The Bay Furnace Ruins, East of Marquette, Michigan

The Bay Furnace Ruins, East of Marquette, Michigan

Screenshot courtesy of Munising Visitors Bureau, youtube

In the U.P. east of Marquette is a former town called Onota. This town does not exist anymore, only lasting from 1869-1877.

Onota was destroyed by fire in 1877 and the only remaining thing from the town is the blast furnace where pig iron was smelted, from 1870-1877. It's one of the last such structures that remain in the Upper Peninsula. This furnace cranked out 20 tons of pig iron every day (SEE PHOTOS BELOW).

Because the furnace is the only original Onota remnant, the area has been named the Bay Furnace Campground, occupying the site that was once Onota.

The town of Christmas is right next door within the  Hiawatha National Forest and the Bay Furnace is on the National Register of Historic Places.

To get there, go 5 miles west of Munising to Christmas on M-28. Just west of Christmas is Bay Furnace Drive...take it and you'll be there.

Enjoy your Michigan roadtrip this year!

MORE COOL STUFF TO SEE IN MICHIGAN!

America's Oldest Still-operating Grocer is is Michigan

Abandoned House Of David Hotel

WARNING: Under no circumstances should you enter this property. By doing so you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing on private property.

The Ghost Town of Sharon, Kalkaska County

Filed Under: Abandoned Michigan, bay furnace campground, bay furnace drive, bay furnace ruins, blast furnace, christmas michigan, deserted michigan, featured, Hiawatha National Forest, historic michigan, Lake Superior, marquette michigan, michigan ghost town, Michigan History, Michigan Roadtrip, michigan urban exploring, munising michigan, National Register of Historic Places, onota michigan, pig iron smelting furnace, Roadside Michigan, upper peninsula
Categories: Articles

More From 99.1 WFMK