Ironwood - Michigan's Upper Peninsula

<html> <head> <title>Ironwood - Michigan's Upper Peninsula</title> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1"> <META Pragma: No-Cache> <META name="Pragma" No-Cache> <META Cache-control: No-Cache> <META HTTP-EQUIV="expires" CONTENT="Wed, 26 Feb 1997 08:21:57 GMT"> <META name="description" content="Profile of Ironwood, with candid descriptions of attractions, recommended restaurants, lodgings, campgrounds."> <base href="http://hunts-upguide.com/"> <link href="/style.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> </head> <body bgcolor="#FFFFFF">  <script type="text/javascript"> var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-16592122-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); </script>  <center> <table width="100%" bgcolor="#F5F5D5" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 border=0> <tr> <td width="45%" colspan=2 height=82 bgcolor="#306799" valign="top"> <table width="100%" cellpadding=22 cellspacing=0 border=0> <tr> <td align="left" class="tinyfont"> We welcome your feedback & experiences.<br> <a class="whitelinkunderlined" target="_top" href="http://hunts-upguide.com/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/dehunt/feedback.pl">E-mail us</a> </b> </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td width="63%" height=82 bgcolor="#306799" align="center" valign="top"> <table cellpadding=22 cellspacing=0 border=0> <tr> <td align="center"> <img src="/images/online_words.gif" width=386 height=13 alt="The online version of the popular regional travel book""><br> <img src="images/1x1.gif" width=500 height=2 alt="---"><br> <nobr><font color="#FFFFFF" size="+2" face="Georgia,Times New Roman,Times"><b>Hunts' Guide to Michigan's UPPER PENINSULA</b></font></nobr><br> <img src="images/1x1.gif" width=500 height=7 alt="---"><br> <img src="/images/candid_words.gif" width=391 height=13 alt="A candid guide to enjoying and understanding the U.P."> </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td valign=top width="1%" bgcolor="#F5F5D5" rowspan=3>  <img src="images/1x1.gif" width=9 height=25 alt="|"></td> <td width="18%" rowspan=3 valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#99CCFF" cellpadding=6 width=160 height=209 style="border: 3px solid #000000; " > <tr> <td valign="top"> <B> JUST OUT!</B> A new edition of <I>Hunts' Mapguide to Michigan's Upper Peninsula</I>. Over 300 entries, all conveniently located on maps and chosen because we think they are the coolest things to do in the U.P. (No ad tie-ins!) Great choices for restaurants, hikes, shops, adventures, museums, boat trips, waterfalls, vistas, road trips, and much more! To learn more click <A HREF="http://www.hunts-upguide.com/up_travel_map.html">UP MAP GUIDE</a> </td> </tr> </table> <br> <p>  <a target="_top" href="http://www.wunderground.com/US/MI/Ironwood.html?bannertypeclick=bigtemptr"> <img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/bigtemptr_both/language/www/US/MI/Ironwood.gif" border=0 alt="Click for Ironwood, Michigan Forecast" height=94 width=185></a> <br> <img src="images/1x1.gif" width=20 height=3 alt="---"><br>  <center> <script type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script> </center> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan=5 width="100%" height=9> <img src="images/1x1.gif" width=790 height=9 alt="---"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="17%">  <table width="100%" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0> <tr> <td width="100%" valign="top">  <table width="100%" cellpadding=10 cellspacing=0 border=0 bgcolor="#306799"> <tr> <td valign="top" bgcolor="#306799"> <font face="Verdana,Arial,Helvetica" size="-2"> <b> <a class="sidebar" href="/" target="_top">Home</a><br> <img src="images/1x1.gif" width="85" height="5"><br> <a class="sidebar" href="ironwood___the_gogebic_range.html" target="_top">Back to Ironwood & the Gogebic Range</a> <img src="images/1x1.gif" width="85" height="20"><br> </b> </font> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="100%"> <table width="100%" border=0 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=10 bgcolor="#FFE09B"> <tr> <td align="left"> <img src="images/1x1.gif" width=100 height=10 alt="-"><br> <font face="Verdana,Arial,Helvetica" size="-1"> <center><font color="#C82F2C"><b>IRONWOOD<br>POINTS<BR>OF INTEREST</b></font><br> </center> <font color="#263692" size="-2"> <p> <a name="e130"><b>Little Girl's Point and vicinity.</b></a> On a high Lake Superior bluff, a tucked-away park with swimming beach, camping, boat launch, and long views to the Porcupine Mountains and Apostle Islands. ... <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/ironwood_little_girl_s_point_and_vicinity.html"><font color="#C82F2C">more</font></a> <p> <a name="e133"><b>Bald Mountain and Lake Superior Overlooks.</b></a> Little-known spots with nice views for motorists and mountain bikers ... <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/ironwood_bald_mountain_and_lake_superior_overlooks.html"><font color="#C82F2C">more</font></a> <p> <a name="e132"><b>Little Girl's Point Honey and gardens.</b></a> At two Dutch immigrants' honey shop, paths wind through colorful gardens to a duck pond. Chat with nonfiction author Amy Van Oyen and hear stories about moving from Grand Rapids with nine children. ... <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/ironwood_little_girl_s_point_honey_and_gardens.html"><font color="#C82F2C">more</font></a> <p> <a name="e134"><b>Superior Falls.</b></a> Little publicized, this thundering 40-foot waterfall in a deep gorge of the Montreal River settles into a quiet pool ... <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/ironwood_superior_falls.html"><font color="#C82F2C">more</font></a> <p> <a name="e1287"><b>Interstate Falls.</b></a> A couple miles northwest of Ironwood the wide Montreal River plunges 25 feet ... <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/ironwood_interstate_falls.html"><font color="#C82F2C">more</font></a> <p> <a name="e1295"><b>Saxon Falls.</b></a> One of Gogebic's outstanding waterfalls 12 miles north of Ironwood ... <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/ironwood_saxon_falls.html"><font color="#C82F2C">more</font></a> <p> <a name="e131"><b>Guided Kayak Excursions along Lake Superior.</b></a> Interesting shoreline trips for beginners and experienced kayakers alike give a fresh perspective of the region ... <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/ironwood_guided_kayak_excursions_along_lake_superior.html"><font color="#C82F2C">more</font></a> <p> <a name="e126"><b>Ottawa National Forest Supervisor's Office and Book Shop.</b></a> The place to get good individualized info on this vast forest (almost one million acres) dotted with lakes, rivers, wonderful waterfalls, stretching Champion, Baraga, and Iron River west to Ironwood. ... <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/ironwood_ottawa_national_forest_supervisor_s_office_and_book_shop.html"><font color="#C82F2C">more</font></a> <p> <a name="e120"><b>Mount Zion Scenic Overlook.</b></a> This rock overlook close to Ironwood gives a fine view of surrounding hills, forests, and farms ... <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/ironwood_mount_zion_scenic_overlook.html"><font color="#C82F2C">more</font></a> <p> <a name="e122"><b>Depot Antiques & Gifts.</b></a> In an old railroad warehouse, this unusually appealing shop offer a variety of items old and new, from gourmet foods to vintage toys ... <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/ironwood_depot_antiques___gifts.html"><font color="#C82F2C">more</font></a> <p> <a name="e121"><b>Nature's Picks Rock Shop.</b></a> Owned and run by a seasoned local rockhound, this shop carries rocks and minerals from all over. And you can get advice on where to look locally for interesting rocks ... <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/ironwood_nature_s_picks_rock_shop.html"><font color="#C82F2C">more</font></a> <p> <a name="e119"><b>Black Bear Sports.</b></a> A veteran guide runs this well-stocked outdoors shop, with fishing gear and good advice ... <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/ironwood_black_bear_sports.html"><font color="#C82F2C">more</font></a> <p> <a name="e114"><b>Central Ironwood.</b></a> Downtown is a shadow of itself during the mining and lumber booms. But visitors can find interesting spots, including the fabulous 1928 Ironwood Theater; the depot museum; a good quilt shop, antiques mall, and food co-op; impressive churches and Victorian homes; and good pizza, pasties, and Italian food. ... <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/ironwood_central_ironwood.html"><font color="#C82F2C">more</font></a> <p> <a name="e115"><b>Ironwood Memorial Building.</b></a> A lavish Beaux Arts civic building, recently restored, features stained glass, murals, original light fixtures, and interesting local history exhibits ... <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/ironwood_ironwood_memorial_building.html"><font color="#C82F2C">more</font></a> <p> <a name="e116"><b>Scenic back road to Ramsay.</b></a> A pleasant ride on a country lane through hills and overarching trees and a fine vista ... <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/ironwood_scenic_back_road_to_ramsay.html"><font color="#C82F2C">more</font></a> <p> <a name="e117"><b>World's Tallest Indian.</b></a> What did they do to pump up the economy when the mines gave out in the 1960s? Attract tourists by building an 8-ton, 53-foot-high Indian chief and calling him Hiawatha, the "World's Tallest Indian" (actually Maine has a taller one) ... <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/ironwood_world_s_tallest_indian.html"><font color="#C82F2C">more</font></a> <p> <a name="e118"><b>Norrie Park.</b></a> Picturesque 1920s park along the Montreal River with paths through wooded areas and meadows, a fine picnic spot with playground ... <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/ironwood_norrie_park.html"><font color="#C82F2C">more</font></a> <p> <a name="e127"><b>Mountain biking in Gogebic and Iron counties.</b></a> One of the country's great mountain biking regions, here's an overview of the vast number of trails in the area ... <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/ironwood_mountain_biking_in_gogebic_and_iron_counties.html"><font color="#C82F2C">more</font></a> <p> <a name="e129"><b>ABR Trails (Active Backwoods Retreat).</b></a> 600 acres of meticulously groomed ski trails with lodgings, a warming cabin, sauna, and ski shop ... <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/ironwood_abr_trails__active_backwoods_retreat_.html"><font color="#C82F2C">more</font></a> <p> <a name="e128"><b>Wolverine Nordic Trails.</b></a> Loops for serious cross-country skiers and mountain bikers from 3k to 7k ... <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/ironwood_wolverine_nordic_trails.html"><font color="#C82F2C">more</font></a> <p> <p>   </font> </td> </tr> </table>  </td> </tr> <tr> <td>   </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">  <script type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script> </td> </tr> </table>  </td> <td valign=top width="1%" bgcolor="#F5F5D5">  <img src="images/1x1.gif" width="9" height=500 alt="|"> </td> <td valign=top width="63%">  <table width="100%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 border=0> <tr> <td valign=top align=center bgcolor="#018650" colspan=2> <center> <img src="images/1x1.gif" width="30" height=8 alt="-"><br> <b><font color="#FFFFFF" face="Verdana,Arial,Helvetica" size="-1"><a class="whitelink" href="ironwood___the_gogebic_range.html" target="_top">Region: Ironwood & the Gogebic Range</a></font></b><br> <img src="images/1x1.gif" width="100%" height=3 alt="-"><br> <h1>IRONWOOD</h1> <img src="images/1x1.gif" width="30" height=8 alt="-"></center></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="63%">  <table width="100%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=8 border=0> <tr> <td align="left">  <font face="Georgia"> <img src="images/1x1.gif" width=15 height=6 alt="-"><br> <table align="right" cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 border=0 width=207> <tr> <td> <a href="ironwood_map.html" target="_top"><img src="http://hunts-upguide.com/photos/116.gif" width=207 height=250 alt="Ironwood minimap" border=0></a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <font face="Verdana,Arial,Helvetica" size="-2"> <a href="ironwood_map.html" target="_top"><b>Click to enlage</b></a> </font> </td> </tr> </table> Ironwood, the business and mining center of the Gogebic Iron Range, is a shadow of what it was in the 1930. Then the mines were going strong and the population was 14,300, third in the U.P. after Marquette and Escanaba. <br><br>The view from U.S. 2 gives no idea of the city's early development. To see the faded but still interesting heart of the city, go south on the north-south thoroughfares of Douglas/Bus. Route 2 or Hemlock. First come tidy neighborhoods of Arts and Crafts bungalows and colonial cottages, home to mid-level mining employees and local businesspeople. <br><center> <table cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 border=0 width=420> <tr> <td> <img src="http://hunts-upguide.com/photos/521.gif" width=420 height=193 alt="Downtown Ironwood" border=0> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <font face="Verdana,Arial,Helvetica" size="-2"> <b>While much of Ironwood's commercial activity has moved north to US 2, its downtown still has a variety of attractions.</b> </font> </td> </tr> </table> </center><p> Then come the railroad tracks, landmark depot, and downtown. The arrival of the Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western railroad in 1885 made it possible to exploit the iron resources here by connecting mines to the <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/munising_lake_superior.html" target="_top">Lake Superior</a> ore docks in Ashland, Wisconsin, 40 miles to the west. In fact, the railroad, which was first planned to go to Copper Country, platted the town. <br><br>Word of the high-grade iron deposits in the far western Upper Peninsula had spread fast, and eager investors were already sinking shafts. Frederick Rhinelander, MLS&W president, arrived on the first train and asked to know the place's name. None had been decided. Just then, so the story goes, mining engineer James Wood, one of the more knowledgeable men on the range, was walking down from the Norrie Mine. "That's the name!," Rhinelander said. "Iron-Wood!" On the very same train was Solomon Curry, one of the range's successful early investors. His grand house can still be seen at 631 East McLeod at Day, east of downtown Ironwood. <br><br>Once the railroad was in place, the area's timber could be harvested and shipped. (Without a major river or harbor, it hadn't been logged earlier.) <br>Today <b>downtown Ironwood</b> today along Aurora Street is stamped by the boxy, trim buildings of the 1920s. Most notable are the elegant terra cotta storefronts and facade of the Ironwood Theatre building. Its neoclassical style architecturally reflects the restrained respectability promoted by the main employer, the Oliver Mining Company division of U.S. Steel. So do the stately churches up the hill northeast of downtown, the magnificent Memorial Building, and the L.L. Wright High School a bit further east on Ayer. (It was a whole different matter in Hurley, the wild and notorious un-company town just over the Michigan state line in Wisconsin not half a mile away. Since Hurley's beginning, taverns had dominated downtown.)<br><br>A few elaborate <b>Queen Anne mansions</b> remain from the Ironwood's earlier era, before consolidation under Carnegie and Rockefeller, when individuals had struck it rich in mining. These houses are east of the churches along McLeod (the street just south of Aurora); look for the historic marker by the Curry House. <br><br>Just south of downtown stretches a long, vacant space: the <b>caving ground</b> that occurred early in the 1890s, caused by unsupported excavation and naive mining techniques. A local history buff calls this "a wound that literally cut the city in half." It also marks the <b>social divide</b> between the middle-class town to the north and the workaday mining locations to the south. The most visible location is the Norrie Location beyond the World's Largest Indian at the east end of Suffolk (the eastern extension of Business Route 2). <br><br>Each <b>location</b> was a miners' neighborhood clustered around a mine shaft, isolated from each other by piles of waste. While the Gogebic Range remained productive, a string of mine shaft houses and locations extended along the ridge from Ironwood to Bessemer and Wakefield. <br clear="all"> <hr> <center> <script type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script> </center> <hr> <p align="right"><a href="ironwood___the_gogebic_range.html" target="_top">Back to Ironwood & the Gogebic Range</a></p> </font> </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td width="37%" valign="top"> <table width="100%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=8 border=0> <tr> <td height="4" width="37%">  <img src="images/1x1.gif" width=15 height=1 alt="-"></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" align="center" bgcolor="#C7302D" width="37%">  <font face="Verdana,Arial,Helvetica" color="#FFFFFF"> <b> <img src="images/1x1.gif" width=15 height=8 alt="-"><br> <font size="-1"> IRONWOOD<br> RESTAURANTS,<br> LODGINGS<br> & CAMPGROUNDS </font> <br><img src="images/1x1.gif" width=15 height=6 alt="-"><br> <font size="-2">These are our choices, not ads.</font><br> <img src="images/1x1.gif" width=15 height=8 alt="-"><br> </b> </font> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign=top bgcolor="#FFE09B" width="37%">  <img src="images/1x1.gif" width=15 height=9 alt="-"><br> <font face="Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"> <center><font size="-1" color="#C82F2C"><b>IRONWOOD<br>RESTAURANTS</b></font></center> <br> <font size="-2"> We've selected seven places to eat around Ironwood:<br>• Don & GG's, a standout because of its fresh ingredients and warm, cozy atmosphere<br>• Elk & Hound: good food in a hilltop country club setting<br>• Joe's Pasty Shop enjoys a huge reputation for its pasties<br>• Manny's has good homemade ravioli and lasagna<br>• Tacconelli's Town House is a local favorite due to its pork ribs and Italian dishes like homemade gnocci<br>• Pines Cafe is a terrific diner with homemade lunch specials<br>• Bake's Coffee Cabin isn't a restaurant but a fun coffee house <p> For full write-ups of our recommended restaurants, click <a href="ironwood_restaurants.html">here</a>. </font> </font> </td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CDCCAD" valign="top"> <font face="Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"> <img src="images/1x1.gif" width=15 height=9 alt="-"><br> <center><font size="-1" color="#C82F2C"><b>IRONWOOD<br>LODGINGS</b></font></center> <br> <font size="-2"> We recommend five lodgings in the Ironwood area:<br>• AmericInn Motel & Suites, 49 comfortabe, almost luxurious rooms for under $80<br>• Classic Motor Inn/Sandpiper Motel, a well-run family motel in a good location<br>• Comfort Inn has a pleasant pool and deluxe continental breakfast<br>• Crestview Motel, an older single-story motel with its 12 rooms decorated like a B&B<br>• Royal Motel, an inexpensive place with an outside sitting area <p> For full write-ups of our recommended lodgings, click <a href="ironwood_lodgings.html">here</a>. </font> </font> </td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#B6DBA4" valign="top"> <font face="Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"> <img src="images/1x1.gif" width=15 height=9 alt="-"><br> <center><font size="-1" color="#C82F2C"><b>IRONWOOD<br>CAMPGROUNDS</b></font></center> <br> <font size="-2"> <a name="e148"><b>LITTLE GIRL'S POINT COUNTY PARK</b></a><br> (906) 667-0411 <br><img src="images/1x1.gif" width=15 height=5 alt="-"><br> in season. Reserve early! Off-season reservations: (906) 663-4687. 5-day minimum. <br>One of the area's truly tucked-away jewels is this simple park: a long stretch of sandy <b>beach</b> on <a href="http://hunts-upguide.com/munising_lake_superior.html" target="_top">Lake Superior</a> and a grassy bluff with a spectacular view above it. The campground, <b>playground</b>, and pavilion are on the bluff. It's a rustic campground (no showers, potable water available only at a central tank) that's just been upgraded with electricity (no 50 amp). The 32 sites ($12/day for nonresidents in 2004) are used mostly by RVs. There are three non-electric sites. Campsites are in a grassy, partly shady area, with no screening between neighbors. Some directly overlook the lake. Thanks to recent upgrades, reservations are now advised. A caretaker stays on the site. <br><img src="images/1x1.gif" width=15 height=5 alt="-"><br> <i>About 12 minutes northwest of Ironwood via Hemlock/Vanderhagen Rd, which becomes CR 505. From U.S. 2 on the west side of town, turn north onto Hemlock at the corner where Auto Body Glass is. Open from early May through September. Handicap access: call. Dogs: on 6-foot leash</i> <p> <a name="e149"><b>SAXON HARBOR COUNTY PARK</b></a><br> (715) 892-2242 <br><img src="images/1x1.gif" width=15 height=5 alt="-"><br> . See Hurley camping. <p> </font> </font> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table>  </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan=5 align="center">  <br> <center> <font size="+1" color="#454545" face="Verdana,Arial,Helvetica">Copyright © 2010 Midwestern Guides</font> </center> </td> </tr> </table> </center> </body> </html>