Historic Downtown Ironwood Self Guided Walking Tour
Historic Downtown Ironwood Self Guided Walking Tour
The City of Ironwood, MI was created out of logging and mining extractive industries, which were at their peak from 1880 to 1950. It became a classic “boom town” in its early days, and the railroads brought thousands of immigrants here, while taking thousands of cars of iron ore and logs out. At Ironwood’s peak in the 1920’s the city reached a population of almost 20,000 and had a symphony orchestra, theatrical companies, a Carnegie Library, and a vibrant family-owned retail and service sector.
While most all of the main economic infrastructure from this time is no longer standing, a few examples remain, and they provided the impetus to create a Historic Ironwood Self-Guided Walking Tour of remaining buildings (or historic building sites) in the downtown area.
Of those structures still standing, many serve as a living textbook of the finest architectural achievements of America’s golden age. They not only teach us about the visual tastes and craftsmanship of the days gone by, but also serve as living reminders of many historic events and the people who immigrated here in the past.
Twenty interpretive signs are affixed to buildings throughout the downtown. Each sign contains a picture of the building during its early days and a narrative of the building’s history and its architectural style. Of those still standing and serving as working buildings, the “must sees” for every visitor include the 1924 Memorial Building, the 1928 Ironwood Theatre, and the 1893 C&NW Railroad Depot—which now houses the Ironwood Historical Society Museum. You can pick up the Walking Tour brochure from the Depot Museum or from the Memorial Building.
Where to Get the Brochure
Brochures can be obtained throughout downtown Ironwood, local hotels, businesses, Depot Museum, and Ironwood Memorial Building.