Negaunee Winter Scene

Michigan is truly a winter state. The snow brings much beauty and allows us to enjoy seasonal activities such as skiing, ice skating and snowmobiling. Of course, along with this comes some occasional extra work.

This month's photo depicts Negaunee's Iron Street on March 13, 1899. These men have partially completed a Herculean shoveling task! You can see the "J. Trathen Saloon" in the background, so perhaps that was their eventual stop.

Negaunee, located in Marquette County, is a renowned Upper Peninsula mining town. According to Walter Romig's book Michigan Place Names (Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1986), the Jackson Iron Company first settled the town in 1846. It was given a post office in 1858. It incorporated as a village in 1865 and as a city in 1873. Romig also notes that "Negaunee" is a Chippewa word meaning "pioneer." The 2003-2004 Michigan Department of Transportation map provides a recent population figure of 4,576.

This month's photo originates with the Theodore G. Hall Collection (MS 77-31), housed within the Archives of Michigan. This collection contains over 250 photographs. All date between 1890 and 1910 and depict scenes from Michigan's Upper Peninsula!

The Archives of Michigan also houses the Jackson Iron Company Collection (MS 76-91). This collection of materials (dating from 1866 to 1914) includes records, journals, ledgers and other records of the Jackson Iron Company, which founded Negaunee.

Those who wish to experience Negaunee's history up close are encouraged to visit the Iron Industry Museum. This is located in Negaunee and part of the Michigan Historical Museum System. Click here to visit the Iron Industry Museum web site (http://www.michigan.gov/ironindustrymuseum) . For more information on the Michigan Historical Museum System, please click here.

Finally, Michigan History magazine has published two collector's issues of note. The "Unique U.P." issue (November/December 2001) highlights Michigan's Upper Peninsula, while "150 Years of Michigan Iron" (November/December 1994) specifically examines the U.P.'s iron industry. For information on these and other special issues, please click here. For general information on the magazine, please click here to go to the Michigan History home page.

-Bob Garrett, Archivist
E-mail: garrettr1@michigan.gov

Click Archives of Michigan to visit the Archives of Michigan home page.

Click Image of the Month Archives for other archived image pages.

Archives of Michigan
Michigan Library and Historical Center
702 W. Kalamazoo Street
Lansing, MI 48913
Phone: (517) 373-1408
E-mail: archives@michigan.gov

This page was the Archives of Michigan Image of the Month page for January, 2006.

Updated 05/18/06

Michigan Historical Center, Department of History, Arts and Libraries
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