Michigan Iron Industry Museum facts for kids
The Michigan Iron Industry Museum is a cool place to learn about the history of iron mining in Michigan! It's part of the Michigan History Museum family and focuses on the amazing story of the Marquette Iron Range in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
This museum is located in Negaunee, a town that was built right on top of where lots of iron ore was found. For a long time, Negaunee was mostly about mining iron ore. This area was super important for iron production in the United States from about 1880 to 1900. After that, other places like Minnesota's Mesabi Iron Range became the main producers. The Michigan Iron Industry Museum first opened its doors in 1987. It's located near the Carp River Forge, which is where Michigan's iron ore was first shaped into metal way back in 1848!
Discover the Michigan Iron Industry Museum
Visiting the museum is free, which is awesome! It's open all year round, so you can explore it whenever you like.
Explore the Iron Ore Heritage Trail
The museum is also a key spot for the Iron Ore Heritage Trail. This is a fantastic trail that's about 47-mile (76 km) long. You can bike or hike along it and see many important historical and natural sites related to the Marquette Iron Range. It's a great way to learn more about the area's past and its geology!
