McLain State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids F.J. McLain State Park |
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IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
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 F.J. McLain State Park
Location in Michigan
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| Location | Hancock Township, Houghton County, Michigan, United States |
| Nearest city | Calumet, Michigan |
| Area | 443 acres (179 ha) |
| Elevation | 620 feet (190 m) |
| Designation | Michigan state park |
| Established | 1930 |
| Named for | Frederick J. McLain |
| Administrator | Michigan Department of Natural Resources |
| Website | McLain State Park |
F.J. McLain State Park is a cool place to visit in Michigan! It's a big park, about 443 acres (179 hectares), located on the Keweenaw Peninsula. This park is in Houghton County, Michigan, and sits right between the towns of Hancock and Calumet. It's about 10 miles (16 km) from each town. From the park, you can see amazing sunsets over Lake Superior. You can also spot the Keweenaw Waterway Upper Entrance Light, which is a lighthouse with a special art deco style.
Park History
This park is named after Frederick J. McLain. He was a county commissioner in Houghton County. Mr. McLain was very important in helping get the land for the park in the 1930s.
Most of the park's buildings and areas were built by workers from the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The WPA was a government program that helped people find jobs during a tough economic time. In 1965, a new entrance and visitor station were built after the main road, M-203, was moved.
Fun Things to Do
While most of the shoreline at McLain State Park is rocky, there's a special spot called "the Breakwaters." This area is near the Keweenaw Waterway at the park's south end. Here, you'll find a sandy beach that's perfect for swimming!
The park offers many other fun activities too. You can go fishing, have a picnic, or explore the hiking trails. In the winter, these trails are great for cross-country skiing. The park also has places for camping and cabins you can rent.
Each fall, Michigan Technological University has a special event called "K-Day" (or "Keweenaw Day"). They cancel afternoon classes so students and teachers can spend the day having fun at McLain State Park!
You might notice that the park's name is spelled differently sometimes. On road signs and in local papers, you might see "McLain," "MacLain," or "McClain." Locals often just call it "McLain's."
