A Historical Tour of Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Michigan's Upper Peninsula is famous for its natural environment—its forests, rivers and lakes—and, of course, for its climate, jokingly described as "50 weeks of winter and two weeks of bad sledding." But what residents and visitors to the UP know is that the peninsula has a storied background that enriches travels to the region. You can search for ghost towns, take walking tours of historic communities like Calumet, imagine yourself on guard at Fort Mackinac or Fort Wilkins, or descend into the darkness of an old copper or iron mine. There are many discoveries that await on your journey into the past!

General, Social and Community History

A Most Superior Land: Life in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (1983) edited by Susan N. Pyle: This might be the most definitive collection of articles and essays about past life in the U.P. (and it's part of the Michigan Natural Resources Magazine "Michigan Heritage" collection).

Call It North Country: The Story of Upper Michigan (1944) by John Bartlow Martin: This social history of the UP has served as almost a "bible" in the summer camps of residents and visitors alike. It covers the people of the UP, from east to west and north to south.

Copper Country Journal: The Diary of Schoolmaster Henry Hobart, 1863-1864 (1991) edited by Philip P. Mason: Hobart taught in the town of Clifton, halfway between Houghton and Copper Harbor. His time in the UP was short, only these two years before returning to his home state of Vermont, but he recorded his life and thoughts during his Michigan stay in great detail.

History of the Finns in Michigan (2001) by Armas K.E. Holmio, Miners, Merchants and Midwives: Michigan's Upper Peninsula Italians (1987) by Russell M. Magnaghi, and The Long Winter Ends (1941) by Newton G. Thomas: Any historical tour of the UP includes a spotlight on the ethnic groups that played key roles in the area's settlement and development. The Holmio title is particularly thorough, not only covering the UP by county, but also highlighting the labor movement with which Finnish miners were associated. The Magnaghi book does the same for the Italians, though it's more "pocketbook" in length. And even though the Thomas title is filed under "Fiction," its focus on a young emigrant miner is a good portrait of the Cornish in the development of the copper mining industry along the Keweenaw Peninsula.

The U.P. Goes to War: Upper Michigan and Its Heroes in World War II (2006) by Larry Chabot: Tens of thousands of U.P. residents served in the military between the years of 1941 and 1945. However, Chabot focuses not only on them, but also "U.P. war industries, rationing, censorship, bond and scrap drives, overseas reunions, wartime sports, and the six U.P. confinement camps."

Pasties Pasties: We won't call this a "scholarly" entry, but the daily meal for many miners was the meat-and-potatoes pasty. Pasties remain popular today, not only locally but also among emigrants from the UP. Included on this website are notes and a brief history of pasties, along with a recipe.

Michigan Ghost Towns of the Upper Peninsula (1973) by R.L. Dodge: The nice thing about ghost towns is that not much changes in the intervening years since first publication. Dodge's UP collection is organized by county and offers some history about each site.

Copper Range Railroad Image Gallery: This webpage appears to be a labor of love of Kevin E. Musser, offering hundreds of photos related to the railroad that ran along the UP's Keweenaw Peninsula.

Mining and Lumbering

Cradle to Grave: Life, Work and Death at the Lake Superior Copper Mines (1991) by Larry Lankton: A thorough portrait of the rise and fall of the copper mining industry along the Keweenaw Peninsula—what the Detroit Free Press described as "a comprehensive business, social and ethnic history." Lankton's companion title, Beyond the Boundaries (1997), explores the settlement of the region between 1840 and 1875.

The Making of a Mining District: Keweenaw Native Copper 1500-1870 (1992) by David J. Krause: The focus of Krause's book generally precedes Lankton's Cradle to Grave, serving as another information source for what was to be "the first great mining boom in American history."

Rebels on the Range (1984) by Arthur W. Thurner: Thurner's coverage of the UP's copper industry focuses exclusively on the bitter strike of 1913-1914, including the Italian Hall tragedy on Christmas Eve. A musical account of the latter incident, "1913 Massacre," was written by Woody Guthrie. You can hear it on the tribute CD, 'Til We Outnumber 'Em.

Death's Door: The Truth Behind Michigan's Largest Mass Murder (2006) by Steve Lehto: Lehto focuses on the Italian Hall tragedy of the 1913-14 copper strike, countering inaccuracies such as people being trapped because doors to the hall opened inward. Death's Door was recognized by the Library of Michigan as a Michigan Notable Book for 2007.

Big Annie of Calumet: A True Story of the Industrial Revolution (1996) by Jerry Stanley: This book, available both in our adult and children's libraries, personalizes the copper strike of 1913-14 by focusing on Annie Clemenc, activist and wife of a striking miner.

Keweenaw Copper (2000, Videocassette): This video spotlights the impact of copper mining along the Keweenaw Peninsula, from prehistoric times and the earliest evidence of mining activity, to the boom years of the late 1800s and early 1900s, and even to the establishment of Keweenaw National Historical Park in 1992.

Flaming Brands (1990) by Kenneth D. LaFayette: This book covers iron making in the UP from 1848-1898, and furnaces ranging from St. Ignace and Newberry in the east, to Menominee and Iron River in the western part of the peninsula.

Fayette: Historic Townsite (2000) by Thomas G. Friggens, John R. Halsey and Maria Quinlan Lieby: The Lake Michigan harbor at Fayette, a former iron smelting community, makes it one of the state's most beautiful historic sites. This 48-page book features a walking tour of the park and its restored buildings. Also, don't overlook the Fayette Historic Townsite resources and visitor information on the website of Michigan's Department of History, Arts and Libraries.

Between the Iron and the Pine (1951) by Lewis C. Reimann: This is an account of the author's boyhood days in Iron River, covering not only iron mining and lumbering, but also "the fabulous saloons, red ore streets and the village life of that era." Meanwhile, children may like North to Iron Country (1996) by Janie Lynn Panagopoulos, the fictional story of a boy transported to the UP in the mid-1880s who must deliver the mail between Green Bay, Wisconsin and mining settlements near Marquette.

Michigan Gold Mining in the Upper Peninsula (1992) by Daniel Fountain: The UP's mining history generally focuses on copper and iron, but gold mining also existed in the area, especially near Ishpeming. Fountain's book highlights more than 75 gold mining ventures in the UP.

A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum (Michigan Tech, Houghton) and Michigan Iron Industry Museum (Negaunee): These museums are an integral part of the mining heritage of the UP. The Seaman Museum website includes an Online Photo Gallery of minerals of the UP.

Deep Woods Frontier (1989) by Theordore J. Karamanski: What Larry Lankton's two books do for copper mining in the Keweenaw Peninsula, Karamanski's Deep Woods Frontier does for the timber industry of the entire UP. It covers the evolution from pine, to hardwood, to pulp logging, including the social environment in which the industry grew.

Incredible Seney (1953) by Lewis C. Reimann: Once upon a time, Seney was a tough town, especially during the spring break-up of the more than a dozen lumbering camps in nearby forests. With chapters with titles like "P.T. Small and the Pot Hill Gang," you know this book contains a lot of folklore.

Life On, Near and Under the Water

Once Upon an Isle: The Story of Fishing Families on Isle Royale (1992) by Howard Sivertson: The author grew up as part of a fishing family on Isle Royale in the 1930's and 1940's. His stories are punctuated with marvelous illustrations. Also of possible interest is the children's fiction title, Charlotte Avery on Isle Royale (1995) by Rebecca S. Curtis. It's about a young girl who spends a year on the island in the 1870s.

Isle Royale Shipwrecks (1983), Keweenaw Shipwrecks (1988) and Munising Shipwrecks (1983) by Frederick Stonehouse: The author calls these "surveys of maritime accidents," and there were many along the Lake Superior shoreline of the UP and Isle Royale. Stonehouse also wrote The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald (1977), an account of the freighter that went down in 1975 near Whitefish Point. Gordon Lightfoot's musical tale of the same incident, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," is found on his CD, Gord's Gold: Volume II.

Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum: This museum is a tucked-away treasure of the eastern UP, located at Whitefish Point, and not far from where the Edmund Fitzgerald went down. The website includes a virtual tour.

Soo Locks: This webpage comes from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Soo Locks and the falls on the St. Mary's River are one of the primary tourist attractions of the eastern UP. Construction on the Locks began in 1854.

The Border at Sault Ste. Marie (1995) by Graeme S. Mount, John Abbott and Michael J. Mulloy: This title spotlights the "border culture" shared by the two Saults—Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario—divided only by the St. Mary's River and the Soo Locks. It begins with the War of 1812, then proceeds through the Prohibition Era, to more recent history.

The Grand Island Story (1987) by Beatrice Hanscom Castle: The best-known islands of the UP are Mackinac, Isle Royale and Drummond, but Grand Island, located near Munising, was a familiar place to explorers, missionaries and fur traders.

Mackinac Island

Mackinac Island is officially part of the Upper Peninsula. Many people may be aware that it was Michigan's first state park, but it was also a national park—the country's second, behind only Yosemite. The federal government turned it over to the state in 1895. Well before that, Mackinac Island was the site of the first battle of the War of 1812.

Historic Mackinac (1990-1991, Videocassette): This video spotlights the area known as the Straits of Mackinac, the "crossroads of the upper Great Lakes," from glacial times, to the missionaries of the 17th century, to the fur trade, fisheries and lumbering that followed, plus the parks that today include Mackinac Island.

Reveille Till Taps (1972) by Keith R. Widder, The Chaplain's Lady: Life and Love at Fort Mackinac (1987) by Edward Nicholas, plus Once on This Island (1995) by Gloria Whelan: Reveille Till Taps tells the story of soldiers' lives at this remote outpost, which closed as a military facility in 1895. Take a look at the chapter titled "Sick Call" for the story of Dr. William Beaumont and his inadvertent discoveries about the human digestive track. The Chaplain's Lady focuses on the everyday lives of John and Charlotte O'Brien at Fort Mackinac during the 1840's and 1850's. Meanwhile, Once on This Island is a children's fiction title about a young girl and her older brother and sister who tend the family farm on Mackinac Island while their father is away fighting the British during the War of 1812.

View From the Veranda: The History and Architecture of the Summer Cottages on Mackinac Island (1981) by Phil Porter and Historic Cottages of Mackinac Island (2001) by Susan Stites and Lea Ann Sterling: These are two marvelous histories of what people today might call "mini-mansions," but which in their own time served as vacation cottages for wealthy families from Detroit, Chicago and elsewhere. Both include many photographs--historic and contemporary.

Mackinac: The Gathering Place (1981) edited by Russell McKee: The Straits of Mackinac has always attracted a crowd, including its share of the "rich and famous." The heart of the region is Mackinac Island. The book offers splendid photographs, as might be expected of a Michigan Natural Resources Magazine publication. Another recommended title is Mackinac Island: Its History in Pictures (1973) by Eugene T. Peterson.

100 Years at Mackinac (1995) by David A. Armour: This "coffee table book" produced by the Mackinac Island State Park Commission offers a nice history of Mackinac Island through the years, and also includes information about park properties south of the Straits (Fort Michilimackinac and historic Mill Creek).

Grand Hotel: Mackinac Island (1987) by John McCabe: This is the story of the "Jewel of Mackinac Island," the Grand Hotel that opened in 1887 and is still a symbol of elegance today.

Travel Guides and Local Museums

Hunt's Guide to Michigan's Upper Peninsula (2001) by Mary Hoffman Hunt: "The best and only guide to the UP you need, bar none," wrote the Detroit Free Press, and with good reason. From the far west at Ironwood, to Drummond Island on the eastern end of the UP, this book covers historic sites; natural areas and waterfalls; beaches, shipwrecks and lighthouses; lodging and campgrounds; plus restaurants and ethnic foods. And it does it on a region-by-region, highway-by-highway basis. An Online Edition of the publication has been introduced.

Michigan's Upper Peninsula: This website is run by the Upper Peninsula Travel & Recreation Association, and its resources are extensive. Its travel and lodging information includes background on each of the UP's 15 counties.

Isle Royale National Park and Keweenaw National Historical Park: These two webpages are run by the National Park Service and offer much detail about each site and the services available. Isle Royale is one of the most remote national parks in the country, while Keweenaw was the second national park designed around an industrial site. The National Park Service website also spotlights Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, located near Munising.

Keweenaw County Historical Society, Houghton County Museum and Marquette County History Museum: Almost every museum website includes photographs, plus overviews of available exhibits.

Fiction About the UP

To describe the following entries as "historical" might be a stretch, but fiction about the UP can provide a "feel" for the region and its people. Of course, where there are mysteries, there are also murders, and we doubt that life on the peninsula is as dangerous as it appears in the imaginations of some writers!

Second Sight (1997) by Rickey Gard Diamond: The novel focuses on Gabrielle Bissonette, a hunter in the North Woods and in what was traditional male terroritory in the year in which it is set, 1973. The Midwest Book Review called the book "a tragedy, a thriller, a mystery and a psychological profile all rolled into one."

Cold (2001) by John Smolens: Norman Haas escapes from a prison work detail in Michigan's UP, takes temporary shelter at the home of a lonely, middle-aged woman, then launches a journey into his past to a web of family allegiances, deceptions and intrigue. Described by author Jim Harrison as "a style somewhere between Jack London and Raymond Chandler."

Anatomy of a Murder (1958) by Robert Traver: This is the popular novel that led to the motion picture of the same name (available as a DVD and Videocassette, with James Stewart and Lee Remick). Anatomy of a Murder is the story of a murder, a murder trial and some of the people who were involved in the proceedings. Robert Traver is the pen name of the late John Voelker, a former Michigan Supreme Court justice.

A Cold Day in Paradise (1998), Winter of the Wolf Moon (2000), The Hunting Wind (2001), North of Nowhere (2002), Blood Is the Sky (2003), Ice Run (2004) and A Stolen Season (2006) by Steve Hamilton: We hope the eastern UP isn't as dangerous a place as portrayed in Hamilton's series of novels featuring private investigator, Alex McKnight.

A Superior Death (1994) by Nevada Barr: Park ranger Anne Pigeon's tour of duty at Isle Royale National Park involves a turn-of-the-century shipwreck and a drowned diver. It's her second stop in Barr's series that takes the ranger-sleuth from one national park to another.

Escanaba in da Moonlight (2000, Videocassette and DVD): Escanaba was first a popular stageplay around Michigan, then it became a movie starring Jeff Daniels and Harve Presnell. Daniels wrote the screenplay and directed the film about five "Yoopers" and their escapades at a ramshackle camp on the eve of the opening day of deer season.

Somewhere in Time (1980, DVD): Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour star in the story of a young writer who sacrifices his life in the present to find happiness in the past. What better place to film this movie than Mackinac Island!

This Special Collection last updated on May 28, 2008.