that Native peoples called the Messipi—“the Great River.” Their journey wasn’t just about maps and discovery. It was about connecting a continent. With little more than determination, their canoes, and guidance from Native tribes, they ventured across what would become Wisconsin and followed… Read More »

Defending His Honor History has its share of courtroom drama, but few moments are quite as delightfully petty—and noble—as when former President Theodore Roosevelt rolled into Marquette, Michigan, on May 13, 1913, to defend his honor. The charge? He was a drunk and a liar—at least, that’s what George Newett, editor of the Iron Ore newspaper in Ishpeming, claimed. Roosevelt, never one to take things lying down (unless he was posing for a hunt), took legal action. The scene was set in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where Roosevelt traveled specifically to testify in a libel suit he’d filed against Newett. The… Read More »