Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2016 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Rachel Fuller for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== History of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan The Western Historical Company, Chicago - 1883 A. T. Andreas, Proprietor [339] EAGLE RIVER Eagle River, the county seat of Keweenaw County, is some ten miles east of Eagle Harbor, at the mouth of the river of that name. Among the earliest mining operations, commenced in the Upper Peninsula con- tempraneously with the opening of the Cliff vein by the Pittsburg & Boston Company, were those of the old Lake Superior Copper Company, the progenitor of the present Pheonix Company, who obtained seven leases in 1843, each embracing nine square miles, in which was in- cluded the grounds afterward laid out by the Phoenix Company, and sold off in separate lots, forming the village of Eagle River. A sandy beach extends either way from the mouth of the river along the banks of Lake Superior, flanked on the south with a ridge of congomerate, over which the river pours in a fall of some thirty-five feet. The court house stands on the top of the bluff to the east of the falls. It is a commodious wooden structure, two stories high, the county offices being on the first floor. The building used as a jail in a rented structure, and is not a very secure place to hold professional "cracksmen." The dock was built at the mouth of Eagle River by the old Cliff (Pittsburgh & Boston) Company. It is formed by an extensive pier jut- ting out into the lake, with a rail track and hand cars for transfer- ring freight between the vessels and warehouse. Both are now owned by M. H. SIMPSON, of Boston. On the west bank of Eagle River, nearly opposite the present excellent hotel, and partly buried in the drift- ing sand of the beach, can be seen two mememtoes of former days. The one a small frame building bearing still the inviting sign, "SAM'L LLOYD's Hotel;" the other is an old-fashioned "thorough-brace," of the No. 9 pattern, built by J. C. BURBANK & Co. It bears the inscription, "Calumet to Eagle River - J. CRONIN, NO. 2." Religious services were held by the Episcopal Methodists in the schoolhouse, and by the Catholics at private houses, but they have no church edifice. The Masons and Odd Fellows have each an organization in the place, and both meet in a hall in the Phoenix Hotel. Keweenaw Lodge No. 242, F. & A. M., was chartered January 8, 1868; W. P. SPAULDING, first Master; SAMUEL B. HARRIS, first Senior Warden; GODFREY VIVIAN, first Junior Warden. Present membership, 59. Superior Lodge, I.O.O.F., No. 100, was chartered January 14, 1867. The charter was granted to ROBERT F. GULICK, WILLIAM VAN ORDEN, JAMES CRAWFORD, JOSEPH RETALLACK, W. B. WRIGHT, WILLIAM RETALLACK and CHARLES HAM. Present membership, twenty-eight. The mines working in the immediate vicinity in 1882 are the Phoenix, Cliff, St. Clair, Central and Conglomerate, on the west and south, and the Ash Bed (PETHERICK) and Copper Falls, nearer to Eagle Harbor on the east. As most of the trading of the miners is done at stores at the mines, there are no very extensive mercantile operations called for at the village. ANTON SIBLISKY carries an average stock of $10,000 in general merchandise; business established in 1867. There is also a large trade in explosives by JOHN SENTER, in connection with a general insurance business. MR. SENTER is the agent for E. J. DUPONT, NEMOURS & Co., of Nemours, France, and also of the Marquette Powder Company. The French company was established in 1852; the Marquette in 1879. Its manufacturing interests are centered in a fuse factory, brewery and blacksmithery. The Eagle River Fuse Company established business in December, 1862, under a patent bearing date December 2, 1862, the company being RICHARD UREN, THOMAS DUNSTONE and JOSEPH BLIGHT, manufacturing 25,000 feet of fuse a day. In 1874, MR. DUNSTONE sold his interest to the other partners, who have continued the business and increased the capacity of the works to 50,000 feet a day, or at the rate of $10,000 worth a month. The works are operated by water power taken from the Eagle River at the falls, and are run all the year round. There is a home market for all their product. They employ five hands, and run ten hours a day. The KNIVEL Brewery was established in 1855, by FRANK KNIVEL, its present proprietor. It has a capacity of 1,200 barrels a year, two- thirds of which is bottled. The Eagle River Blacksmith shop is owned and operated by WILLIAM RETALLACK, and is doing a good business. The first hotel at Eagle River was known as the JOHNSON House. It was built in 1846, and owned and kept by LATHROP JOHNSON. That year, JOSEPH LONG's House, a German hotel, was also built at the river. The Phoenix House is the only hotel in the place. It was built in 1853; is a commodious and well-kept house; has twenty-four rooms, and affords a fine home for travelers. COL WILLIAM B. WRIGHT, its present proprietor, operated it from 1855 to 1860 on lease. The Eagle River Post Office is kept at the hotel. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [340] The Eagle River Light House is built on the bluff on the west side of the river. The light is on the keeper's dwelling; is of the sixth order, and elevated sixty-one feet above the lake. It was established in 1855 or 1856; was first kept by JOHN GRISWOLD until his death, and then by his widow until August, 1865, when HENRY FEISER, the present keeper, was appointed. =========================================================================== If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access more of our growing collection of FREE online information by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/ ===========================================================================