Station: Matchwood, MI

Matchwood was settled about 1888 by the Diamond Match Company. They established logging camps here and harvested pine trees here to produce matches. [MPN]

This was a station on the Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic railroad about 10 miles east of Bergland and Lake Gogebic.

Notes

Time Line

1891. A typhoid fever patient related a most pitiful tale. He was a teamster in a lumber camp and left last week to go to Marquette, as he was suffering from typhoid fever. He stopped at Matchwood to catch the early train and while there he was robbed of all the cash he had, some $47, and a certificate of deposit for $20. He started back to the camp to borrow sufficient money to continue his journey to Marquette, but on the way became delirious and wandered around the woods four or five days when he was found by some lumbermen who sent him to Marquette. Matchwood must be a tough hole if it allows typhoid fever patients to be robbed without making an effort to punish the offenders. [LAS-1891-1024]

1893. The town was nearly wiped out by a forest fire but was rebuilt. A similar forest fire hit the town in 1906. [MPN]

1894. Mr. Clumpner, formerly agent at Matchwood for the DSS&A arrived here (Ewen) from Iron River, and was checked in as agent at Matchwood again, that place having had no agent since the fire. The people are greatly rejoiced as it has been a great inconvenience to them, and also to the Diamond March Co., without an agent. [LAS-1894-0120]

Industry

• Diamond Match Company.
• Pine lumber mill located here in the late 1880s. [DSS]