The Mill Brings Prosperity to Thompson

The Mill Brings Prosperity to Thompson (HM1ZSO)

Location: Manistique, MI 49854 Schoolcraft County
Buy Michigan State flags at Flagstore.com!
Country: United States of America
Buy United States of America flags at Flagstore.com!

N 45° 54.401', W 86° 19.479'

  • 0 likes
  • 0 check ins
  • 0 favorites
  • 263 views
Inscription
The early 1880's brought tremendous change to the Thompson area. The abundance of nearby virgin timber and the natural harbor attracted the interest of the Delta Lumber Company of Detroit. Under the leadership of company president E.L. Thompson, a lumber mill was built on the shore of Lake Michigan, just south of where you are standing. If you look carefully you can see the remains of the brick and concrete foundation on which the mill engine was located.

By 1885, the Mill was one of the best steam mills in this part of the country. Additional circular saws and boilers increased production. The mill required 20,000,000 feet of timber to operate for the season. Expansion of the dock was necessary to accommodate loading lumber on ships bound for large cities to the south. The landscape changing 'burner," one of the largest of its class was used to dispose of dust and waste from the mill.

As the Mill grew and prospered so did the company town of Thompson. Businesses necessary to keep the Mill and its employees supplied with goods and services sprang up. Population increased, roads were created and improved, and rail lines once used only for hauling logs were extended. They now transported passengers to local attractions and outlying communities.

The Mill operated continuously for 42 years under several
Top: One of the few remaining signs of the Mill is the crumbling foundation of the power plant. In the spring dock pilings can also be seen along the old shoreline and out into the lake. Bottom: Lumber was stacked by hand on the docks to await loading on ships.different owners. In 1893 F&F Company (Frank and Friant) took over from the Delta Lumber Company, followed by the Thompson Lumber Company, North Shore Lumber Company and finally A.M. Chesborough Company.

In 1924, with timber resources used up, the saw mill and much of the town were dismantled and shipped away. While the village of Thompson still existed, it was to slowly become what you see today.

Photos courtesy of Miles Stanley
Details
HM NumberHM1ZSO
Tags
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Wednesday, July 19th, 2017 at 10:31pm PDT -07:00
Pictures
Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.
Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)16T E 552381 N 5083901
Decimal Degrees45.90668333, -86.32465000
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 45° 54.401', W 86° 19.479'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds45° 54' 24.06" N, 86° 19' 28.74" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)906
Which side of the road?Marker is on the right when traveling East
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 2726-2736 US-2, Manistique MI 49854, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

Is this marker missing? Are the coordinates wrong? Do you have additional information that you would like to share with us? If so, check in.

Nearby Markersshow on map
Check Ins  check in   |    all

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.

Comments 0 comments

Maintenance Issues
  1. Is this marker part of a series?
  2. What historical period does the marker represent?
  3. What historical place does the marker represent?
  4. What type of marker is it?
  5. What class is the marker?
  6. What style is the marker?
  7. Does the marker have a number?
  8. What year was the marker erected?
  9. Who or what organization placed the marker?
  10. This marker needs at least one picture.
  11. Can this marker be seen from the road?
  12. Is the marker in the median?