Keweenaw Mountain Lodge and Golf Course Complex
Encyclopedia
The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge and Golf Course Complex is a resort located near Copper Harbor, Michigan
. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1976 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1970, and is open to the public.
; the structures have low gable roofs and are made using rough-cut stone and dark painted logs.
hit Keweenaw County
hard. The mining industry had fallen on hard times, and unemployment stood at over seventy percent. Ocha Potter, the head of the Keweenaw Road Commission and superintendent of Ahmeek Mine, conceived of constructing a resort complex in the county. In 1933, he applied to the Federal government for funding under the newly minted Civil Works Administration
. The county Board of Park Trustees had previously negotiated purchase of 167 acre (0.67582562 km²) of land from the Keweenaw Copper Company, situated about one mile (1.6 km) south of Copper Harbor.
Clearing of the forest cover began in the winter of 1933/34, and the stumps were cleared as the weather let up. The logs from the property were used construct the lodge. By the end of 1934, the lodge was nearly completed and the first nine holes of the golf course were cleared and seeded (a second planned nine holes was never completed). In 1935, another project to build 20 cabins was approved by the Works Progress Administration
, which were completed during the next few years. Four additional cottages were built in 1947/48 using profits from the operation of the lodge.
, using crews of local workmen. The construction was overseen by Keweenaw County and used Federal relief money. The site is an example of government-funded work projects designed to boost local economies, and is significant in its effort to protect and maintain the environment while offering recreational opportunity.
Copper Harbor, Michigan
Copper Harbor is a small unincorporated community in northeastern Keweenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is within Grant Township on the Keweenaw Peninsula that juts from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan into Lake Superior.-History:...
. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1976 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1970, and is open to the public.
Description
The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge Complex covers 167 acre (0.67582562 km²), and consists of multiple buildings, including the main lodge and 23 cabins. A golf course, constructed at the same time as the lodge and cabins, covers much of the remaining land. Mountain bike trails and a disc golf course have been added in recent years. All structures within the district are unified by their rustic constructionNational Park Service Rustic
National Park Service rustic, also colloquially known as Parkitecture, is a style of architecture that arose in the United States National Park System to create buildings that harmonized with their natural environment. Since its founding, the National Park Service consistently has sought to provide...
; the structures have low gable roofs and are made using rough-cut stone and dark painted logs.
History
During the early 1930s, the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
hit Keweenaw County
Keweenaw County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,301 people, 998 households, and 604 families residing in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile . There were 2,327 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
hard. The mining industry had fallen on hard times, and unemployment stood at over seventy percent. Ocha Potter, the head of the Keweenaw Road Commission and superintendent of Ahmeek Mine, conceived of constructing a resort complex in the county. In 1933, he applied to the Federal government for funding under the newly minted Civil Works Administration
Civil Works Administration
The Civil Works Administration was established by the New Deal during the Great Depression to create manual labor jobs for millions of unemployed. The jobs were merely temporary, for the duration of the hard winter. Harry L. Hopkins was put in charge of the organization. President Franklin D...
. The county Board of Park Trustees had previously negotiated purchase of 167 acre (0.67582562 km²) of land from the Keweenaw Copper Company, situated about one mile (1.6 km) south of Copper Harbor.
Clearing of the forest cover began in the winter of 1933/34, and the stumps were cleared as the weather let up. The logs from the property were used construct the lodge. By the end of 1934, the lodge was nearly completed and the first nine holes of the golf course were cleared and seeded (a second planned nine holes was never completed). In 1935, another project to build 20 cabins was approved by the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
, which were completed during the next few years. Four additional cottages were built in 1947/48 using profits from the operation of the lodge.
Significance
The Lodge complex was designed and built in 1934 and 1935, in the depths of the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, using crews of local workmen. The construction was overseen by Keweenaw County and used Federal relief money. The site is an example of government-funded work projects designed to boost local economies, and is significant in its effort to protect and maintain the environment while offering recreational opportunity.