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The Keweenw History Museum

The Keweenaw History Museum has
a wide variety of exhibits.

ANNOUNCEMENTS -- This is a test web site designed only to be seen by KCHS Board members. It is based on the existing KCHS web site, uses the much of the same content as the existing site but has major technical and design changes and additional content. Take the link below to the announcements page for all the details.
All of the KCHS Museums are closed for the 2013 season. We will post the 2014 schedule of activities in the spring.
Check the Sites and Museum Schedule page for hours and locations for all 11 KCHS museums for the past 2013 season.

Press here to see all of the current announcements.

Copper Ingots

Once the copper ore was mined, milled,
and smelted it was poured into ingots
such as these found in the Keweenaw
History Museum

The history of the Keweenaw is a complex mixture of mining, shipping, tourism, and the struggles of every day life on America's early 'Western" frontier. The Keweenaw History museum contains displays that look at each of these areas. The Eagle Harbor exhibit shows photographs of the development of Eagle Harbor from a mining then lumber community to an early tourist destination. The history of mining is displayed through photographs and artifacts that trace the 6,000 year old history of mining in the Keweenaw. The wreck of the S. S. Bangor in 1926 near Copper Harbor and it's load of Chrysler automobiles is examined in detail. Life in the Keweenaw is shown through photos, art works, and even an early Copper County automobile.

Chrysler car

The museum has a large exhibit
detailing the wreck of the S.S. Bangor
and the rescue of Chrysler cars similar
to this one.

The Keweenaw County Historical Keweenaw History Museum is located on the grounds of the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse complex in Eagle Harbor, Michigan. It is located in the old Coast Guard garage building on the site.

Since 1982 the Keweenaw County Historical Society has maintained four museums at the light station. Besides the lighthouse, they include a Maritime Museum in the old fog signal building, a Keweenaw History Museum located in the old U. S. Coast Guard Station garage, and Commercial Fishing Museum located in one of the assistant keepers buildings.

Planning your visit

Hours & Admission -The Keweenaw History Museum and the Eagle Harbor lighthouse are open from mid-June to early October. Admission $5.00. Children free.

Location - The Keweenaw History Museum is located in the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse Complex, located on Lighthouse Drive. GPS: N 47 27.560 W 88 09.600, Decimal Degrees: 47.459330, -88.160000

Need a map? Click on this small Google Map to open a larger version that will give you complete access to a larger Google map of the area, satellite view, etc. You may use this link to go to Google Maps Help if you are not familiar with Google Maps.

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Related Links - You may wish to explore the following sites for additional information on the history of the Keweenaw.

Keweenaw National Historical park site

A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum

Michigan Tech Archives & Copper Country Historical Collections

Keweenaw Convention & Visitors Bureau

NOTE: The State of Michigan has E.W. Courter's 144 page complete Keweenaw history, 'Michigan's Copper Country' on the web as a PDF.