"Iron County of the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan Heritage Trail Network"

Relive the past as you explore the 10-acre outdoor museum with 22 buildings that reveal the early pioneer, mining and logging days. Plan to spend the entire day to view Iron County’s largest collection of historic objects and information. Over 100 exhibits include the largest miniature logging display in the world, glass dioramas of underground mining, Native American artifacts, the home of composer Carrie Jacobs-Bond, and the Wildlife Art Gallery of Lee LeBlanc. Hours: May and September Monday - Saturday 10am - 4pm; June 1 - September 1 Monday - Saturday 9am - 5pm, Sunday 1pm - 5pm. Also open by appointment. Location: One mile East of M-189, Brady Avenue, Caspian. Please contact (906) 265-2617 for more information..

I-2 Pentoga Park Indian Burial Grounds

Discover the site of a pre-European Native American settlement and permanent area headquarters where Ojibwa Bands congregated. Wooden burial structures have endured time to protect and mark the graves of these ancient bands. When Chief Edwards moved west in 1891, he disposed of these lands with their traditional burial grounds. The county purchased the land in 1924 to develop a park on the beautiful shores of Chicagon Lake, and to preserve the burial grounds as a tribute to Native Americans. Open 7 days 9am - 8pm. Campgrounds closed during Winter months. Location: County 424 at South end of Chicagon Lake. Please contact (906) 256-3979 for more information.

I-3 Alpha Circle Historic District

Relive the early days of an Upper Peninsula village during mine exploration. See a wonderful example of early engineering on this 4 ½ acre site. All the significant public buildings were constructed around a traffic circle. Established in 1914, the same year as the Village, the Alpha Circle contains several buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Location: County Road 424, center of the village of Alpha. Please contact (906) 265-3822 for more information.

I-4 Iron County Courthouse

Enjoy an amazing vista of the surrounding area while listening to the chimes from its bell tower. The wealth and pride of the pioneers are revealed through the architecture and construction of their County Courthouse. Located in the Historic District, it is the most architecturally significant build in the county. Due to the use of regional materials in its construction and the numerous and varied tributes to the area’s influential cultures, this building is an accurate reflection of the days when Iron was King. Open Monday - Friday 8am - 4pm. Location: 2 South 6th Street, at the top of the hill in Crystal Falls. Please contact (906) 875-3301 for more information.

I-5 Harbour House

Explore the feeling of early life as residents in a small rural mining town. Originally built in 1900, this Queen Anne Colonial Revival home has been restored and is now a museum. The first floor furnishings and decorations reflect the craftsmanship and culture available to wealthy mine town residents. Six rooms on the second floor display artifacts of past area influences, such as logging and mining, military veterans, and the Ojibwa Indians. Be prepared to spend an afternoon exploring the unique gift shops, and antique shops in Crystal Falls. Open Jun 1 -Sept. 1, Tues-Sat. 11am - 4pm or by appointment - guided tours. Location: 17 North 4th Street in Crystal Falls. Please contact (906) 875-4341 or (906) 875-6026 for more information.

I-6 Mansfield Location and Pioneer Church

In 1893, the Michigamme River broke through and flooded the underground mine. Rediscover the risk miners faced every day as 27 miners descended into the dark earth tunnels never to return. Enjoy the view as you take a stroll across the Michigamme River on the historic concrete filled spandrel arch bridge built in 1915. Just west of the Mansfield mine disaster you can visit some of the original buildings from the community including the Mansfield church which was completely restored in 1987 and serves as a landmark and reminder of the small mining settlement. Open all year. Location: Seven miles North of M-69 on Mansfield Cutoff road, One mile North on Stream Road. Please contact (906) 875-4341 and (906) 875-6026 for more information.

I-7 Amasa Museum

The Amasa Museum is located in the Main Street Historical District. The building, formerly the township hall, is a fine example of late 1800s balloon style architecture. The main floor has many pictorial displays of the mining and logging industries that helped build Amasa, plus Amasa School and Triangle Ranch memorabilia. An ongoing renovation of the second floor will result in a replica of "The Streets of Old Amasa." The importance of Amasa as a major hub for logging and rail transportation can be seen in the old depot that stands sturdy against time. Open Memorial Day for summer months. Tours in winter by appointment. Free admission. Location: Twelve miles North of US 2, just off Hwy 141 on Pine Street in Amasa. Please contact (906) 822-7714 for more information.

I-8 Fortune Pond

The site site is a wonderful example of the many mines that have been reclaimed by nature as she heals the scars of the miner's pick. Imagine the pumps that worked 24 hours a day to keep the open pits and tunnels dry.
This mine produced 1,316,905 tons of iron ore from 1953 to 1958. It had one shaft with two drifts used to drain the 210-foot deep pit. The pit is 1,930 feet long by 750 feet wide. What was once a major mining operation now lends itself to a scuba diver's and fisherman's paradise. Location: 3/4 mile North of US 2 on New Bristol Road, 2 miles West of Crystal Falls. Please contact (06) 265-3822 for more information.

I-9 Be Wa Bic State Park

A leisurely drive around the 315-acre state park provides an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful natural scenery of the region. Interpretive signing on the upper level near the campgrounds afford the visitor a chance to see how the early settlers cleared the land for lumbering, mining, agriculture and tourism. The state park has wonderful public log buildings built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s and includes fascinating stonework along the beach and parking lots. Seasonal. Location: Four miles West of Crystal Falls on US 2. Please contact (906) 875-3324 for more information.

I-10 Larson Park

Established in 1919, imagine the trip early road engineer Herbert Larson made as he toured around the area. Noting the lack of public rest areas along his way, he became determined to provide a stop for travelers where they could relax, rest and share information before proceeding on their journey. While not the original site, which was on Stager Lake, the State Register sign commemorates Larson's efforts here as the first roadside picnic site in Michigan and perhaps in the entire US. Explore the giant trees in the old grove birch maple forest surrounding the site. Open May 15 to November 1. Location: On US 2 four miles East of Iron River. Please contact (906) 265-3822 for more information.

I-11 Apple Blossom Trail

Begins on Brady Avenue in Caspian across from the Iron County Museum. This restored walking/biking trail along the banks of the Iron River was originally the major corridor for the rail lines that hauled thousands of tons of iron ore from local mines to the steel mills of Chicago and Indiana. See the site of Harvey Mellon’s discovery of iron ore along this route in 1851, when only one settler lived here. Local high school students continue to contribute and develop sites and natural history signage on this historic route. Open May 15 to October 15. Location: Begins on Brady Avenue in Caspian across from the Iron County Museum. Please contact (906) 265-3822 for more information.

I-12 Lake Ottawa Recreation Area & Campground

A 30-minute hike to "Orville’s Bench" on the Ge-Che trail (primitive) in the Ottawa National Forest will introduce you to one of the most breathtaking natural views in the county. When you return, walk along the shore of this pristine lake which archeologists affirm contain the remnants of some of the area’s earliest residents; prehistoric Indians dating back at least 2000 years. Several site reconstructions have been created from recent archeological digs sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service. Open May 15 to October 15. Location: One mile South of US 2 on M-73 to Ottawa Lake Road, 4 miles. Please contact (906) 265-5139 for more information.

I-13 Mile Post Zero & Treaty Tree

Visit the site where Captain Thomas Cram placed the first marker at the survey point establishing the Wisconsin-Michigan state boundary in 1840. As part of the settlement of the "Toledo War" between Michigan and Ohio, most of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan was granted to Michigan for the "Toledo Strip" which was granted to Ohio. He made a treaty for passage with Chief Ca-Sha-O-Sha and the band of Ojibwa (Chippewa) near a large tamarack tree at the headwaters of the Brule River. Open May 15 to October 15. Location: One mile South of US 2 on M-73 to Ottawa Lake Road to West Brule Lake Road to Stateline Picnic Grounds, 11 miles total. Please contact (906) 265-5139 for more information.

I-14 Camp Gibbs Recreation Area

This property was purchased by the US from the Michigan Mineral Land Company in 1934. In 1935, Camp Gibbs was established as a Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) camp. Nineteen buildings were constructed consisting of barracks, kitchen, shower room, bakery, garages and storage for the CCC workers. It is a unique example of vernacular American architecture of the period. The materials and methods of construction represent a time when frugality was critical to the survival of society. In the 1940's the State of Michigan Social Welfare Commission used the camp to house indigent people from all over the state. Camp Gibbs Recreational Area is an equal opportunity service provider operating under a permit from the Ottawa National Forest. Location: Ten miles North of US 2, approximately 2 miles West of Iron River.

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