County: Iron (36)

Iron County, Michigan was established in 1885. The county was named for the valuable iron ore found within its borders. The county was formed from territory that was partitioned from Marquette and Menominee counties.
 
Iron ore prospectors began to venture into the wilderness of the Iron County area in 1875. Exploratory work was confined to the river valleys, where the mantle of glacial deposits was thin, and where outcrops of ore were moved frequent.
 
People mostly came to Iron County for the mining and logging, which were the two primary economic drivers for the area. [GGPT] + others.
 
Iron County has two cities of similar size, Crystal Falls (the county seat) and Iron River.

Created from: Marquette and Menominee counties.

Boundary finalized: 1885.

Population: 1900 = 8,990  |  2000 = 13,138  |  Highest: 22,107 in 1920.


 

Bibliography

The following sources are utilized in this website. [SOURCE-YEAR-MMDD-PG]:

  • [AAB| = All Aboard!, by Willis Dunbar, Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids ©1969.
  • [AAN] = Alpena Argus newspaper.
  • [AARQJ] = American Association of Railroads Quiz Jr. pamphlet. © 1956
  • [AATHA] = Ann Arbor Railroad Technical and Historical Association newsletter "The Double A"
  • [AB] = Information provided at Michigan History Conference from Andrew Bailey, Port Huron, MI

Contact Us

Invalid Input

Invalid Input

Invalid Input

Invalid Input

Invalid Input

Invalid Input

 
Email: webmaster@michiganrailroads.com

Social