The Michigan Ghost Town of Donken, Houghton County

Donken is located just off M-26 in Elm River Township, Houghton County.

Now a ghost town at the base of the Keweenaw Peninsula, Donken was originally called Beaver. The town grew around the Beaver Area Case Lumber Company but it was soon decided to give the town a different name. The owner of the lumber company had two sons, Don and Ken Case, so he finagled the town into being named after them.

The company was doing great - in 1917, they cut between 20,000-25,000 feet of lumber per day. Along with the lumber mill, the town soon had a barber shop, boarding house, church, general store, hotel, post office, school, and a few establishments where the lumbermen could “relax, unwind, and get wild" (a/k/a saloons and brothels).

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In the 1920s, it was one of the fastest growing towns at the base of the Keweenaw. Another 20-some years go by, and in 1944, the Beaver Area Case Lumber Co. was purchased by Vulcan Company. They carried on for another 20-some years until they reached the end of their line in 1966. The lumber company called it quits.

At its peak, Donken had 600 residents...now there are only a very few left, with a few old structures still standing on the west end across the former Copper Range Railroad tracks. Scroll down to see photos of current-day Donken.