Isle Royale National Park ⓘ

The historic structures and outbuildings you see here are part of Isle Royale's rich cultural heritage. This particular complex was associated with a commercial fishing interest, an activity that has a long and interwoven history on Isle Royale. In contrast with other island endeavors, such as mining, lumbering and tourism, commercial fishing has provided a livelihood for men from the 1830's to times more recent. Nearly every inlet, island, and sound of the archipelago has had its cluster of weatherbeaten shanties, wharves and fishhouses. All commercial fishery locations were subsequently purchased by the federal government following creation of Isle Royale National Park in 1931. Even though the National Park Service now owns all the land and buildings on Isle Royale, some families still return to the former fisheries and are allowed to do so through a special agreement with the National Park Service.

Many of the fisheries were in place before National Park status, some having been established in the late 19th century. However, most fishermen were squatters and did not own the island properties they occupied. In such cases fishermen were permitted to fish commercially within Park waters but on a modest scale. For the fewer number of cases where land was indeed owned, life leases were granted in return for a lower purchase price. The lease agreement was a concept adapted from Shenandoah National Park and allowed former property owners and their next of kin provisional use of the fishery buildings. As part of the agreement, maintenance and upkeep would be performed by the families. In many respects the presence of the remaining fisheries on Isle Royale today can be credited to the tenure of the life lease.

Mining frontiers in the United States have followed a common pattern. Historically, they have been important in that they often brought the first permanent settler population to isolated or uninviting areas. They have typically begun by a discovery or rumors of precious metal. Mining of a simple type led to the establishment of settlements, roads, and other facilities. Dwindling deposits often caused an equally rapid decline in population, with perhaps a few of the better-financed companies staying on. As time went on a very different type of mining would develop based on the use of heavy machinery and the advice of trained mining engineers and geologists. Eventually, in most areas, the deposits played out, and tourism or ranching replaced the mining.

Isle Royale followed this pattern in many ways. There was an early boom-and-bust period, lasting from 1843 to 1855; a lull, and then a revival of mining activity from 1873 to 1881; again a decline, and then a final flurry of mining from 1889 to 1893, ending with a shift to tourism and commercial fishing.

Nearly 18,000 cords of pulpwood are banked on the landing of the Meade Timber Co. at the inner end of Siskiwit Bay, Isle Royale, the winter's harvest of the first logging operations ever carried out on the great Lake Superior island.

The pulpwood, chiefly spruce with some balsam mixed in, is piled in tiers extending back 10 rods or more from the water's edge and covering a banking ground exactly a mile in length.

The logging crews which did the cutting and hauling left Isle Royale two weeks ago and the lumber camp, which had accommodated 150 or more men throughout the winter, broke up. Cutting operations began late last summer. Preparations for the establishment of the camp were made a year ago this spring.

Sometime in June or July rafting crews will reach Isle Royale to take charge of moving the huge log pile from the island. The logs will be rolled down the skidways into the bay by hand labor, rafted together with the aid of log booms and the job of towing them to paper mills in Wisconsin will begin.

The tugs towing the giant rafts of pulpwood will move only about a mile an hour. The transfer of the logs will probably be completed in two rafts.

About 2,500 cords of the pulpwood cut by the logging company remains unhauled in the woods, left over when the spring breakup halted the operations. A hauling crew will return to the camp next fall to complete the job of bringing this down to the landing.

The timber has been cut in a dense swamp along the Big Siskiwit River and the cutting has done little to mar the wild and unspoiled beauty of Isle Royale. The lands owned by the Meade Co. are under option by the United States park service and the cutting was carried out within the terms of the option.

A dangerous evergreen slash remains from the logging operations, however, constituting a forest fire hazard of the worst type. If not taken care of this slashing would be likely to cause fires that might damage a large area of the island. It is expected, however, that the slash will be disposed of by CCC crews from a camp that will operate on Siskiwit Bay, near the abandoned lumber camp, this summer. This will be one of two CCC camps to be established on Isle Royale early in June.

In 1935 negotiations were initiated by the National Park Service for acquisition of Isle Royale private lands and President Roosevelt approved the establishment of Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camps on the island, allocating $600,000 for the program. The CCC program was one of several federal work relief programs created as part of the New Deal, which provided social and economic opportunities, professional training and much-needed income to areas hit by the Great Depression. Between the years of 1933 to 1941, the CCC employed 102,814 young men in 42 camps located throughout Michigan. The Departments of War, Agriculture, Interior, and Labor acted together to recruit, house, and feed, cloth, and care for thousands of enrollees in "what became one of the largest mobilizations of manpower up to that point in American history." General and specific work plans were established by the agencies, which selected, organized, and administered the camps in a military-like manner.

Responsibilities of the CCC enrollees included forest fire prevention, flood control, and soil erosion containment; tree planting and implementing improvements to state and national parks and forests; eradicating insect pests; and wildlife management on federal lands. CCC volunteers were required to be between the ages of 18 and 35, stand five feet to six feet, eight inches tall, weigh at least 107 pounds, and have no less than three teeth. The federal treasury provided each individual with $30 per month ($25 of which was to be sent home) for no less than a six-month enlistment period.

The rise of resorts was accompanied by the buying of summer cottages by vacationers. The Island Mine Company and the Isle Royale Land Corporation sold a large number of small tracts to those desiring a summer cottage. Island locations were particularly valued. This demand became so great that in 1914 the government had to survey a large number of small islands in Tobin Harbor, Washington Harbor, and on the north shore that had been missed in previous surveys. Buyers snapped up these islands.

Over time the summer residents developed strong emotional ties to the island, becoming voluntary "keepers" of island history and protectors of the island. Their appreciation led many, such as Frank Warren of Rock Harbor, to head efforts to preserve Isle Royale from excessive development. Warren, along with other island property owners, formed a group known as the Isle Royale Protective Association, or IRPA, which sought State or Federal ownership for the entire island, including all private inholdings. To meet this goal, the IRPA contacted numerous potential advocates and put forward a number of proposals to State and Federal entities.The proposal of an Isle Royale National Park resulted in an increased amount of publicity for the island during the 1920s and early 1930s. Albert Stoll, outdoor editor for the Detroit News and leading advocate for the creation of Isle Royale National Park, brought several official inspection trips to Isle Royale and served to promote the area's attractions. Annual trips to Isle Royale were offered to members of the Saginaw YMCA in the 1930s, and the Boy Scouts also began to regularly send groups to the island.

The creation of Isle Royale National Park Service was further influenced by changing concepts of wilderness recreation in the 1930s. No longer did tennis courts and golf courses seem appropriate for the Isle Royale wilderness; new perspectives called for a more harmonious interaction with nature. Visitors and summer residents had been attracted to Isle Royale for its remote and rugged wilderness qualities. This attitude guided the National Park Service in its planning for Isle Royale National Park. The island was treasured as a wilderness, and biologist Adolph Murie wrote (as a consultant for the National Park Service), "low density of human impact and few encroachments of mechanized civilization would help keep Isle Royale a special place for the visitor..." Murie further advised that trail development, tourist facilities, and publicity be kept to a minimum. Recreation at Isle Royale National Park was to be a "wilderness experience."

Following 1931 enabling legislation, the federal government began to purchase private holdings of land and property on Isle Royale. E.G. Willemin, a federal agent with extensive experience in arranging land transfers in other eastern national parks, was introduced to members of the Isle Royale National Park Commission by Albert Stoll in June 1935. By 1935 a majority of the island had been purchased from the largest landholders leaving smaller clusters of individual properties for eventual purchase or donation. Summer Cottage owners were offered life leases in return for a reduced sale price. As part of the agreement, maintenance and upkeep would be performed by the families. In many respects the presence of the remaining summer camps and cottages on Isle Royale today can be credited to the tenure of the life lease.

Our Connections to the Past Is the Rock Harbor Lighthouse just a big, empty stone building? How about the Kemmer cottage in Tobin Harbor? Is it just another old cabin along the shore? The smell of coffee and bread may not waft from the cabin as it did when Elizabeth Kemmer (EK) lived there and the Rock Harbor lighthouse may not be bustling with the activity of the Johnson fishing family anymore, but the stories are still there. Cabins aren't just wood and shingles nailed together. They are the remnants of an important history that help us find out about Isle Royale and possibly also about ourselves. There are stories everywhere. If you stand at the top of the cliffs at Passage Island lighthouse, you stand in the footsteps of 100 years of lightkeepers and assistant lightkeepers, watching the lake and trying to keep ships safe. If you stood with the Passage lightkeepers on a stormy December night in 1906, you would have shared their concern and wonder as they saw something near Blake's Point. "Is it a fire? It's December, how can there be a fire over there? As soon as these waves calm down a bit, I'll take the rowboat and check it out." Two days later, you might have joined the assistant keeper as he set out to find the answer to their questions. You might have been with him when he discovered the wrecked ship, Monarch, and helped initiate the rescue of her passengers and crew. Why do we need to keep these places? Can't we just write down the stories and leave it at that? The sites provide the tangible resources that can link us to the stories and history of the island. The memory of EK remains because her cabin is still here, otherwise we might forget about her. The Passage Island lighthouse stands strong as a reminder of the thousands of mariners who have passed by the island and those who are still passing by. We must do our best to preserve the sites so we can also preserve the stories and memories of a way of life that came before us. Nothing can compare to standing on the dock at Wright Island, feeling the fresh lake air, watching a moose across the harbor, and hearing the distant call of a loon. We can't just write down that Ingeborg Holte used to stand here and watch the sun rise. We need to be able to stand here too—so we can feel, at least a little, what it was like for her. Being able to stand in the same spot connects us to the past in a way that words simply cannot. Without the visible - cabins, docks, landscapes - we might forget about the history and those who were here before us. We need these tangible reminders to link us to the past. We need these places because they can take us away from our lives for a while, for a few minutes or a few days, and let us connect to a different time, away from modern distractions - a place where we can go for peace of mind and memories.

The majority of the content available on the History & Culture: Fisheries website has been derived from the 2002 work, " The Isle Royale Folkefiskerisamfunn: An Ethnohistory of the Scandinavian Folk Fisherman of Isle Royale National Park ," written by Rebecca S. Toupal, Richard W. Stoffie, and M. Neeves Zedeno. The works referenced in that study and on the Fisheries website are listed below.

Cochrane, Timothy. 2012. Minong The Good Place Ojibwe and Isle Royale . East Lansing, Mich: Michigan State University Press.

Franks, Kathryn E., and Arnold R. Alanen. 1999. Historic Structures at Isle Royale National Park: Historic Contexts and Associated Property Types . Madison: Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Gale, Thomas P., and Kendra L. Gale. 1995. Isle Royale: A Photographic History . Houghton, Mich: Isle Royale Natural History Association.

Karamanski, Theodore J., Richard H. Zeitlin, and Joseph. Derose. 1988. Narrative History of Isle Royale National Park . Chicago: Mid-American Research Center, Loyola University of Chicago.

Rakestraw, Lawrence. 1968. Commercial Fishing on Isle Royale, 1800-1967 . Houghton, Mich: Isle Royale Natural History Association.

Rathbun, Richard. 1894. Concerning Informants, Lake Superior, Field Notes - 1894 . Vol. Record Group 22, Entry 44, Box 5, File Lake Superior. Washington, D.C.: National Archives.

Scarpino, Philip V. 2010. Cultural Resources on Isle Royale National Park: An Historic Context . Indianapolis: Indiana University / Purdue University Indianapolis.

Toupal, Rebecca S., Richard W. Stoffie, and M. Nieves Zedeno. 2002. The Isle Royale Folkefiskerisamfunn: Familier Som Levde Av Fiske: An Ethnohistory of the Scandinavian Folk Fishermen of Isle Royale National Park. Report for the National Park Service, Midwest Regional Office. Tucson: Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology, University of Arizona.

The Cultural Landscapes Inventory (CLI) is a database containing information on the historically significant landscapes within the National Park System. This evaluated inventory identifies and documents each landscape’s location, size, physical development, condition, landscape characteristics as character-defining features, as well as other valuable information useful to park management. Cultural landscapes become approved inventory records when all required data fields are entered, the park superintendent concurs with the information, and the landscape is determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places through a consultation process or is otherwise managed as a cultural resource through a public planning process.

Native American copper hunters were probably the first navigators to risk the dangerous Lake Superior waters in order to travel to Isle Royale. The Indians most likely used the birch bark canoe, which was strong and versatile. During the 1600s, European-American missionaries, traders, and explorers who ventured to Isle Royale also used the canoe. The famous route just north of lsle Royale, the "Voyageurs Highway," was traveled by many canoes carrying trade goods from Mackinac or Montreal to get to Grand Portage. Between the 1770s and the 1820s, furs were transported by the Northwest Company from Grand Portage (and later, Fort William) to Sault Sainte Marie in sailing ships. It was not until 1837 when the American Fur Company opened fishing posts on Isle Royale that the first large vessels and regular boat service came to the island. The American Fur Company had fishing operations at several sites on Isle Royale, with major warehouses at Siskiwit Bay and Rock Harbor. These warehouses were visited by company-owned schooners that delivered supplies to the island, and transported fish to Sault Sainte Marie. After the Isle Royale American Fur Company fisheries closed in 1839, the island would not be frequented by large sailing ships until the first copper mining rush in 1843.

After the close of the second copper mining rush on Isle Royale in 1881, it was Canada's silver mining boom, as well as the growth of scheduled passenger and freight routes between the lower lakes and Houghton, Port Arthur, and Duluth, that created an increase in Lake Superior's, and Isle Royale's traffic. The discovery of silver in Silver Islet on the Canadian north shore initiated a rush to the area. Ships coming from the Sault Sainte Marie locks would traverse Lake Superior and "thread the needle" between Isle Royale's Passage Island and Blake Point, the most eastern point of the main island, to reach Silver Islet. Many shipwrecks occured in this three-and-a-quarter-mile strait, and as early as 1872 it had been recognized as a very hazardous passage.

There are ten shipwrecks at Isle Royale National Park that have been listed on the National Register. These include the Alogma , America , Henry Chisholm , Chester A. Congdon , George M. Cox , Cumberland , Emperor , Glenlyon , Kamloops , and the Monarch .

The Isle Royale archipelago, consisting of more than 450 islands, has many shallow, rocky reefs and was historically in the path of major shipping lanes. This made the island a natural place for lighthouses, especially when copper mining was at its peak during the mid to late 1800s. Yet, even the presence of lighthouses has not always been enough to keep ships from courting disaster. Ten major shipwrecks ring the island, and numerous other small boats rest in park waters.

Although all lighthouses today are unmanned, they were once home to the keepers of the lights. The keepers were tasked with alerting ships to danger, and rescuing survivors of shipwrecks. For many, it was a lonely job in a remote setting, facing endless days of fog and tumultuous weather. Most served only during the navigation season, around the end of April through mid-November, and spent their winters on the mainland. The keepers were a hardy breed, guardians of the lights, often making the difference between life and death for those crossing Lake Superior. In honor of these brave keepers and the lighthouses they safeguarded, all four Isle Royale Lighthouses are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Isle Royale Lighthouses are symbols of survival-and occasionally, literally the very means of survival. On a foggy day in 1933, the George M. Cox ended its maiden voyage by striking a reef close to the Rock of Ages Light. Keeper John Soldenski took his boat out to the wreck, then towed the lifeboats to the rocky outcropping where the lighthouse is located. The lighthouse became a makeshift hotel, in which about 120 survivors of the wreck took turns spending the night alternating between huddling on the tower's spiral staircase and shivering outside.

Sometimes, it was the keepers' families who struggled for survival. In 1883, toward the end of the navigation season, Passage Island Light Keeper W. Dermant took his boat to Port Arthur to pick up supplies. When the Lake froze, he was unable to return until spring. His wife and three children were left to fend for themselves through the winter by fishing and hunting snowshoe hares. Dermant left his duties shortly after the rescue of his family.

Supply channels for those keepers during the early years of operation were undependable. During one tough season, a crew of four lighthouse keepers at Rock of Ages Light was down to one last can of tomatoes before they were taken off the island for the winter. Now that's a close call!

For over a century people have been watching and documenting the birds of Isle Royale. Historical reports from the early and mid-1900s revealed which species were migrating northward, which were spending the summer raising a family, and which were present on the island all year long. Efforts in recent years have included surveys along eight sections of park trails, listening for the songs that birds use to advertise themselves to prospective mates and defend a territory against rivals. Listening to bird song is a fairly simple way to identify birds without disturbing them, and changes in species communities over time can be an indicator of habitat change. The changes in species lists over the past 100 years tells us that habitats have indeed been fluctuating, sometimes due to human actions, such as fires set to reveal copper veins, but often due to the natural progression of forest and wetland vegetation. After a large fire in 1936, many bird species that enjoy post-fire conditions must have done well. One such species was the Sharp-tailed Grouse, which had been considered a common year-round resident until the past couple of decades when forests again entered a more mature stage. In contrast, Sandhill Cranes have become a somewhat common species in drained wetlands, and in recent years many breeding pairs have been found across the island. See the full list of Isle Royale birds

In the northwestern portion of Lake Superior is a unique and remote island archipelago. Isle Royale National Park preserves 132,018 acres of land that was federally designated as wilderness on October 20, 1976. The park consists of one large island surrounded by over 450 smaller islands; it encompasses a total area of 850 square miles including submerged land, which extends 4 1/2 miles out into the largest fresh water lake in the world. Isle Royale's unique ecosystem led to it being designated an International Biosphere Reserve in 1980. These isolated islands have only 19 mammal species, compared to over 40 found on the surrounding mainland. Some species have come and gone, often due to human influences. The heavily forested shoreline of Isle Royale appears similar to the mainland's landscape prior to development. Gulls, ravens, and an occasional eagle or osprey dot the skies; squirrels, toads, mice, and spiders move about the forest floor. The ecological study of wolves on Isle Royale is the longest running large mammal predator-prey study on earth. The park celebrated the study's 50th anniversary in 2008. Research has shown that all members of the Isle Royale wolf population have descended from a single female, who arrived during the late 1940s. This intense level of inbreeding has led to a 50 % loss of genetic variability within the population today. Genetic information also suggest that the island's moose population is most closely related to moose in northwestern Minnesota, perhaps challenging the long-held idea that moose swam across the lake to reach Isle Royale. Did humans bring them here? A venture by foot, canoe or kayak into the park's interior can transport one back thousands of years. Around 11,000 years ago, two miles of ice lay on top of Isle Royale, pressing it down into the earth and sculpting its topography. This same ice sheet gave birth to Lake Superior as well as hundreds of inland lakes, ponds and bogs. The Greenstone Ridge, which forms the backbone of Isle Royale, is thought by many geologist to be a portion of the largest lava flow on earth. All in all, Isle Royale is a fascinating ecosystem to study.

A group of backpackers hike the Rock Harbor Trail along Rock Harbor Channel. Group Camping Reservations Must Be Made in Advance of Island Arrival Advance group camping reservations are required for groups of seven or more individuals, including leaders. If you have seven or more in your camping group, and do not obtain advanced reservations before arriving on-island, you may be required to leave the island immediately and subject to park fines. Maximum group size is 20 people on the island at one time. If your group exceeds 10 , you must split into two or more parties (of 10 or less), each traveling on completely separate itineraries. Groups traveling as two or more small-parties (1 - 6 people), must still make reservations. Who reserves group campsites? Groups with a party of seven to ten people may only camp in reserved group campsites. Required to follow planned itinerary: Groups of 7 or more people, including groups splitting into multiple parties regardless of party size, are required to follow the reserved itineraries. Entrance fees are required in addition to any group reservation requests. Capacity Limitations for Organizations Organizations may not have more than 20 people camping on the island at any one time. Organizations are limited to 80 people per year.

Group Camping Reservation Requests When can I make a request? Requests for 2027 group camping reservations will open October 1, 2026 . 2027 reservation requests received prior to this date will not be processed. What do I need to make a request? Number of parties within your group. Most often this is one party of 7 - 10 people. Number of people for each party in your group. Planned party itineraries. Which campgrounds will you stay at on which nights. Campground stay limits are in effect Transportation method to and from Isle Royale. When will requests be processed? Requests will begin processing immediately. All requests are processed in the order we receive them. Group Camping reservation requests of $25 per permit are nonrefundable. Once you have the above information, to make a request visit Group Camping Reservation Instructions .

Commercial Groups Commercial groups such as camps, outfitters, tour groups and any operation providing goods, activities, or services to the general public within the park must obtain a Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) .

Trip Planning Assistance Group campsites for seven to ten individuals are located at a limited number of campgrounds. Use the group campsites table and the trail mileage chart to help choose overnight locations. Before submitting requests online, have trip itineraries planned. When itinerary complications arise, the park will work with you to find solutions. Email group camping questions directly to us.

One party of 7 - 10 people and one party of 6 people or fewer (two parties, one group)

Reserved Group Campsites and Individual Campsites, first-come first-served for party of 6 or fewer

Group Camping Permit and a Small-party Backcountry permit. Both parties required to have complete separate itineraries**