EXPLORING THE UPPER PENINSULA

 Today we took a drive to a restored 19th century town.  Fayette was a company town; the business was pig iron.  At the time the town was booming, there were 500 people living in this little cove and working the charcoal kilns and iron smelter.

This is a replica charcoal kiln, built with bricks from the originals

An original smelter for extracting the pig iron from the iron ore.

Iron ore left at the sight

Like all company towns in the 1800's, the mine owned the store, the hotel, the work shops and all of the homes.  This particular company along with the iron smelter had a limestone quarry that they prepared the limestone for the smelter from, hardwood forests that they cut the wood for charcoal from, and the black smith and the machinist worked for the company.  The whole economic and social system was a product of the company.  This town thrived for about 20 years and then the need for their pig iron dwindled and the town was abandoned.  

It was a fine autumn day.  We enjoyed the fresh air, the views of Lake Michigan and our lessons in history from Fayette Township!