The Short Life, Long Legacy of The Bay Furnace Ruins

Lost in time, the Bay Furnace Ruins stands alone overlooking Lake Superior and Grand Island. Located near Christmas and west of Munising in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the ruins had a short, hot life.

When I visited the Bay Furnace Ruins in August, I thought this was such a cool find. My daughter thought it was the best thing we had seen during our entire vacation and I knew the moment I saw it, that I wanted to do a post about it. So I am.

Here’s the catch…I normally like to give as much detail as I can in hopes that I not only inspire others to go to the places I find, maybe introduce people to places they’ve never heard of and also share a little knowledge in the process. I love that about the blogging I get to do. Every week I learn something new.

However, this particular location has very little for me to share. Really. I’m sort of at a loss here and feel a bit lax.

So, I’ll share what I think are some interesting highlights and some pictures. I encourage you to absolutely check it out for yourself if you get the chance. Sometimes, pictures just can’t do a place the proper justice it should have.

This short stroll may end up being the best part of your visit to the area too!

Why Here?

Today we can stand on this small plot of land and overlook Lake Superior and Grand Island and take in the beautiful view. The blue of the water. Seagulls overhead. A beach to wade and swim from. Ahhhh….sigh.

And I’m sure all of that had a lot to do with picking this location. At the time, transportaton was performed primarily by ships and this area provided easy access to do that.

This lovely area was originally a Native American fishing spot called Onota. But, it was not officially a settlement until 1869, the year prior to the Bay Furnace beginning operation.

The iron smelting began in 1870. Charcoal was produced during the operation of the furnace and would be loaded onto ships and transported to Marquette for use in the many furnaces there. Pig Iron from the Bay Furnace would also be loaded onto ships docked 1,400 feet from shore and sent away for the production of steel.

A Very Short…And Hot…Life

When I say the furnace had a very short life, I’m not exaggerating! This particular site was only in operation from 1870-1877. Seven short years…

Reportedly, a spark from a charcoal wagon and strong Southern winds ignited a large fire that ravaged the furnace and the settlement of Onota. Included in the town’s destruction were the furnace, the casting shed, blacksmith, storage sheds and charging sheds. The town post office was discontinued in 1879 since the settlement was gone at that point but it was later reestablished and moved to another location in 1881.

At the time of the fire, the town of Onota had a population of around 500 people and most of these worked in some manner for the furnace operations.

At one time there were 29 blast furnaces in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. All of these furnaces are now gone with the exception of the Bay Furnace Ruins and one still standing at the Fayette State Park. Both of these are accessible by the public.

Abandoned For Years

After the fire and abandonment of the furnace, the ruins sat and crumbling for 115 years.

In 1948, the U.S. Forest Service was given 54 acres from the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company to use for recreational purposes. Included in these 54 acres was the Bay Furnace in it’s dilapidated state. The kiln continued to sit like that for a while longer…much longer, actually.

It wasn’t until 1992 when the Forest Service did a partial renovation on the site. At that time some timbers in the kiln were replaced, most fallen stones and bricks were removed from the area and a few of the stones were reset.

The immediate area around the furnace was fenced off and wild flowers were planted. What is there today is a mature flower garden that attracts bees, butterflies and more. The kiln itself is now also home to several doves that sit as sentries from above and coo at visitors.

Enjoy The Day And Find A New Treasure

When the furnace was in operation and smelting, besides charcoal, it also produced a by-product that many people love to go hunting for now. This is exactly what I think made the day so interesting for my daughter. Do you know what I may be referring to? I know some of you already do…

Slag! There seems to be tons of it in the water and along the shoreline and it comes in a variety of colors…purple,blue, green…(insert starry eyes here)

Yay or Nay?

This is definitely a “Yay” for a few reasons.

First, it’s not a long, strenuous hike to visit the ruins. You literally park your car, walk across a lawn and down a short trail and BOOM, there it is! If you don’t want to walk down to the water, you don’t need to. You can walk all the way around the kiln, take a few pictures and go back to your vehicle if that’s all you want to do.

Second, of course, is the water. I think we actually spent more time wading around in the water looking for the slag rocks than we did looking at the furnace. There are stairs in front of the kiln and if you don’t walk further down the beach, you can easily go back up without a lot of problems.

Third, you get an fabulous view of Lake Superior and Grand Island from this location and if you have the right camera equipment, you’ll get some awesome shots!

Finally, there are even picnic tables and vault toilets large enough to change clothing in so you can plan an afternoon of family time. That’s what vacations are for, so stay and play…and even learn while you’re there. And the kids won’t even realize they are learning something because it’s just that cool. Bonus!

Cost Of The Day

There is absolutely no charge for this location and no Recreational Passport is required (For more information about State of Michigan Recreational Passports please visit https://thecoddiwomplist.com/a-surplus-of-fun-in-the-sleepy-hollow-state-park/)