The Village of South Range, Michigan is in the western Upper Peninsula, in Adams Township, Houghton County.
Bordered on the east by the unincorporated community of Baltic, South Range is about five miles southwest of Houghton along M-26. Elsie Road connects South Range with Baltic.
Incorporated cities and villages within fifty miles of South Range include Houghton, Hancock, Lake Linden, Laurium, Calumet, Baraga, L'Anse, and Ontonagon, while the unincorporated communities of Baltic, Trimountain, Atlantic Mine, Champion Mine, Dakota Heights, Dodgeville, Hurontown, Isle Royale Location, Liminga, Schmidt Corner, Chassell, Toivola, and Oskar are within ten miles.
Largely a residential community today, South Range enjoys a degree of recreational and historic tourism, due to its location in the Upper Peninsula's Copper Country Range. South Range is a cooperating community of the Keweenaw National Historic Park. Established in 1992, the park commemorates the history of the Keweenaw Peninsula, with units located in Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw, and Ontonagon counties. Featuring exhibits on the Copper Range Company, the Copper Range Historical Museum is located in an old bank building in South Range.
With a population of 750 at the time of the 2020 census, South Range's peak population was 1,435 in 1920, the second decade that it was included in the census.
Although South Range was officially platted in 1902, the history of the south range of Michigan's copper range began many years before that. The south range was populated largely by immigrants from Slovenia and Italy, who came to work in the copper mines, along with smaller numbers of immigrants from Finland, and England. South Range was platted in 1902 by the Wheal Kate Mining Company, which operated an unsuccessful copper mine nearby. The Copper Range Railway opened a station in this area in 1905, and a post office was established on May 9, 1905, with William Trevarthen as postmaster.
Originally, the community was known as Stanton, but, when the community attempted to incorporate as a village in 1906, it was learned that there was already a Stanton in Michigan, so they incorporated as South Range, as it was situated at the south end of Michigan's Copper Range.
The south range communities were built around the mines of the Baltic range and the Champion Mines south of Trimountain and Painesville. The last mine shaft of the Champion Mines closed in 1967, although mining operations had decreased sharply long before that time.
South Range is the only incorporated village in the township. As local mines expanded, the new village's population soared to 1,435 by 1920. However, by the time the Depression hit in 1930, its population had decreased to 1,120, and continued falling to 712 by 1950. Since then, its population has remained more steady, with much smaller increases and decreases.
In 2006, the state opened a bypass of M-26 that re-routed traffic away from South Range's downtown area. Although it continues to run through the village, it now runs north-south through the less-populated eastern part of the village, diminishing the business village businesses do with passersby.
This portion of our web guide focuses on the Village of South Range, and online resources representing the village and any other governmental entities within the village are appropriate for this category, as are local businesses, industries, schools, places of worship, organizations, attractions, events, entertainment venues, and recreational opportunities.
Recommended Resources
Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the congregation was formed in the early 1900s, largely by immigrants from Finland. The history of the church is set forth, including a list of former pastors, confirmation photos, and an overview of its theology and architecture. Its location, office hours, and contacts are posted, along with an overview of its ministries, worship services, and service opportunities. Links to the sermon videos are included.
https://www.gracesouthrange.com/
Organized in 2018 with the four remaining members of Calvary Baptist Church in South Range, North Star became a mission work of Ontonagon Baptist Church. Located along M-26 in South Range, Michigan, the congregation meets on Sunday mornings and on both Sunday and Wednesday evenings. The independent, fundamental Baptist church is featured here, with an overview of what to expect during a service, a statement of beliefs, a map showing its location, a telephone number, and a contact form.
https://northstarbc.org/
South Range Local School District
Serving the K-12 population of the South Range, Michigan area, the public school system operates an elementary, middle, and high school, each of which is featured here, with locations, schedules, contacts, and policy information. The board of education is introduced, along with district departments, an academic calendar, and an overview of its athletics programs, alumni programs, and student, parent, and staff resources. District demographics are included.
https://www.southrange.org/
Featuring a selection of traditional and innovative drinks, a sound system with WiFi service, an art deco bar, pool tables, and a classic, 1950s-era shuffleboard table, the pub is on Trimountain Avenue in South Range, Michigan. Its address, hours of operation, and contacts are posted on the site, along with its menu, seasonal menu options, and a gallery of photographs. Also available is the Top of the Pub, a second-floor apartment with a separate entrance. Rates are posted.
https://southrangepub.com/
Situated in Houghton County, in the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the village was platted in 1902 and incorporated in 1906. The official municipal website features the history of the community, including period photographs. The village council is introduced, along with meeting minutes, ordinances, and contacts, including an online contact form. Also included is a guide to village facilities and services, businesses, churches, schools, arts and entertainment venues, and parks.
https://southrange.com/
