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Caretakers of the past, stewards of the future.
Central Ghost Town
(Photo: The Visitor Center has many interesting exhibits and a video explaining the history of Central mine.) Several miners' homes and buildings still stand on the site. In 1996, the Keweenaw County Historical Society acquired 38 acres of the old Central site. Some of the residences are being restored, and a Visitors Center provides interpretive exhibits not only about the mine but also about the miners' families, homes, schools and churches. The KCHS has been restoring the buildings at Central. In 2017 they began renting House #8, an old miners house, for weekly rentals to raise income to continue this restoration process. Please see the Rental Tab on the menu above for rental information as well as a slideshow of the inside of the house.
(Photo: The kitchen of House 61 displays many of the devices one used at Central.) The Miner's Home rental offers a unique opportunity to immerse oneself even further into the town's history by actually living in a restored miner's house. Descendants of Central mining families gather each year, on the last Sunday in July, at the old Methodist Episcopal Church for the Central Reunion. The church, erected in 1868, with its distinctive battlemented tower reflecting the Cornish ancestry of many Central families, closed in 1903. It is reopened on each Reunion Sunday for a service of tribute to the hardy pioneers of all faiths from all the early copper mines that dotted Keweenaw County.
(Photo: We have a group of Master gardeners who maintain the Memorial Garden at Central.)
Hours- 9am to 5pm daily Admission- There is no admission fee for this museum, however, a donation is appreciated. Location- The Central Mine Visitor's Center, shown above, is about 5 miles northeast of Phoenix, just north of the intersection of US 41 and the Central-Gratiot Lake Roads intersection. The street address is 7143 Central Road, Phoenix, MI. GPS: N 47 24.346 W 88 12.025, Decimal Degrees: 47.40577, -88.20042 Related Links-
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All sites are closed for the season. •••••• A Call For Volunteers ••••••
New Virtual Lighthouse Tour This tour includes an exclusive view of the lantern room (closed to the public) and a view only experienced by lightkeepers. EAGLE HARBOR LIGHTHOUSE VIRTUAL TOUR And don't miss the tours of other area landmarks.
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One
of the most noteworthy historical sites in Keweenaw County is Central,
or Central Mine. Central is a village that once was the
home for over 1,200 people, and the site of one Keweenaw's most
successful mines. The mine, opened in 1854, produced nearly 52 million
pounds of copper by the time it closed in 1898.
Two
hiking trails opened in 2005, a fun way to see the various sites in
Central. The trails are 1/4 mile and 1/2 mile long through the woods.
They provide views of several house foundations, a glimpse at the site
of the school house, as well as a magnificent view of the valley from
the top of the upper rock pile.
One
of the most memorable and peaceful parts of your visit to Central Mine
should be a walk in The Central Memorial Garden located directly across
the street from the visitor's Center. While
the Central Mine site is open year-round the Visitors Center is open
from mid-June through early October. Please respect the privacy of
dwelling occupants when touring the mine site.
Keweenaw County Historical Society