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Hunts' Guide to Michigan's UPPER PENINSULA

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IRONWOOD
POINTS
OF INTEREST

Little Girl's Point and vicinity. 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. ... more

Bald Mountain and Lake Superior Overlooks. Little-known spots with nice views for motorists and mountain bikers ... more

Little Girl's Point Honey and gardens. 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. ... more

Superior Falls. Little publicized, this thundering 40-foot waterfall in a deep gorge of the Montreal River settles into a quiet pool ... more

Interstate Falls. A couple miles northwest of Ironwood the wide Montreal River plunges 25 feet ... more

Saxon Falls. One of Gogebic's outstanding waterfalls 12 miles north of Ironwood ... more

Guided Kayak Excursions along Lake Superior. Interesting shoreline trips for beginners and experienced kayakers alike give a fresh perspective of the region ... more

Ottawa National Forest Supervisor's Office and Book Shop. 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. ... more

Mount Zion Scenic Overlook. This rock overlook close to Ironwood gives a fine view of surrounding hills, forests, and farms ... more

Depot Antiques & Gifts. In an old railroad warehouse, this unusually appealing shop offer a variety of items old and new, from gourmet foods to vintage toys ... more

Nature's Picks Rock Shop. 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 ... more

Black Bear Sports. A veteran guide runs this well-stocked outdoors shop, with fishing gear and good advice ... more

Central Ironwood. 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. ... more

Ironwood Memorial Building. A lavish Beaux Arts civic building, recently restored, features stained glass, murals, original light fixtures, and interesting local history exhibits ... more

Scenic back road to Ramsay. A pleasant ride on a country lane through hills and overarching trees and a fine vista ... more

World's Tallest Indian. 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) ... more

Norrie Park. Picturesque 1920s park along the Montreal River with paths through wooded areas and meadows, a fine picnic spot with playground ... more

Mountain biking in Gogebic and Iron counties. One of the country's great mountain biking regions, here's an overview of the vast number of trails in the area ... more

ABR Trails (Active Backwoods Retreat). 600 acres of meticulously groomed ski trails with lodgings, a warming cabin, sauna, and ski shop ... more

Wolverine Nordic Trails. Loops for serious cross-country skiers and mountain bikers from 3k to 7k ... more

IRONWOOD

Little Girl's Point Honey and gardens

Visitors are welcome to walk through the gardens and see the ducks and geese on the pond. The Van Oyens sell their own honey, beeswax candles, and their daughter's pottery.

An interesting stop just east of Little Girl's Point is Amy and Claude Van Oyen's honey shop. The Van Oyens immigrated from The Netherlands in 1951. After spending many vacations camping in the forest here, they moved from Grand Rapids in 1978. The Van Oyens lived simply but gardened big-time and got into honey to help send four children to college at once.

Today they still welcome visitors to walk the paths through the colorful gardens of their miniature estate. Children will enjoy its picture-book look and the ducks and geese on the sunny pond. A glass-sided demonstration beehive on the deck by the house lets visitors see bees at work. Amy gives classes about bees to schools and groups.

Today their little home-based shop offers honey, beeswax candles (they burn longer), and Amy's six popular books, compilations of stories about their life in the Upper Peninsula. A few examples of Claude's wood carvings are around. You can still buy honey even if no one's home. It's in the wishing well, sold on the honor system.

Amy would never have thought to write books, she says, if it weren't for Cully Gage. (That's the pen name of the late speech therapist Charles Van Riper of Western Michigan University.) He wrote the beloved Northwards Readers, drawn from stories he heard growing up in Champion, a mining and lumbering village between Marquette and Michigamme.

Cully Gage found the story of the Van Oyens' lives so interesting that he pushed and helped and criticized until Amy had produced several stories for Above the Bridge magazine. By then she was well on her way to finishing her first book, Live It U.P., about how their large city family (four natural children and five Korean adoptees) adjusted to northwoods life.

If someone's home, knock on the door and you'll be invited in for coffee. You're sure to learn lots. "I'm always giving lectures," laughs Amy, "- planned and unplanned. We've made many friends over coffee." At least three other couples have emulated the Van Oyens' retirement lifestyle.

North off CR 505, 10 miles north of U.S. 2 and 5 1/2 miles east of Little Girl's Point. See directions to point. Look for the carved black bear by an old-fashioned beehive. Take driveway north about 1/2 mile. (906) 932-4798. Stop by any time. Call ahead if you want to be sure the shop is open. Wheelchair access: a little assistance is needed.

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