Shelldrake, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shelldrake, Michigan
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Remnants of the tramway used for loading lumber on to ships in Whitefish Bay
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 Shelldrake, Michigan
Location in Michigan
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Chippewa |
| Township | Whitefish |
| Elevation | 607 ft (185 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
49768 (Paradise)
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| Area code(s) | 906 |
| GNIS feature ID | 637729 |
| Shelldrake, Michigan | |
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Historic marker along N. Whitefish Point Rd.
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| Designated | August 3, 1979 |
Shelldrake is a ghost town in Michigan, United States. It's located in Chippewa County, about 8 miles (13 km) south of Whitefish Point. The town sits right where the Shelldrake River meets Whitefish Bay.
Shelldrake is special because it's listed on Michigan's Historic Register. Long ago, before Europeans arrived, it was a Native American fishing village. Later, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, it became a busy town known for its sawmill during the big logging boom. But by the 1920s, fires and less logging caused the town to fade away. Today, Shelldrake is a privately owned ghost town with just a few old buildings left.
What's in a Name?
The name Shelldrake comes from the Ojibwa word Anzigo-ziibi. A Jesuit scholar named Father Gagnieur said this word means a type of duck called a "sheldrake" or "merganser."
Long ago, Shelldrake was a Native American fishing village. There's an old trail that went from Shelldrake to Vermilion Point. People believe Native Americans used this trail to find red ochre. This was a special red dirt they used to make paint.
Lumbering Days
Shelldrake became a busy place for cutting down trees, also known as lumbering. A famous local logger named Cornelius ("Con") Culhane helped move timber by train to Shelldrake. He was so good at it, people said he was like the legendary Paul Bunyan.
Con Culhane had a clever way to move his logging equipment. Instead of going through wet, swampy areas, he would move his whole train setup. He would pull up the tracks behind him and lay new ones in front!
In 1914, some scientists from the University of Michigan visited Shelldrake. They described it as a "typical small lumbering town." The Shelldrake Lumber Company owned most of the town. There was even a narrow train track that went several miles west from the town.
The Penoyer brothers started the first lumber business in Shelldrake in 1895. They built a sawmill, long docks, and a special tramway. This tramway was used to load cut lumber onto ships in Whitefish Bay. They owned a lot of pine trees near the Tahquamenon River.
Later, in 1899, a company called Calumet and Hecla bought the sawmill. They used the lumber for their copper mines. Then, in 1910, a Canadian company called Bartlett Brothers bought the business. Lumber continued to be milled in Shelldrake until 1925. That year, a fire destroyed the sawmill for the second time, and the town's lumbering days ended.
Life in the Settlement
By the late 1890s, Shelldrake was a modern town for its time. It had a sawmill and homes for the workers. These homes even had bathrooms! The town also had a hospital, a school, and a post office.
There was a large icehouse that could store enough meat to feed 1,000 people all winter. All the buildings were well-built and even had hot water piped in from the sawdust burner.
Getting around was easy too. A stagecoach traveled between Eckerman, Michigan and Shelldrake every day in the summer. In the winter, it ran three times a week. At one point, a passenger ship also sailed between Shelldrake and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
Shelldrake Today
Shelldrake was added to Michigan's Historic Register in 1979. A historic marker tells some of its story. It mentions a legend that Lewis Cass, a governor of Michigan, camped here in 1820. He was looking for the source of the Mississippi River.
The marker says Shelldrake was once a busy lumber town. It also says it's now a quiet resort and hunting spot. However, Shelldrake was sold to private owners in the 1930s and never really became a resort. Today, it remains a privately owned ghost town. You can still see a few old, weathered buildings there.
How to Visit
If you want to see Shelldrake, here's how to get there:
- Take M-123 to Paradise.
- At the intersection with Whitefish Point Road, go straight.
- Continue on Whitefish Point Road for about 3.7 miles (6 km).
- Turn right onto Superior Drive.
- Travel about 0.1 miles (0.16 km) to the first curve.
- Park your car and walk right (south) on the trail that crosses Superior Drive.
- Walk about 300 feet (91 m). The old buildings and the historic marker will be on your right, facing Whitefish Bay.
