• Saturday-What'sUP September 23 - 02:04 pm

No longer a thriving little mining town, Central still has a bit to offer to the traveler passing through. Once the home town for 1200 mining families, there are still a number of structures remaining. Some of them are privately owned and occupied, so if you do visit, please respect their privacy. I'm not certain what street this photo from Craig Jordan, is looking down, but that's the Central Methodist Church where an annual reunion is held each July. The Keweenaw County Historical Society owns 38 acres of the old Central site and has been busy restoring some of the remaining residences. There's also a visitor center open during the summer months, providing exhibits about the mine and also about the life of the families who resided there. This time of year you can enjoy the beauty of the restored buildings AND the color surrounding the area.

Good morning!!

Edie and I have been lifetime members of KCHS for many years, but we had never stopped in the visitor center at Central - until this week. We had to run over to Mt. Horace Greeley to reset one of the Pasty.NET access point/relays, and on our way back to Eagle River decided to stop off at Central.

If you enjoy our Sunday Shoebox Memories here on the Pasty Cam, you will love the Visitor Center. There are large vintage photos and exhibits of artifacts discovered in this historic mining community nestled in the Keweenaw hills. After perusing the Center you can step across the road and step back in time in a mining home complete with period furnishings from the glory days of Central. It was a sunny day while we were there, so we decided to take the walking trail up to the street you see in today's Pasty Cam Shot.

The trail is maintained by the Keweenaw Lions Club, and it winds through the apple trees, past old foundations where the homes used to be. I must admit, we sampled a few of those sweet-tart apples along the way.

Autumn is my favorite time of year in the Keweenaw. If you've only visited in mid-summer, or only been here for the great snowmobiling in the winter, you're missing out on the most colorful, pleasant and relaxing season in this beautiful, rugged peninsula. We're just about to enter the peak of fall colors, so why not plan to spend a few days in the next few of weeks?

Here is a little more background on Central:

My wife and I are also KCHS members. Have not been to Central since the new visitor center.Sure would like too, it is a woderful job all those dedicated people are working for.

I definitely recommend stopping at Central for those who have the time. It really captures how the mining era was for the people. The renovated miner's house was fascinating to me. (Wish my family hadn't wanted to hustle off to Great Sand Bay on that balmy summer day!)

I have a copy of the 9th Annual Central Methodist Reunion booklet in my gallery: https://pasty.com/pcam/album/albuu76/Central_Mine_Reunion.sized.jpg I think I have 4 pages of it located there.

Central is one of those unique mines that was founded on a fissure vein rather than on one of the famous lodes. Central has the distinction of the only mining operation in the Keweenaw that turned a profit in its first year of operation. One other interesting fact about the Central vein is that it produced a large amount of silver as well, which makes it a favorite of a lot of mineral collectors....

My father in law ( Edo Rozman)has had the camp in Central that is on the corner of the street leading to the church since 1946. He & some buddies acquired a lease then. In his younger years, he took such pride in the camp, the yard was manecured as if it were a golf course. He cut the grass for the church until a couple of years ago.The camp was like his 2nd home. He is now in his late 80's but he still rides out there. My husband & I were married in the church on a beautiful sunny day in July 1993, the day before their annual church service. All of our family including my father in law have had wonderul times in Central. And there is so much history there. I enjoyed sitting on the back porch of the camp in the evening enjoying the quietness & looking in the sky at the northern lights.

WE HAVE THE CAMP NEXT TO THE CHURCH -SINCE 1991---THE CAMP WITH THE CHAIR ON THE POARCH--NICE TO SEE ''HOME''--CAMP NO. 28--ON STAGECOACH DRIVE--

NICE

My grandma Hilda Anetjarvi was born in Central sometime around the turn of the centry (1900). She passed on in 1955 before I was born, so I never had the pleasure to get to know her. Rode through there when a child during one of our summers UP there. I have a copy of the book Back to Central. Good history there.