National Register of Historic Places

Ishpeming Fire Tower

Houghton, Keweenaw County, Michigan
Listed
January 5, 2021
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
100006001

About this property

The Ishpeming Fire Tower is a fire tower located on Greenstone Ridge in Isle Royale National Park. The tower was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2021. In 1936, soon after Isle Royale was designated a national park, the large Greenstone Ridge Fire swept through a portion of the island. In response, the National Park Service constructed two fire towers on the island. By the 1950s, these were badly deteriorating, and plans were made to renew the fire infrastructure of the island. In 1961, construction began on this tower. By 1968, however, the fire management strategies in the park had changed, and eventually the tower was abandoned. The Ishpeming Fire Tower is located on Greenstone Ridge, a prominent rock ridge. It is nearly obscured by surrounding evergreen trees and shrubs, and is accessible by the Greenstone Ridge Trail. The tower itself is constructed of pre-fabricated angle steel, bolted together to form a tower about ten feet high. The tower sits on four concrete piers spaced about 14' apart. A metal stairway runs from a concrete pad at the base of the tower to an access hatch for the balcony at the top. A pre-fabricated cab, measuring about 14' by 14' and 14' high, is located at the top of the tower. The exterior of the cab is built from steel panels with metal frame windows on all four sides. The cab has a flat metal roof, and a metal entrance door on one side.

Location

Houghton, Keweenaw County, Michigan
47.99204, -88.91547

Categories

CONSERVATIONENGINEERING
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Isle Royale Light Station
Industrial
7.7 mi
New Feldtmann Fire Tower
Industrial
12.2 mi
Ojibway Fire Tower
Industrial
16.2 mi
Johns Hotel
Listed
16.7 mi
Edisen Fishery
Industrial
16.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Ishpeming Fire Tower listed on the National Register?

Ishpeming Fire Tower was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 5, 2021.

What type of historic resource is Ishpeming Fire Tower?

Ishpeming Fire Tower is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Ishpeming Fire Tower?

The period of significance for Ishpeming Fire Tower is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Ishpeming Fire Tower?

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