National Register of Historic Places

Ojibway Fire Tower

Houghton, Keweenaw County, Michigan
Listed
April 6, 2021
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
100006363

About this property

The Ojibway Fire Tower is a fire tower located at the junction of Greenstone Ridge and Mt. Ojibway Trails 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, in 1939 the National Park Service constructed two fire towers on the island, one near what is now the New Feldtmann Fire Tower and one on Mount Ojibway. These towers were constructed of wood, and by the 1950s were badly deteriorating. Plans were in place by 1961 to replace them, but funds were not available until two years later. In 1963, the original Ojibway Fire Tower was torn down, and in 1964 construction began on a new tower. The tower was completed in 1965. However, by 1968, the fire management strategies in the park had changes, and the tower was no longer staffed; instead, it was used to house the radio repeater station for the island. In 1987, NPS added equipment to monitor air pollution on Isle Royale. The Ojibway Fire Tower is a variation on the US Forest Service's "Standard Steel Lookout Tower...with Living Quarters" design. At the top of the tower is a pre-fabricated cab measuring approximately 14 feet by 14 feet, The cab is constructed of metal panels and contains windows on all four sides. A metal balcony surrounds the cab, and is accessed by a ladder from below. Media related to Ojibway Fire Tower at Wikimedia Commons

Location

Houghton, Keweenaw County, Michigan
48.10864, -88.60995

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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Ojibway Fire Tower

This page lists Ojibway Fire Tower. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Ojibway Fire Tower report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Edisen Fishery
Industrial
1.8 mi
Rock Harbor Lighthouse
Industrial
2 mi
Isle Royale Light Station
Industrial
13.6 mi
Passage Island Light Station
Industrial
13.8 mi
Ishpeming Fire Tower
Industrial
16.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Ojibway Fire Tower listed on the National Register?

Ojibway Fire Tower was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 6, 2021.

What type of historic resource is Ojibway Fire Tower?

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

What is the period of significance for Ojibway Fire Tower?

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

Can I research the history near Ojibway Fire Tower?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Ojibway Fire Tower will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Keweenaw County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Keweenaw County.

Explore KeweenawCounty ›

More historic places in Michigan

Browse all historic places in Michigan.

View Michiganhistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Michigan history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Michiganhistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Ojibway Fire Tower will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report