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BARAGA
POINTS
OF
INTEREST
Baraga State Park. A great place for a pleasant break from one's trip along U.S. 41, at the beach with picnic area and bathhouse on Keweenaw Bay—or on an interesting 3/4 mile trail along old beach ridges and past a beaver pond, away from highway noi ...
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Ojibwa Recreation Area
Many Keweenaw residents are familiar with the side of the recreation area that's under the pines, where the popular POWWOW or Maawanji-iding (906-353-6623) is held on the last full weekend in July. It attracts Native Americans from near and far. For outsiders, it's a wonderful window on a living culture.
The Powwow has Grand Entry processions, drumming and open dancing, plus crafts, recordings, books, and other merchandise and food booths. At some powwows elsewhere, dance competitions overwhelm the community aspect of the get-together, but not here. There's only one small dance competition, and several dance segments where all ages, male and female, dance together. Grand Entires and dances are held at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and at 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
At Powwows it is interesting to see the diversity among self-described Native Americans, and to see the bumper stickers in the parking lot. For instance, "Alcohol is not traditional," "I was Indian before Indian was cool," and "The BIA [Bureau of Indian Affairs] hates competition."
In the Powwow part of the Ojibwa Recreation Area is a little bay where motocross events are held. On the other side of the recreation area, the right-hand drive leads to the newish It's an open area right on the bay, with a very good view and a wonderful sense of being surrounded by water.
The drive to the campground entrance continues farther and ends at the SAND POINT LIGHTHOUSE. Built in 1878, it has been acquired by the tribe. It's a trim brick lighthouse with a square tower. Now, after many years, it can be seen from land without trespassing. It is not now open to the public.
Baraga County Historical Society Museum. Picnic area with a grand bay view. Seasonal museum with interesting artifacts, photos, and books on area Ojibwa, Father Baraga, English/Ojibwa town founders stranded by an early winter storm. logging, railroads, Arvon slate, Finnish homesteads, James Oliver Curwood, Pettibone Cary-Lift. ...
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Baraga State Park
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Baraga State Park
Travelers can take an easy break here, right off U.S. 41, at the picnic area and bathhouse on Keweenaw Bay, across the highway from the campground. Or, from the campground, they can take an interesting 3/4 mile trail along old beach ridges and past a beaver pond, away from highway noise. Eagles and herons are sometimes seen looking for fish. Summer Explorer nature programs for families are from early June into mid to late August, Tuesday through Saturday, mostly afternoon and evenings. Call for upcoming programs and for Christmas in July and Harvest Festival events.
This small, 56-acre state park was the first in the Upper Peninsula, purchased in 1921 and opened a year later. The stone restroom building in the picnic area is a WPA project, built under the supervision of Albert "Chink" Wallin. He managed the park from 1937 to 1974, almost 40 years. He still stops by often in season, at the age of 101. During their long tenure, he and assistant manager Ray Kangas built picnic tables, rustic doors, and more, by hand, for parks across the U.P.
In the 1930s the park acquired additional land, some of it quite wet. Park crews moved fill dirt to create the campground's south end — also by hand! (—May, 2008)
On U.S. 41, 1 1/4 miles south of M-38 in Baraga or 2 1/2 miles west of L'Anse. (906) 353-6558. State park sticker required: $6/day residents, $8/day for others, or $24 and $29/year. Wheelchair access: not ADA accessible, but it works for most. Dogs allowed on six-foot leash.
Return to Baraga
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