Quinnesec, Michigan is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Breitung Township, Dickinson County, in the southern Upper Peninsula.
Situated on the northern banks of the Menominee River, across from the city of Niagara, Wisconson, to which it is connected via the bridge along US-141, which forms the eastern boundary of the CDP. Its eastern boundary is Fumee Creek, and a portion of its northern boundary is US-2, although a portion of the CDP extends north along Quinnesec Lake Antoine Road.
Besides Niagara, eight other communities are located within ten miles of Quinnesec, although these are the only ones within a twenty-five-mile radius. These include the Michigan cities of Kingsford, Iron Mountain, and Norway, as well as the unincorporated communities of East Kingsford, Skidmore, Vulcan, and Merriman, in Michigan, and the town of Aurora, in Wisconsin.
The earliest known European-American settlement of the area was a trading post run by William and James S. Dickie, which began operation around 1871.
However, John Lane Buell, who discovered the Quinnesec Mine in 1871 and successfully developed it, is acknowledged as the community's founder. He arrived the same year as the Dickie brothers. Quinnesec is the oldest town on the Menominee Iron Range. While traveling with John "Jack" Armstrong, Buell discovered an outcropping of iron ore on a nearby bluff. After acquiring title to the land, Buell developed it into the Quinnesec Mine and Devil's Ice Box. This was to be the first of several mines in the region. The Oliver Mining Company, Corrigan, McKinney & Company, the Menominee Mining Company, and the Milwaukee Iron Company were all involved in mining operations in the area.
In 1876, Buell set up a portable sawmill and built the school that would become the forerunner of the Breitung Township School District. He also contributed land for the building of Catholic and Methodist churches. That same year, Andrew H. Surprise came to the area and built a boarding house, which he operated. Others came to the area to farm.
After taking steps to bring a railroad to the community, Buell platted a townsite. The Menominee River Railroad Company, a branch of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, opened a station in Quinnesec in 1877. As Quinnesec was at the terminal end of the line until 1880, a turntable turned the engines around for their return trip. Later, the railroad continued on to Iron Mountain. Before this time, a stagecoach connected the community with Iron Mountain and Florence, Wisconsin.
Later, the Wisconsin & Michigan Railway extended its line to Quinnesec, which was its terminus. A post office was established at the railroad depot on September 25, 1877, with Roscoe G. Brown as postmaster.
With a growing iron industry, a railroad, and a post office, the community grew. It wasn't long before Quinnesec had a population of about three thousand, and was home to a store, a hotel, an opera house, and a thriving business district.
However, when iron ore was discovered in Iron Mountain, many of Quinnesec's businesses moved to this newer source of business, and Quinnesec declined.
On May 16, 1906, a fire destroyed Quinnesec's business district and several homes, most of which were not rebuilt.
New homes were again built in Quinnesec after the Ford Motor Company opened operations in nearby Kingsford in the early 1920s. By 1920, the community's population had risen to 240, but this was followed by the 1930s depression, in which the Ford plant was closed. The only thing that saved the community from becoming a ghost town was that many former residents who had left over the years were returning to retire in Quinnesec.
In 1985, Champion Paper Company opened a paper mill along US-2 in Quinnesec. Later becoming Verso Corporation, the mill put tax dollars into the community's school district and employed more than five hundred people. The Quinnesec mill continues in operation, and is a fully-integrated paper mill that produces its own wood chips, pulp, and power.
Although Quinnesec was never incorporated, it continues as a vibrant, well-defined community of more than a thousand people, with an economy that is embraced by industry, two major US highways, the Menominee River, and an interstate bridge.
The focus of this portion of our guide is on the community known as Quinnesec, Michigan. Appropriate topics for this category include online resources for any governmental entities within the CDP, as well as local businesses, industries, schools, churches, organizations, attractions, events, historical resources, entertainment venues, and recreational opportunities.
Recommended Resources
The non-profit animal shelter offers a variety of services, including finding homes for adoptable pets, providing shelter for stray animals, and offering assistance to owners and finders of lost animals, utilizing a combination of paid and volunteer staff. Available cats, dogs, and guinea pigs are highlighted, with photos and a brief description of each. Adoption fees, a needs list, and volunteer opportunities are set forth, and various tips for owners are provided.
https://www.almosthomeanimalsheltermi.com/
Specializing in burgers and sandwiches, the Quinnesec, Michigan restaurant and bar also serves chicken strips, hot dogs, wings, appetizers, and sides, along with other items that are listed on its menu, which is displayed online. Daily specials are highlighted, and an overview of its 900-square-foot banquet room is included. Its location, a map, hours of operation, and contacts are posted, along with customer reviews, announcements, and information about its Iron Mountain bar.
https://www.big10sportsbarmi.com/
Breitung Charter Township, Michigan
Situated in southern Dickinson County, the Upper Peninsula township was named for Edward Breitung, an iron miner and US Representative from Michigan. The official township website highlights township board members and commissioners, offers contacts, office hours, and an overview of its departments, services, and public facilities. Property and assessment information, ordinances, public notices, and a calendar of events may be viewed online, and payments may be made.
https://www.breitungtwp.org/
Founded in 1980, the family-owned company is a Jayco dealership in Quinnesec, Michigan, where it carries a large selection of new and pre-owned recreational vehicles, and offers sales and financing, a service center, and a parts department. The address is posted, a map shows its location, and its hours of operations and contacts are posted on the site, along with a calendar of events, customer testimonials, photographs, employment opportunities, and inventory.
https://www.northernrvs.com/
With its corporate offices and restaurant in Quinnesec, Michigan, and a factory in Florence, Wisconsin, the Pasty Oven uses a family recipe to produce the traditional Upper Peninsula pasty, made of 30% beef and pork, along with potato and onion, wrapped in a thick crust, each egg-washed to enhance flavor and browning. Traditional and specialty pasties are pictured, and may be ordered online. Its shipping policies, heating instructions, and restaurant location are given.
https://pastys.com/
Thomas Theatre Group / Tri-City Cinemas 8
Owned and operated by Thomas Theatre Group, Tri-City Cinemas 8 is an eight-screen movie theater on US-2 in Quinnesec, Michigan. Its history, location, hours of operation, show times, ticket pricing, and special events are featured, along with its accommodations for birthday parties, group sales, and private events, as well as advertising opportunities, and career opportunities. Upcoming shows are featured, and gift cards may be purchased through the site.
http://www.tricitycinemas8.com/
Located along US Highway 2 in Quinnesec, Michigan, the U.P. Truck Center is a dealership for Western Star Trucks and Barko Loaders, as well as a certified Diesel engine repair facility. Its inventory of used trucks and trailers is featured here, along with its Star West trailers, Barko loaders, and ATV trailers, and information about its service department, parts department, fabrication and welding department, and towing and recovery services. Contacts are posted.
https://www.uptruckcenter.com/
