Laurium, Michigan is a village in Calumet Township, in the center of the Keweenaw Peninsula, in the northern portion of the Upper Peninsula.
The village is mostly surrounded by Calumet Township, although it borders Schoolcraft Township on the east. The Florida Location unincorporated community abuts Laurium to the south. US Highway 41 passes just west of the village, connected by School Street (1st Street), Depot Street (3rd Street), and Lake Linden Avenue. Old Colony Road forms the northern boundary of the village, and M-26 (Lake Linden Avenue) passes through the southern portion of the village.
The only incorporated cities nearby are Hancock and Houghton, 11.1 and 13.9 miles to the southwest respectively. The villages of Calumet, Lake Linden, Copper City, Ahmeek, and South Range are within twenty miles of Laurium. Several unincorporated communities are within ten miles of the village, including Swedetown, Tamarack, Centennial Heights, Wolverine, Kearsarge, West Tamarack, Phillipsville, Lakeview, Bumbletown, Ahmeek Location, Gregoryville, Allouez, Osceola, Hubbell, Mohawk, Tamarack City, Fulton, and Paavola.
The current village of Laurium was originally named Calumet, while the current village of Calumet was then known as Red Jacket. The name change came about because residents wanted to have their own post office, and there had already been a post office named Calumet that served the village of Red Jacket and various mining locations.
On August 26, 1852, the area that later became Laurium was deeded to the St. Mary's Ship Canal Company, as compensation for the Sault Ste. Marie locks project. The Ship Canal Company deeded the land to the newly formed St. Mary's Canal Mineral Land Company on June 8, 1860, and the northwest portion was deeded to the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company on April 11, 1867, while the remainder was deeded to the Laurium Mining Company on October 13, 1879. The first land sale to a private individual was in 1880.
The Village of Laurium is situated on a portion of the land that was once owned by the Laurium Mining Company. The village was bounded to the south by Shaft #21, and to the north by shaft #20.
The original village was platted by the Laurium Mining Company, and incorporated as Calumet in 1889, reincorporated and renamed Laurium in 1895. A post office was established on February 28, 1895, with Thomas Buzzo as the first postmaster. The post office operated until December 31, 1935, when it became a branch of the Calumet post office.
The name of Laurium is derived from the Greek town of Lavrion, a copper mining town with a similar type and grade ore as that mined by the Laurium Mining Company.
The original village included six blocks of the area now bounded by First Street to the north, Fourth Street to the south, Calumet (Boundary) Street to the west, and Hecla Street to the east. The village was expanded six times in 1895, and there have since been four more additions made to the town, which now includes nearly twelve miles of village streets.
Originally, Osceola Street was intended to be the main thoroughfare. William M. Harris, the first village president, constructed the first house on Hecla Street, and R.H. Rickard built a home at the corner of Hecla and Fourth Street, which later held the Palace Hotel. Johnson Vivian, who had a store on Osceola Street, opened a new store on Hecla Street and, within a couple of years, Hecla Street became the business center of the village.
Although the copper mines closed many years ago, several of the large homes and mansions built by wealthy mine owners still stand today, some of which are participating locations in the Keweenaw National Historic Park.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005, the Laurium Historic District is bounded to the west and south by Calumet Street, to the north by Stable Street, and by North Florida and Isle Royale Streets to the east. With the exception of two areas added in the 1970s, most of the village is within the district. More than ninety percent of the buildings within the historic district are residential.
George Gipp (The Gipper), the famed Notre Dame football player, was born in Laurium in 1895. He is buried nearby, in Lake View Cemetery, near West Tamarack.
Laurium's peak population was 8,537 in 1910. Since then, it has decreased in population each census year, dipping below 2,000 in 2010.
The focus of this portion of our guide is on the village of Laurium, Michigan. Online resources representing the village or any businesses, industries, schools, places of worship, organizations, attractions, events, or sporting and recreation opportunities within the village are appropriate for this category.
Recommended Resources
Headed by Brent Halonen and Mark Halonen, the Laurium, Michigan provides modeling and simulation services, image analysis, FEA and CFD, data processing, data analysis, and software development. An overview of the process is outlined, from the initial innovative idea to investigation, timeline, and prices, to implementation and best practices, as well as support and building new features. Its capabilities, an industry analysis, contacts, and a blog are included.
https://lauriumlabs.com/
Featuring two Edwardian Era mansions, the Laurium Manor Inn and the Victorian Hall are highlighted. The former was built in 1908 for Thomas H. and Cornelia Hoatson, owner of the Calumet & Arizona Mining Company, while the latter was built for Norman Macdonald in 1906. Both of these are shown in photographs and described, including its policies, accommodations for mansion tours, and lodging specials. Other vacation rentals may also be available in Laurium and the Keweenaw area.
https://www.laurium.info/
Situated on Hecla Street (M-26), in the western portion of the village of Laurium, Michigan, the restaurant offers on-site dining services, as well as delivery services. Updated daily, its menu includes appetizers, salads, sandwiches, entrees, pasta entrees, pizza, desserts, sides, and a drink menu, including prices and other information, along with its address, hours of operation, contacts, and delivery information. Special offers, announcements, and updates are posted to the site.
http://thematadorup.com/
With locations in Hancock and Laurium, Michigan, the dental facility is a member of the Michigan Dental Association and the American Dental Association. Its locations, contacts, hours of operation, and appointment policies are set down, along with an overview of its general dentistry services, pediatric dentistry, oral hygiene services, and fillings. Articles on various dental patient education are included, and contacts for answers to billing questions are included.
https://www.superiorsmilesdental.com/
Situated in the center of the Copper Country on the Keweenaw Peninsula, in the northern Upper Peninsula, Laurium was incorporated as Calumet in 1889, and as Laurium in 1895. The official municipal website includes contacts for village officials, council meeting minutes, ordinances, and the history of the community. The village fire department, police department, and public works are featured, with a guide to local attractions, businesses, recreational facilities, and a community calendar.
https://laurium.net/
