BlockBefore

Alger County, Michigan

62 topographic sheets cover 43 settlements here, and 14 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

14 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Michigan within the United States
Alger County within Michigan

What the record shows

  • 475 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 14 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 7 structures, 5 buildings, 1 district and 1 site.
  • 5 of the 14 listings were added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 43 populated places in this county; 43 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

14

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Au Sable Light Stationbuilding197878000374
Bay Furnacestructure197171000382
Grand Island Harbor Rear Range Lightstructure199090000906
Grand Island North Light Stationdistrict198585002149
Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Inner and Outer Lightsstructure201212000254
Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Inner and Outer Lightsstructure201212000254
King Road-Whitefish River Bridgestructure199999001463
Lobb Housebuilding197676001023
M-28-Sand River Bridgestructure199999001460
M-94 (old)-Au Train River Bridgestructure199999001462
Mikulich General Storebuilding199393000428
Paulson Housebuilding197272000590
Pickle Barrel Housebuilding200403001548
Schoolcraft Furnace Sitesite197777000151

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

118 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 118 of them, burning about 412 acres. 30 started naturally and 6 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Natural30
Missing data/not specified/undetermined24
Debris and open burning19
Recreation and ceremony19
Equipment and vehicle use8
Arson/incendiarism6
Smoking5
Power generation/transmission/distribution4
Railroad operations and maintenance2
Other causes1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
20 August 2007Missing data/not specified/undetermined70 acresMichigan Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
10 April 1995Debris and open burning47 acresMichigan Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
4 May 1994Debris and open burning35 acresMichigan Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
20 July 2012Natural26 acresHiawatha National ForestTIE LAKE
1 April 2010Debris and open burning26 acresHiawatha National ForestWEST KENDALL
27 April 2003Debris and open burning25 acresHiawatha National ForestDUNKLEE
13 June 1995Recreation and ceremony20 acresMichigan Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
3 July 2013Missing data/not specified/undetermined20 acresMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesKINGSTON PLAINS

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1953 to 2025

60 of 160 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 160 reports for this county, causing 1 death, 5 injuries and about $1,675,000 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Hail81
Thunderstorm Wind52
Heavy Rain11
Tornado6
Flash Flood4
Lightning3
Flood2
Funnel Cloud1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
June 1998LightningShingleton1 killedLightning strike killed a fork lift operator at a lumber mill in Shingleton.
July 2006LightningMunising3 hurtLightning struck a tour boat for shipwreck cruises in Munising Bay. Three people were treated and released at a local hospital for minor injuries.
July 1999Thunderstorm WindMunising1 hurtDowned trees blocking roads. A hiker was injured by a falling tree.
August 1988Thunderstorm Windnot stated1 hurtno account filed
May 2023FloodAu Train$1,000,000The Alger County EM reported record flooding in Au Train where around 200 homes were impacted with flooding along the Au Train River and Au Train Lake during early May. Water was overtopping the Forest Lake Dam upstream due to heavy water equivalent precipitation in the basin from the May 1-2 storm system.
May 1964Tornado (F2)not stated$250,000no account filed
June 2000Thunderstorm WindTrenary$100,000Barn destroyed, killing a bull inside, trees down.
April 2025Flash FloodMunising$75,000Heavy rain resulted in flooding along the Anna River late Monday night into early Tuesday morning. Driveway bridges and a private road were damaged or washed out along M-94, and railroad tracks were washed out between Munising Junction and Munising. Time estimated from radar.
August 2017Thunderstorm WindOnola$70,000Over 100 12-24 inch diameter trees were snapped and uprooted five miles west-northwest of Au Train. Two trees were down on a house along Rock River Road. Power lines were also reported down.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindMunising Hanley Arpt$30,000There was a public report of dozens of snapped and uprooted trees seven miles east-northeast of Round Lake.
September 2019LightningGrand Marais$20,000Lightning from a thunderstorm caused a rooftop fire at the Superior Hotel in Grand Marais on the afternoon of the 30th. Time of the report was estimated via ENTLN and GLD lightning data.
June 2022Thunderstorm WindAu Train$15,000Over 200 residences were reported to be without power along Au Train Forest Lake Road due to thunderstorm wind damage. Power lines were also reported down near the All Seasons Tavern just south of Au Train. Time of the report was estimated from radar.
September 2018Flash FloodMunising$15,000Three to four inches of rain caused the Anna River to go over its banks in Munising reaching the bottom of the bridge on Highway H-58. Floodwaters were one to two feet deep near Brook Street and East Varnum Street with basement flooding reported along Brook Street. The parking lot of the Family Fare Supermarket was also flooded.
July 2013Thunderstorm WindMelstrand$15,000In the Melstrand area, about 30 trees were down or snapped off and 6 to 8 trees uprooted in Melstrand. One 30-inch diameter white pine was snapped off one-third of the way up. At a cabin, sheet metal fencing which was nailed down to protect a well head was blown off and became airborne, gouging a storage shed 100 feet away with gouges 6.5 feet off the ground.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindKiva$15,000A thunderstorm with downburst winds estimated near 80 mph snapped off or uprooted hundreds of large trees just southwest of Kiva.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindWinters$10,000There was a public report of several trees down and camper windows blown out.
June 2022Thunderstorm WindAu Train$10,000Power lines and trees were reported down via social media in the Au Train area.
June 2024Thunderstorm WindMunising Hanley Arpt$5,000A storm survey of damage six miles northeast of Round Lake in Alger County revealed straight-line wind damage with several one to two-foot diameter trees uprooted or snapped off 15-20 feet above the ground. Maximum wind gusts were estimated to be between 75-80 mph. Half dollar sized hail was also observed at the time of the original report.
July 2006Thunderstorm WindGrand Marais$5,000Numerous trees up to ten inches in diameter uprooted along Old Seney Road 5 to 10 miles south of Grand Marais.
July 1997HailSand River$5,000Hail produced minor damage to several vehicles.
June 2017Heavy RainGrand Marais$4,000The observer in Grand Marais reported several gravel and dirt highways washed out from heavy rain.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindAu Train$4,000A 15-inch diameter branch came down on a cottage along the northwest shore of Au Train Lake. A perched roof on the porch of the cottage was also heavily damaged. Other felled branches took out a power line. The time of the report was estimated from radar.
July 2006Thunderstorm WindGrand Marais$4,000Trees down across roads and power outages.
April 2025Flash FloodMunising$3,500An approximate 75-foot section of the paved trail in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Park was washed out the evening of April 28th from recent heavy rainfall and seasonal snow melt. Time estimated from radar.
June 1958Tornado (F0)not stated$2,500no account filed
July 1953Tornado (F0)not stated$2,500no account filed
June 2024Thunderstorm WindForest Lake$2,000Law enforcement dispatch reported a downed power line that was smoking along Hayward Road near Sixteen Mile Lake in Alger County.
July 2018Thunderstorm WindWinters$2,000There was a public report of a few trees blown down in Menominee.
October 2016Thunderstorm WindAu Train$2,000Several large diameter hardwood trees were snapped off at the trunks at a seasonal camp near Lake Superior. The mast for the electrical service was bent off. This was a delayed public report relayed via social media. Time of the report was estimated from radar.
September 2012Thunderstorm WindWetmore$2,000An eight to ten inch diameter tree was knocked down at a hotel, and a tree of unknown size was down across Highway M-28. Power was also knocked out in the area. Hail was reported hitting a truck, but the size of hail was unknown due to poor visibility.
May 2011Thunderstorm WindAu Train$2,000Numerous 100-foot white pine trees were downed along North Shore Road near Au Train Lake. One tree fell over a power line, and a telephone pole was snapped in half.
October 2016Thunderstorm WindMunising$1,500A spotter near Munising reported three large trees uprooted. Each tree was about two feet in diameter. Yard furniture was also blown about 50 feet and a 70 pound grill was blown over. Time of the report was estimated from radar.
October 2018FloodChatham$1,000A spotter reported water over about 200 yards of Rock River Road north of Chatham due to more than two inches of heavy rain which fell in the previous 24 hours.
September 2012Thunderstorm WindShingleton$1,000Several trees estimated to be five to six inches in diameter were knocked down.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindForest Lake$1,000Two 10 to 12 inch diameter trees were knocked and tents were blown over at a campground. Time of the report was estimated from radar.
July 2025HailForest Lake-Facebook comment with picture showed hail ranging from marble to quarter size.
July 2025HailForest Lake-Hail ranged from pea to quarter size.
June 2024HailChatham-Image of half dollar sized hail in Chatham from a social media report.
June 2024HailForest Lake-Report via Facebook southeast of Forest Lake of between dime and quarter-sized hail along with 0.59 inches of rain. Time of the report was estimated from radar.
June 2024HailMunising Hanley Arpt-Estimated golf ball sized hail was observed along National Forest Service Highway 13 along the Alger-Schoolcraft County line.
June 2024HailForest Lake-Report via mPING of penny-sized hail in rural Alger County.
July 2024Heavy RainMunising-There were reports on social media of minor street flooding on Onota and Maple Streets in Munising during the evening of the 15th.
October 2024HailMunising-There was a Facebook report of penny sized hail in Munising.
July 2023HailForest Lake-There was a public report of half inch to one inch diameter hail seven miles southeast of Forest Lake.
July 2023HailTraunik-Two inch diameter hail was reported near Traunik.
July 2023HailTraunik-There was a delayed report of dime to nickel-sized hail in Traunik which shredded leaves.
May 2022HailOnola-A trained spotter four miles northeast of Deerton measured one inch diameter hail from a thunderstorm.
May 2022HailOnola-A friend of NWS employee texted pictures and video of large hail observed northeast of Deerton. Most hailstones were ping pong ball sized, but a few were as big as golf balls with large spikes.
June 2022HailChatham-There were multiple pictures of quarter-sized hail and a half-dollar sized hail report from Chatham.
August 2021HailTrenary-Social media report of one-inch diameter hail at Trenary. The time of the report was estimated by the radar.
September 2020HailMunising-There was a social media report of one inch diameter hail in Munising from a thunderstorm on the evening of the 26th. Time of the report was estimated from radar.
September 2018Flash FloodMunising-Patrons at Bear Creek Inn reported ponds overflowing onto Highway H-58 between Munising and Van Meer from heavy rainfall of three to four inches on the morning of the 5th.
June 2018HailDeerton-Penny-sized hail was reported in Deerton.
June 2017HailChristmas-There was a public report of 1.5 inch diameter hail near Christmas. The hail lasted approximately ten minutes.
June 2017HailMunising-There was a public report of golf ball sized hail at Pictured Rocks Golf Course.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindGrand Marais-A measured wind gust at the Grand Marais Light GLOS observing station.
June 2017HailMunising-A spotter reported marble to quarter-sized hail near Munising which fell for 11 minutes.
June 2017HailShingleton-There was a public report of pea to nickel sized hail at Shingleton.
June 2017HailShingleton-There was a public report of dime to quarter sized hail five miles north of Steuben.
August 2017HailTrenary-There was a public report of one and a half inch diameter hail near Trenary.

Mines and quarries

7 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 7 workings inside this county. 3 still produce and 4 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction5
Fire Clay (Refractory)1
Stone, Crushed/Broken1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Linberg QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Shaw and Lobb Clay PitFire Clay (Refractory)Past Producer
Alger Co PitsSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Sand River PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
State Pit # 225Sand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
State Pit # 65Sand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
State Pit # 66Sand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer

Every populated place in the county

43

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.