FTV: A Road Trip to Caspian

 

     What has more than 20 buildings, 100 plus exhibits, and two art galleries spread across nine  acres of scenic Upper Peninsula parkland?  The answer lies in the title of their Museum Guide book:  “We tell it like it was at the Iron County Museum.”  In July of 2025, my wife and I traveled to Iron County to see the Ozark Mountain Daredevils perform on one of the last stops on their farewell to touring jaunt.  Though the concert was held at the Crystal Theater in Crystal Falls, Michigan, we spent a night at the Chicaugon Lake Inn.  Our sight seeing the next day was interrupted by a downpour that rolled through the area.  Having had our exploration of the Biwabic State Park washed out, we decided to return this past July to finish what we had started the summer before.   After our return trip, it turns out we still have only scratched the surface of the sights and sounds of Iron County.

     The Biwabic State Park does maintain a modern campground, but many of the structures still in use today date back to Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).  The 315-acre public recreation area on the shores of Fortune Lake features nature trails, tennis courts (the only ones found at  any state park in Michigan), a swimming beach, and a boat launch with direct access to the Fortune Lakes Chain.  Fishing for perch, bass, bluegill, and walleye attracts sportsmen as does the park’s proximity to motorized ORV trails.  We took time out to hike the trail that circles a little peninsula adjacent to the swimming beach.  They call it an ‘island’ as an artificial channel was carved across the neck of the peninsula back in the day and a wooden bridge spans this swampy channel today.

     As we scanned the brochures at the Inn to plan our second day of exploring, we discovered the Iron County Museum located in Caspian.  The description of the museum’s grounds (mentioned above) caught our attention but once we got there, we found it did not fully prepare us for what we found.  As long time ‘cat volunteers’ at the Ontonagon Country Animal Protection shelter, we knew the sign on the front door was a good indication that we were going to enjoy our visit.  The sign warned visitors to take care to ‘not let the museum cats out’ and sure enough, we were not even twenty feet inside the main building when we were greeted by Buck.  We never saw the other two feline volunteers, but this personable black furred greeter put on quite a show to welcome us.  

     We arrived when the doors were first opened and during our two hour stay, we encountered a family of four who arrived after we did.  They also got the royal welcome from Buck the greeter cat.  Our first stop was the LeBlanc Wildlife Art Gallery attached to the Bernhardt Cultural Center.  Artist Lee LaBlanc (1913-1988) graduated from Iron River High School in 1931.  He studied art on the East Coast before moving to Hollywood to work as a freelance animator.  Leblanc’s motion picture career began as an animator for the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons.  On display are several panels he created for his best known film production Ben Hur (1959) though he is also known for his work on Cat on a Hot Tine Roof (1958) and North By Northwest (1959).  From 1941 to 1956, Leblanc worked as an artist for Twentieth Century Fox and he later became the administrative head of the MGM Special Photographic Effects Department.  When he retired as the Art Director for MGM in 1962, he returned to his hometown and began painting wildlife.

     We were astounded by the sheer volume of paintings in the Leblanc Gallery.  Many of his creations earned awards and some were used for National Duck and Turkey (hunting) Stamps as well as the National Bass Stamp.  He later expanded his work into calendar art and book illustration.  Leblanc’s works are highly prized when offered at art auctions and he was famous for donating his paintings to help raise funds for a variety of projects.  The Leblanc Gallery at the Iron County Museum was built in 1990 and is a fitting memorial to one of Iron County’s most famous artists.

     The Iron County Museum Society was founded in 1962.  The Caspian Mine site where the museum is located was deeded to the County in 1963 and the first exhibits opened in 1968.  Named for the Caspian Sea, the Caspian Mine was operated by the Verona Mining Company from 1903 until its closure in 1937.  The headframe still stands above the original 539 foot shaft (which is now flooded) and is considered the oldest of its kind still standing in Michigan.  The Caspian Mine produced 6,623,320 tons of iron ore during its lifetime.  The museum’s notations about the structure states, “It is a rare and significant piece of mining heritage.  Unfortunately, without a major influx of cash and labor, it will continue to deteriorate and eventually disappear from our landscape.”  The original 1921 Engine House is home to many of the mining displays and has had various additions added to expand the exhibit space.

     There are many heritage sites one can visit where the history is displayed right where it unfolded.  The historic settlement at Victoria in Ontonagon County and the Hanka Homestead in Baraga County are good examples.  The Iron County Historical Society has taken a different and very challenging route to preserving their county’s history.  The first addition to the 1921 Engine House (the Peterson Mining Hall) was added in 1970.  Over the rest of the 1970s, many of the historic buildings on the museum grounds were moved to that site from other locations.  Among these additions are the Brule Cabin (moved in 1971), the Beechwood Homestead circa 1890 (1972), the Stager Depot (1972), the Johnson Homestead (1973), the Sharrad Lumber Camp (the last one standing in Iron county – moved to the grounds in 1973), the Soderquist Barns (from Bates Township – moved in 1976) and the Carrie Jacobs-Bond home (moved from Iron River in 1978).  Jacobs-Bond, a songwriter known for compositions like I Love You Truly, was not an Iron County native but always said the seven years she and her husband lived in Iron River were, “The happiest of my life.”

     The 1980s were no less busy as the Museum continued to expand their on-site attractions.  Beginning in 1983 with the barn re-assembled from the Kline House, more ambitious relocation projects were undertaken.  These included:  The ‘Shops’ area (added in 1985), the Puotinen log barn circa 1900 (added to the homestead area in 1987), the Baumgartner Pioneer Schoolhouse (moved to the grounds in 1988), and the Maki Sauna (which became part of the Log Cabin collection in 1989).  Perhaps the most ambitious project completed in 1989 was moving the St. Mary’s church.  Built in 1911, the church was moved from Gaastra to the museum grounds and today is preserved as a monument to the many churches the mining communities supported back in the days when the region played host to 78 operating mines.

     As we made our way out of the Leblanc Gallery, we found ourselves in the very large Bernhardt Cultural Center.  This large open room has a stage along one long wall and is used for various performances (concerts, plays, etc).  The guidebook does not put a date on the Cultural Center’s construction, but it was built after the Heritage Hall which dates back to 1975.  The Heritage Hall was the first area used as a meeting space and where most of the museum activities took place.  At first, this open-air space had a hard packed dirt floor that was eventually replaced with a concrete floor.  The roof came next before the space was enclosed by walls.  By 2024, the concrete slab had begun to buckle and Connor Sports Flooring donated the hardwood floor that gives the Heritage Hall a bright, cheery appearance.

     As we passed out of the Cultural Center, we found the newest display on the premises.  Installed in 2025, this new exhibit honors local radio station WIKB and the Iron Range Amateur Radio Club (IRARC).  Just as the legendary Jan Tucker graced the airwaves from Ontonagon for several decades, WIKB host Jay Barry dedicated 44 years to their equivalent of the Jan Tucker Show.  It was called ‘Telephone Time’ and became a community institution as soon as it went on the air on January 5, 1965.  This display features studio equipment from WIKB and many pieces of vintage radio gear assembled  by IRARC.

     Passing from the radio display into the Heritage Hall, we were greeted by a collection of exhibits highlighting the Ojibwe people who made the area their home many years before the onset of iron mining.  Natural materials have been used to construct replicas of a traditional Ojibwe home and a spirit house.  Harold and Marcia Bernhardt and George and Mary McGeshick did much of the pioneering work for this display area.  The museum continues to collaborate with local families and the Lac Vieux Desert Tribal Historic Preservation Office to obtain and update artifacts reflecting Ojibwe culture.  The large mural depicting the lives of the Ojibwe from the past and to the present are beautifully done as is the ceremonial dance regalia that has been donated for display.  The newest additions to the Ojibwe exhibit include descriptions of the various dances done by men and women at the many Pow Wows held in the Great Lakes region.

     The Mining Hall was named in honor of Harry and Cecelia Peterson who made generous contributions when this part of the museum was expanded.  Harry, who served as an engineer at the Caspian Mine, is credited with designing the first underground ventilation system which advanced mine safety and operations.  The mining gear and mineral displays could easily consume hours to properly absorb everything in this area of the museum.  As we passed into the Mining and Mineral exhibits, we examined an area that has been set aside as a memorial to those who went to war.

     Besides the mining industry, lumbering has played a big role in the county.  Artifacts from the lumbering era are plentiful but the one that we were very interested in was the expansive diorama in the Logging Hall.  I am going to lean on the museum guidebook here and let it tell the story of this display:  “In the Lumbering Hall, you’ll find the Monigal Miniatures Loggin Camp – a diorama of a logging camp and the largest of its kind in the world.  It was built by William Monigal, who spent eight years carving the model figures after a sawmill accident injured him.  If you start viewing this diorama from the left, you can loosely follow camp life from sun-up to sun-down.  See if you can answer questions such as:  Why was logging primarily done in the winter time?  How did logs get to market?  Why did loggers make up such outlandish vocabulary words to describe everyday items and tasks?  Do you recognize the tall man and his ox painted on the large doors facing the beginning of the diorama?” I literally had to sit down and get at eye level to take in the whole scene.  It took an amazing amount of work to carve all of these figures by hand.  It does not surprise me at all that they were displayed all over the world before they found their permanent home at the ICHM.

     To put it simply, my wife and I are already looking forward to our next visit.  In this overview of what we found, it was impossible to describe all of the exhibits.  Walking the grounds and seeing the dozens of pieces of farming, mining, and logging equipment in storage is mind boggling.  Of the 29 display buildings shown on the museum grounds map, we were only able to visit five of them.  Local fire departments, business, churches, and governmental units are all part of the displays along with detailed descriptions of their role in the local historical time line..   

     Since the first visit my elementary class made to the Marquette County Historical Museum back in the early 1960s, I have been fascinated by the Upper Peninsula’s rich history.  During my 43 years in the classroom and 30 years serving on the Ontonagon County History Museum Board of Directors, it became my mission to see that our students were given the same opportunity to get excited about history the same way I did back in the day.  I have never been to a museum that I have not enjoyed visiting.  With that said, the Iron County Historical Museum is unlike any other facility of its kind that I have had the pleasure to explore.  The ICHM is open year round and a quick visit to their website will fill you in on the times and the cost of admission.  If you stop by for a visit, be sure to give Buck a scritch on the head for us.

Top Piece Video:  As long as the Ozark Mtn Dare Devils started this adventure, it seems fitting to let them get the last word – from 1977 . . .