Downtown Ironwood
Downtown Ironwood – Arts, Culture, Food, Fun
Downtown Ironwood is home to the Historic Ironwood Theatre, Depot Park, Ironwood Area Historical Society Museum, Ironwood Memorial Building, Ironwood Carnegie Library, Michigan’s Iron Belle Trail, and award winning parks. Enjoy your day in downtown with many shops, food establishments, and events, there is something for everyone!
Downtown Ironwood is the cultural, artistic, recreational, historical, heart of the Western U.P. Bolstered by great shopping and dining experiences, people congregate here all year long. Enjoy a show at the Historic Ironwood theatre, take in an art exhibit at the Downtown Art Place, go on a historical tour of the downtown, or simply shop, eat, and enjoy a nice bike ride on the Iron Belle Trail.
Breweries, Coffee Shops, & Local Hangouts
Downtown Ironwood is full of places to enjoy, relax, or hang out! Grab a sandwich or a drink and enjoy the quant picturesque downtown. Click here to view Breweries, Coffee Shops, & Local Hangouts.
Michigan’s Iron Belle Trail
Click here to view the trail map.
Depot Park in downtown Ironwood serves as the Upper Peninsula trail-head.
The Michigan’s Iron Belle Trail is a non motorized paved path that begins at the Michigan/Wisconsin border (Montreal River) and goes all the way until Ramsay, Michigan. The next phase of the trail will connect Ramsay to Wakefield, Michigan.
Jump on the longest designated state trail in the nation as you hike or bike your way between Belle Isle Park in Detroit and Ironwood in the Upper Peninsula. Explore pristine forests, pass cool rivers and visit charming towns, and find out why Michigan is known as “The Trails State.” The 1,273-mile hiking route (69 % complete) incorporates a large portion of the existing North Country National Scenic Trail. It traverses the west side of the Lower Peninsula and borders Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula. The 791-mile bicycle route (64 % complete) utilizes existing multi-use trails and follows US-2, a designated national bicycling route in the Upper Peninsula.
Historic Ironwood Theatre
Ironwood’s Cultural Centerpiece
The Historic Ironwood Theatre– Built in 1928, the recent restored theatre has a rich history of providing outstanding entertainment. The Mission of the Ironwood Theatre is to provide cultural entertainment of the highest possible quality to the greatest number of citizens in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Northern Wisconsin.
The Historic Ironwood Theatre is located in Ironwood’s beautiful historic downtown and is the cultural and artistic centerpiece to Ironwood’s growing arts community and district. Showing on average one show every other week (pre-COVID), the theatre serves as an entertainment venue residents and visitors and a social venue for all to enjoy the show together.
Depot Park & Museum
Built in 1892, the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Depot was designed in the Richardson Romanesque style. It was the hub of an elaborate railroad yard operation in the center of Ironwood. As the mines closed, so too did the fortunes of the railroads, with the last iron ore trains ending in 1967 and passenger trains ending their service at the Depot in 1970. Purchased by the City of Ironwood, the Depot was refurbished by a dedicated group of volunteers, and it is now home to the Ironwood Area Historical Society and the Ironwood Area Chamber of Commerce.
Downtown City Square
The newest public park in Ironwood is the Downtown City Square. A great place to enjoy your lunch or meet up with a friend. The park boasts an ampitheatre for live concerts, splashpad for the kids, pergola with fire pit on those cold nights, mountain bike trail head, and food truck parking. Located right downtown on Aurora St.
Downtown Art Place
The mission of the Downtown Art Place (DAP) is to promote and sustain the creation and appreciation of the visual arts in the greater Ironwood area, (encompassing Gogebic and Ontonagon Counties in Michigan and Iron and Vilas Counties in Wisconsin). The DAP is also dedicated to promoting local and regional artists in its galleries, gift shop, and arts education and is committed to partnering with its neighbor, the Historic Ironwood Theatre. Visit the Downtown Art Place gallery and studios or take in one of the classes or events throughout the year.
Ironwood Carnegie Library
Ironwood Carnegie Library History Brochure Page 1
The Ironwood Carnegie Library, built in 1901 with the support of Andrew Carnegie, we are proud to be the oldest continually operating Carnegie Library in the state of Michigan and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Located in the historic downtown, our library is a beautiful historic building that has served the residents of our community for over 100 years. What makes our library unique is that it combines a rich past with the technology of the future. The library is a vital community resource that connects residents to each other and the world. Visit the old library and take a step back in time.
Ironwood Memorial Building
The Ironwood Memorial Building is a two-story Neoclassical structure built of concrete in a pentagonal shape. The first floor is raised, providing light to the basement level. The two front facades are faced in grey terra cotta and coursed stone, while the remaining elevations are faced with brick. The heavy bronze door entrances are approached with wide granite steps and are flanked by Ionic columns. Above each entrance, clocks are inset into the terra cotta. A balustrade runs around the roof edge. Multipaned windows separated by pilasters and topped with arches run around the first floor, and rectangular windows with architrave trim are used on the second.
Inside the building are municipal offices (including a court room and council chambers), community facilities, a 1,500-seat auditorium, a pool and gymnasium. The building houses 47 stained glass windows (including a number depicting the Battle of Argonne), a statue of World War I doughboy, and bronze tablets listing area men who served during the Civil War, Spanish-American War, and World War I. A mural by artist Carl Frezell depicting local iron mines was funded by the Works Progress Administration. The Ironwood Women’s Club has a private clubroom in the building.
Downtown City Square
When the project is complete, the square will be a significant green space contributing to the beautification of the downtown. It will be an ideal location for community events with its extensive landscaping, solar and environmental features, outdoor seating, a location for food trucks, an outdoor fireplace for year-round use, a summer splash pad, a winter ice rink trail and sledding area, and an amphitheater for music and theater performances. The project also includes funding for street lighting through the downtown to enhance connectivity and safety.
Downtown Art Park
Developed in 2015 as part of a local crowdfunding effort, Ironwood’s Downtown Art Park was established to allow for the public display of outdoor art in the heart of the downtown art district! The park is directly across the street from the Historic Ironwood Theatre, the Downtown Art Place, and Art Studios on Aurora. Also hosting musical performances, the Art Park is an important addition to the downtown cultural center.
Downtown Pocket Park
Flower Garden in the Heart of Downtown!
Ironwood’s Pocket Park, directly in the center of downtown Ironwood, is a beautiful place to sit, relax and enjoy the historic and vibrant downtown setting. Learn more here.