Map Courtesy of Michigan Historical Center
During our two previous visits,
we had the historic town pretty much to ourselves. This gave us the
opportunity to walk around the buildings in silence and let our
imaginations take us back to another time ...
That time would be 1867-1891 … At that time, nearly 500 residents lived in the town of Fayette which existed to make pig
iron (used in steel making). The massive blast furnace is noisy and
the work is hard and dirty. During its 24 years, Fayette produced
nearly 230,000 tons of iron.
The local hardwood forests were used for fuel and the quarried
limestone from the bluffs was used to purify the iron ore. When the
market began to decline, the Jackson Iron Company ceased its Fayette
operations in 1891. Eventually, the town and buildings were
abandoned and another Michigan ghost town was born.
Limestone Bluffs at Snail Shell Harbor
The remains of the furnace complex and kilns
Today, the town has been
reconstructed and
maintained as a museum.
The historic town site includes
20 preserved buildings and structures. The hotel, company store, town
hall, and some of the residences are open to the public. The town site is open daily from mid-May to mid-October. There isn’t any admission
fee to walk around the historic town site; however, a Michigan Recreation Passport is required to enter this State Park.
Hotel
Company Store
Town Hall
Interior of Town Hall
Superintendent's House
Doctor's House
Views of Company Store, Town Hall, and Hotel from across the water
Of course,
the well-preserved ghost town isn’t the only reason to come here.
The park features
close to five miles of hiking trails (used as cross-country ski
trails in the winter).
Map Courtesy of Eye On Michigan
It’s an easy hike through the
forest along the bluff trail to an overlook offering a panoramic view of the town and Snail
Shell Harbor.
Forest Trail
Bluff view of Fayette and Snail Shell Harbor
How much time you spend here is
up to you. We took our time … pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the
views! However, a general recommendation is to allow at least two hours to
tour the town site and enjoy the scenic beauty of this area.
On August 23, 1956, Fayette town
site was designated a Michigan Historic Site. It became a State Park
in 1959. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
on February 16, 1970. A pretty prestigious proclamation for a
properly preserved piece of property.
Thanks to the State of Michigan, Fayette is a ghost town that still lives to tell its story. If you want to visit Fayette, the
Park address is: 4785
II Rd, Garden, Michigan (USA) 49835
Telephone: (906) 644-2603
Looking for
a place to spend the night? The State Park has a campground with 61
sites (some with electric service but no water or sewer hookups).
Other lodging and food options can be found in Cooks (21.2 miles),
Gladstone (46.4 miles), Escanaba (55.2 miles), and Manistique (33.6
miles).
Since
opinions, preferences, and budgets vary, I recommend checking a
trusted travel source for current reviews on food and lodging.
Family vacations created some of
my favorite memories. To start planning your memorable trip to
Fayette Historic Town Site/State Park, please click on the following
link:
Interested in more ghost towns? I invite you to view some of my other blog posts
by clicking on the following links:
Old Victoria - An Old Mining Town Finds A New Life
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