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Hurley, Wisconsin
City
HurleyNorth.jpg
Location of Hurley in Iron County, Wisconsin.
Location of Hurley in Iron County, Wisconsin.
Country United States
State Wisconsin
County Iron
Area
 • Total 3.38 sq mi (8.76 km2)
 • Land 3.23 sq mi (8.37 km2)
 • Water 0.15 sq mi (0.39 km2)
Elevation
1,496 ft (456 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 1,558
 • Density 444.31/sq mi (171.56/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
Zip Code
54534
Area code(s) 715 & 534
FIPS code 55-36525
GNIS feature ID 1566822
Website https://cityofhurleywi.org

Hurley is a city in Iron County, Wisconsin, United States. It is the main city, or county seat, of Iron County. In 2020, about 1,558 people lived there. Hurley is right across the Montreal River from Ironwood, Michigan.

Exploring Hurley's Past

Hurley is located on the Montreal River. This river forms the border between Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The city was started to help both lumbermen (people who cut down trees) and miners. Hurley and a nearby town called Gile were known for lumber. Other towns like Montreal and Ironwood, Michigan were mining towns.

How Hurley Got Its Name

Hurley was named after M. A. Hurley. He was a well-known lawyer from Wausau. In 1884, he won a big lawsuit for a company called Northern Chief Iron Company. Instead of money, he asked for the town involved in the case to be named after him. For one year, the town was called "Glen Hurley." But in 1885, the "Glen" was dropped, and it became just Hurley.

Henry Meade was the first mayor of Hurley. John Ankers opened the first saloon. He also served as the first town clerk, justice of the peace, and fire chief.

Fires and Rebuilding

In 1888, the Gogebic Range Directory reported that Hurley had two big fires. The first was on June 28, and the second was on July 9. These fires destroyed almost all the businesses in the city. At first, people thought the fires would ruin the town. But the business owners were very determined. They quickly started building new, strong brick buildings. Because of this, the burned areas were rebuilt with brick and stone. This made them much safer from fire. Silver Street became a street that even much larger cities would be proud of.

Historic Places in Hurley

2009-0617-OldIronCtyCourthouse-Hurley
The Old Iron County Courthouse (now the Iron County Historical Museum) is a historic building.

The Iron Exchange Bank of Hurley was the oldest bank in the Gogebic Range area. It started on November 26, 1885. Dr. J.C. Reynolds and his brother, W. S. Reynolds, were key in starting the bank. Many important mining leaders were also involved. By 1925, the bank had survived all financial challenges.

The first place to buy meat in Hurley was Ilsey and Knox's meat market. It opened in 1885.

Hurley's first newspaper was the Montreal River Miner. It was first printed on October 8, 1885. In 1950, it joined with the Iron County News. The new paper was called the Iron County Miner, and it is still printed every week.

The first hotel in Hurley was a log building. It was on the corner of Second Avenue and Silver Street. James Guest was the first owner. It was a simple place but provided food and shelter for many early settlers and miners.

The Famous Burton House

BurtonHouse
The historic Burton House in Hurley.

The Burton House was a huge four-story hotel. It was a very popular meeting spot in the late 1800s. John E. Burton built the hotel in 1886. He was a mining investor who made his money from the iron mines. Later, he bought more mining interests in other countries.

The Burton Hotel had 100 rooms, a ballroom, a dining room, a café, and clubrooms. Everything was beautifully decorated with fine wood and furniture. The hotel cost $35,000 to build, and the furniture cost $10,000. Many famous people stayed at the Burton House. These included:

  • Benjamin Harrison, who visited in 1888 while running for president.
  • The actress Sarah Bernhardt.
  • The financier Colgate Hoyt.
  • The actor Edwin Booth.
  • The author and playwright Edna Ferber.
  • Grover Cleveland, who stayed there on October 5, 1889. He had already been president once and would be elected again in 1892.

Sadly, the Burton House burned down on February 2, 1947. An overheated stove in a meeting room caused the fire.

Mining in Hurley

Hurley and the towns around it were started because iron ore was discovered there. Iron ore is a rock from which iron can be extracted.

In 1965, the last mine in Hurley, called the Cary Mine, closed. After the mines closed, many people left the area. They often moved to factories in cities like Racine and Kenosha, Wisconsin. This caused the economy of Hurley to decline. Some former miners found jobs at the White Pine Copper Mine in Michigan. They would drive 60 miles each way to work.

Hurley's Location and Climate

Hurley is located at 46°27′1″N 90°11′23″W / 46.45028°N 90.18972°W / 46.45028; -90.18972.

The city covers about 3.58 square miles (8.76 square kilometers). Most of this is land, and a small part is water. It is across the state border and the Montreal River from Ironwood, Michigan.

Hurley's Weather

Hurley has a cool humid continental climate. This means it has long, cold winters and short, mild summers.

  • On average, the temperature drops below 32 °F (0 °C) for 192 days each year.
  • It gets colder than 0 °F (-17.8 °C) for about 40 days each year.
  • Hurley is one of the snowiest cities in the United States. It gets over 160 inches of snow every year!

People of Hurley

Historical population
Census Pop.
1900 2,440
1910 2,934 20.2%
1920 3,188 8.7%
1930 3,264 2.4%
1940 3,375 3.4%
1950 3,034 −10.1%
1960 2,763 −8.9%
1970 2,418 −12.5%
1980 2,015 −16.7%
1990 1,782 −11.6%
2000 1,818 2.0%
2010 1,547 −14.9%
2020 1,558 0.7%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2010, there were 1,547 people living in Hurley. Most residents (97.5%) were White. About 16.2% of the people were under 18 years old. The average age in the city was 49 years.

Learning and Faith

Gogebic Community College is a two-year college nearby in Ironwood, Michigan. It started in 1932 and has about 1,000 students.

The Hurley K-12 School is just outside Hurley. It was built in 1991. This school serves students from kindergarten through 12th grade from northern Iron County. About 550 students attend the school.

At different times, Hurley has had six Christian churches and one Jewish place of worship.

Getting Around Hurley

Roads

HurleyIronwoodborder
The border between Hurley, Wisconsin and Ironwood, Michigan.

Public Transport and Airport

Bus service is available from Indian Trails.

The Gogebic-Iron County Airport (KIWD) offers commercial flights.

Railroads

In the past, Hurley was served by two main train lines. The Chicago & North Western Flambeau Line ran between Chicago and Ashland. The Soo Line Railroad ran between Minneapolis and Bessemer.

Another line, the Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway, passed a few miles north of Hurley. This line went from Superior to Sault Ste Marie.

Media and Fun

WHRY-AM and WUPM-FM are the two local radio stations in Hurley. You can also listen to stations from Ironwood, Michigan.

Things to Do and See

  • The Iron Belle Trail starts in Hurley. This is a path for walking or biking. It follows old train tracks from Hurley to Ramsay, Michigan.
  • Hurley is close to many beautiful waterfalls.
  • The SISU Cross Country Ski Race happens every January in nearby Ironwood, Michigan.
  • The Paavo Nurmi Marathon is held in Hurley every August. It is one of the oldest marathons in the United States.

Hurley celebrates its Italian background at the annual Festivale de Italiano. This event takes place every Labor Day weekend.

The National Finnish American Festival Cultural Center (NFAF) is located near Hurley. They have events like Viola Turpeninen Day, which celebrates a famous Finnish-American musician. The NFAF museum is open from April to December.

Hurley is also known for its exciting ATV (All-terrain vehicle) rallies.

  • The Hurley ATV Rally is held on Memorial Day weekend.
  • A Pumpkin ATV rally is held in October.
  • The Red Light Snowmobile Rally is another popular event.

These rallies bring thousands of visitors to the area. In 2005, the Hurley ATV rally set a Guinness World Record for the largest ATV parade, with 687 ATVs!

Riccelli Park is in Hurley. It has picnic areas, playgrounds, and a pavilion for gatherings. The Felix Patritto baseball field is next to Riccelli Park.

Notable People from Hurley

  • Paul Alfonsi, a Wisconsin State Representative.
  • Karen Borca, a jazz bassoon player.
  • Len Calligaro, a football player.
  • Everis A. Hayes, a U.S. Representative from California.
  • Alvin O'Konski, a U.S. Representative.
  • Frank Rooney, a baseball player.
  • Robert (Bob) Sohl, an Olympic bronze medal-winning swimmer.
  • Joseph Sullivan, an FBI inspector who led a major investigation.

Images for kids

See also

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