Ontonagon County

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Ontonagon County

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Adventure Mine Site

The Adventure, located in Ontonagon County, Michigan, operated from 1850 until 1920. Numerous mine openings, foundations, prospecting pits, and other artifacts can be seen at this site, which is the best-preserved copper mining location in the area. The Adventure Mining Company offers several different tours exploring the mine location, including a historic surface tour and three underground options. Tours range from easy walks to several hour exucrsions that involve using rope and harness to explore lower levels of the mine.

Additional Information

Location: 13 miles East of Ontonagon off M-38 in Greenland.
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Open 9am - 6pm daily and 11 am-6 pm Sunday from late May to mid-October; no winter hours. More information: 906-883-3371, https://www.adventurecoppermine.com or mportfleet@yahoo.com

Agate Falls - Trout Creek Mill Pond

Agate Falls has an accessible trail from the roadside park to the overlook platform for the mobility impaired. Four miles East of Agate Falls on M-28 is the Trout Creek Mill Pond, the site of an early 1900s sawmill operation. The pond was used for cleaning the logs before sawing. A huge flywheel from the big mill is nearby. The community continues the restoration of the site, and has completed a picnic area, complete with a pavilion near the pond.

Additional Information

Location: M-28 7 miles East of the US 45 junction, 4 miles further to Trout Creek Mill Pond in Trout Creek.
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Please contact (906) 884-4735 for more information.

Bond Falls

Bond Falls is one of the most picturesque falls of the Midwest. The dam was built in the late 1930s by the Copper District Power Company as a water reservoir to divert water to the South branch of the Ontonagon River for the Victoria Power Plant. Picnic areas and hiking trails complement the scenic area, which is a favorite for local residents as well as tourists.

Additional Information

Location: 9 miles South of Bruce Crossing on US 45, then 3 miles East from Paulding.
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Open days only. Closed 10pm - 7am. Please contact (906) 884-4735 for more information.

Historic Bergland Ranger Station/Heritage Center

The historic Bergland Ranger Station was constructed in 1936 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC,) and was one of the first administrative offices built for the Ottawa National Forest. This vintage property is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and is one of the only remaining Forest Services offices of this type within the Eastern United States. The Ottawa National Forest has exciting plans for the adaptive reuse of the ranger station as an interpretive center. The Bergland Heritage Center will offer a variety of educational opportunities which showcase the regional history, culture, and folkways expressed throughout the Great Lakes. The site is favorably located on the North shore of Lake Gogebic in the quaint town of Bergland, where all amenities can be found.

Additional Information

Location: Western end of Bergland on the South side of M-28.
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Please contact (906)932-1330 for more information.

Military Hill

In 1864, Abraham Lincoln commissioned the Military Road from Green Bay to Fort Wilkins as a military highway to secure copper supplies for Union Forces. The historical marker is located in a valley which offers a picturesque view of the Ontonagon River. The road is now known as US 45, and serves as one of the main highways in Ontonagon County. Adjacent to snowmobile trails.

Additional Information

Location: US 45, 2 miles South of M26/38 junction.
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Please contact (906) 884-4735 for more information.

Old Victoria Restoration & Victoria Dam

The continuing restoration of an early mining village includes a wealth of historical items, located in cabins depicting the early mining days. A scenic trail along nearby bluffs offers a view of the area's only hydroelectric dam. Nearby are the sites where the "Copper Boulder," now housed in the Smithsonian Institution, was found, as well as the location of the Taylor Hydraulic Air Compressor. This device, which is now under water, once provided ample, reliable pneumatic power to the Victoria Mines. There is a one day craft fair on the third Sunday in August.

Additional Information

Location: From US 45 in Rockland, 4miles West on Victoria Road.
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Open 11:30am - 5:30pm Memorial Day weekend - mid October. Please contact (906) 886-2617 for more information.

Ontonagon County Historical Museum

Regarded as one of the best small town museums in the UP, the facility is located in the heart of historic Ontonagon's downtown. The museum is completely handicapped accessible and houses displays outlining the development of the region in mining, logging agriculture and industry, with special emphasis on Ontonagon's maritime history. There are also displays of minerals, local archeological finds, firearms and weapons, and hundreds of antiques. County records, area newspapers dating from 1856, and other research resources are available as well as genealogical research assistance. There are treasure hunts for young people. A well stocked gift shop featuring books on area history, imported glassware, and other items of regional interest is a part of the museum complex.

Additional Information

Location: 422 River Street, Village of Ontonagon.
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Open 10am - 5pm Monday - Saturday. Tours of the 1866 Ontonagon Harbor Lighthouse start at the museum twice daily. Please contact (906) 884-6165 for more information. https://www.ontonagonhistoricalsociety.org Email:ochsmuse@up.net

Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park

Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park was established to preserve the Midwest's largest remaining stand of old growth hardwood/hemlock forest. It is Michigan's largest state park, 60,000 acres, and among the Midwest's largest wilderness areas. Visitors may experience striking geological formations, scenic overlooks, wildlife, waterfalls, and the region's human history, in addition to the majestic old growth forests.

Additional Information

Location: 15 miles West of Ontonagon South of Hwy 64.
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Visitor center open 10am - 6pm mid May - mid October. Tours available. Please contact Park Headquarters at (906) 885-5275, or Visitor Center at (906) 885-5208 for more information. Email: porkies@up.net

Rockland Historical Museum

The Rockland Historical Museum displays mining and farming equipment, stone hammers from ancient copper mining pits, a section of the Victoria Dam wooden pipeline, the story of Michigan's first telephone system which started in Rockland, and furnished kitchen, dining room, parlor, and bedroom settings. Historic pictures of mines, Victoria Dam, the town's buildings, including the Jeffs Hotel and the Church on the Hill, once a landmark for ships on Lake Superior, are all found in this community owned and operated museum.

Additional Information

Location: On US 45 in Rockland.
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Open 11:30am - 4:30pm Memorial Day - mid October. Please contact (906) 886-2821 for more information. Email:rocklandmuseum@yahoo.com

Silver City - Bonanza Falls

Silver City has its origins from the silver mines on the banks of the Big and Little Iron Rivers. The Ontonagon, Superior, Scranton, Collins, and other area mines were the site of a silver boom that ended in 1876. Much of this area's silver, like its copper, ws of such fine consistency it cost more for the early miners to recover than the ore was worth.

Additional Information

Location: One mile South on M-64 from Silver City. Hwy64 13 miles West of Ontonagon. Located on the West side of M-64.
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Please contact (906) 884-4735 for more information.