Traveling through Michigan - Part 2

This morning we headed out to explore the upper most part of Michigan taking highway 28 and catching highway 41 to Copper Harbor. Other than seeing the lighthouse at the tip of the peninsula, we really have no plans except to tour at our own pace and stop when we want to.

Well, this turned out to be quite a surprise. We stopped in the downtown historic district of Calumet, Michigan located on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Calumet, also known as Red Jacket, was once at the center of the copper mining industry and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Calumet and Hecla Mining Company, located in the district, produced over one-half of the nation's total copper during those years.

While searching for somewhere to stop for lunch, we found ourselves having an unforgettable lunch at the historic Michigan House Cafe & Red Jacket Brewing Company. Now known as The Michigan House Cafe & Brewpub (for history go to www.michiganhousecafe.com)featuring 75 different brews and signature vintage classic stout brewed in house by Red Jacket Brewing Company. The Michigan House Hotel has occupied this corner of 6th and Oak since at least 1895 according to newspaper records at the time. The Milwaukee Associated Artists painted a large ceiling mural above the backbar in 1906. Hand pieced Italian tile floors and a large ornate fireplace in what was once the “Men’s Smoking Room”. The original bar was a "standing" bar and did not have bar stools.

One of the stories of the "Michigan House" was told by Jack Foster who worked there in 1927 as a hotel clerk. Part of Jack's duties was going down to the train depot (two blocks away on Oak Street) twice a day to pick up hotel guests or drop them off. He would take the hotel horse and buggy to the station. He received $1.00 a day for his work here.

After exploring the history of Calumet, we met a couple that told us to be sure to take the scenic pass over the mountain (only a higher level of ground, not to be confused with the rocky mountains we are use to) to Copper Harbor. It was very pretty lined with trees that I'm sure would be breath-taking in the Fall.

We were surprised to see that highway 41 actually begins at the tip and goes as far south as Florida.

The lighthouse was only a slight disappointment because I thought we could actually get to it but we could only see it from the bay. I didn't know that this is where the historic shipwreck of Lake Superior happened. The John Jacob Astor was used extensively to supply the early outposts around Lake Superior and brought many miners and missionaries to the Lake Superior country. She was the first American commercial vessel to sail Lake Superior. On September 21, 1844, the Astor had just finished unloading supplies consigned to the troops at nearby Fort Wilkins, when a change in wind direction prevented the brig from getting underway. A gale arose and caused the Astor to drag her anchor. She eventually blew up on the rocks near the Fort Wilkins dock.

John Jacob Astor historic shipwreck on Lake Superior

We took the scenic M-28 along the other side of the UP, as the locals call it. We drove as far as Van Riper State Park on Lake Michigamme, 31 miles west of Marquette, 17 miles west of Ishpeming, and about 2 miles west of Champion on U.S. 41/M-28.