Winona, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Winona, Michigan
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 Winona, Michigan
Location in Michigan
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Houghton |
| Township | Elm River |
| Elevation | 1,276 ft (389 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
49965 (Toivola)
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| Area code(s) | 906 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1622185 |
Winona, Michigan is a small, quiet place in Elm River Township within Houghton County, Michigan. It's known as an unincorporated community, which means it's not officially a city or town with its own local government. Winona is also considered a ghost town today, but it used to be a busy "boomtown."
A boomtown is a place that grows very quickly, often because of a sudden discovery like gold or, in Winona's case, copper. In 1920, over 1,000 people lived here! But now, only about 13 people call Winona home. It's located about 33 miles south of the city of Houghton, right off M-26.
When Winona was a busy boomtown, it had many things people needed. There were restaurants, a brewery, and even sports teams. The community also had churches, places for people to stay (called boarding houses), a train station, a saloon, and stores. People walked on boardwalks, and there was a school for kids. The town was divided into five neighborhoods, and there was a dance hall and a barber shop. Today, only a school, a church, and a few houses are still standing.
Contents
The Rise and Fall of Winona
Winona's story began because of copper. In 1864, two mining companies started: the Winona Mining Company and the King Philip Mining Company. They dug deep holes, called shafts, into the ground where Native Americans had mined copper long ago. The town of Winona grew up around these mines.
The Winona Mine's Importance
The Winona Mine was the bigger of the two. It had four different shafts, which are like giant elevators going down into the earth. Over 13 years, this mine produced more than 16 million pounds of pure copper! This made it very important for both its size and the amount of money it made.
How the Mines Combined
In 1911, the Winona Mining Company bought the King Philip Mine. This meant the King Philip Mine became part of the larger Winona Mine. The combined mine kept producing copper for a few more years.
Why the Mines Closed
Sadly, the Winona Mine closed in 1923. This happened because the price of copper dropped, and people didn't need as much of it anymore. When the mine closed, most people left Winona to find work elsewhere, turning the busy boomtown into the quiet ghost town it is today.
