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Welcome to the Naubinway and Engadine Michigan History Page!
Learn more about our historical area, view photos, and interesting dates in time. |
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The Engadine Historical Museum
When visit our area, please be sure to visit the Engadine Historical Museum. The museum building reflects life in the community dating back to 1894, focusing on the lumbering and agricultural eras. |
The first floor reflects furnishings of that time period. The second floor has a replica of a one-room school house, displays of military artifacts, a reading room, pictures, as well as objects from the Cooperage Mill, which was the community's largest employer at the time. The garage has displays of tools, equipment, and the old Mackinac County Bank vault. An 1895 log house is now restored and furnished. Enjoy their gift shop and free admission.
Location: 14075 We. Melville Street. Take M117 to blinker, (Melville Street) turn west about three blocks. Open Memorial Day trough September, Tuesdays and Saturdays 10 to 2 or by appointment. |
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The Cooperage Mill - Edwin Bell Company (pictured on left)
The largest area employer in the late 1890's and early 1900's.
At the height of the lumbering boom - Naubinway's population may have escalated to 8,000 - 10,000 people (between 1880 -1890). |
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Pictured to the left is Doug Feneley standing on top of a large load of lumber being pulled along by horses. By the 1870's. lumbering had finally reached the Upper Peninsula - Naubinway and Engadine was in the thick of it! |
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The Early Years
Although the first white man may have passed through the middle of what is now called the Naubinway and Engadine area, perhaps as early as 1640, the area's history did not actually begin until some 200 years later. |
The first settlers to the area - The William Boucher Family, came here from Mackinac Island to trade furs with the Ojibway Indians. They built their first house on the "Point" (near the location of the new Naubinway Marina). The family remained here until approximately 1857.
It was not until March 10, 1873, that William Boucher received from the Federal Government a deed to a 27.30-acre of land in Naubinway. His deed was signed by President Grant, and under the provisions of the Public Land Act of 1820, he could have paid as little as $1.25 per acre. In the sale Boucher obtained the title to "The lot numbered Four of Section twenty-eight in Township forty-tree of Range Nine west...subject to sale at Marquette, MI." Naubinway was coming of age: born in1843, christened in 1873, and to be confirmed in 1887. |
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Photo to left of Elwood and Earl Williams. Our towns thrived with shops, churches, taverns, restaurants, mills, and fisheries. |
Commercial Fishing
There is a tendency to believe that commercial fishing arrived on the scene in the nick of time to save the people in Naubinway from an economic plight brought about when the lumber industry collapsed. In fact, commercial fishing did not supplant the lumber industry. In fact, both industries existed simultaneously, for as far back as the late 1880's 34 fishing tugs operated out of Naubinway. |
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Art Floria's Garage -- and W.T. Craven Blacksmith Shop. This is the present site of the Butkovich Home. |
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This is a Postcard with the title: Frank & Audrey Grandparents Frank and Audrey Hastings. |
Visit the History of the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan!
See a full list of Museums Large and Small. Click on the image to right for 4 page PDF of this popular Upper Peninsula History Brochure. |
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An interesting part of Engadine History.
The Canadien Pacific Railroad ran through the town of Kennedy and a Post Office was opened there in Aug 23, 1889. Millions of feet of logs were shipped out of Kennedy from about 1889 on.
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The Canadien Pacific R.R. was taken over by the Soo Line in 1888 and has been hauling freight through the Club property ever since.
Sam Peterson, from Enggoden, Switzerland was Station Master at the Kennedy Siding and was responsible for changing the name Kennedy to Engadine so now you know where Kennedy was located. He was also bookkeeper for the Engadine Lumber Co. The Kennedy Post Office was renamed Engadine on Dec. 2, 1893.
In 1909 the Engadine Lumber Co became the Freeman Lumber Co and they built three lumber camps on the Hiawatha Club property - one of Greylock trail and two on Trail B.
Sam came from the Valley of Engadine which is located in Southeastern part of Switzerland and is about sixty miles long. The Inn River runs through it and it is one of the beautiful resort areas of Switzerland. |
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