Ontonagon Michigan Upper Peninsula Walking Tour

Downtown Ontonagon Michigan Walking Tour #travel #walkingtour #michigan #ontonagon #upperpeninsula #lakesuperior

[@becky3023]

Thank you for the stroll down Main St. I was born and raised in Ontonagon. My grandparents owned and ran a motel right on Lake Superior halfway between Ontos and the Porkies while my family lived in town. My parents are still there. It's kind of painful to see my hometown in the shape it's in right now. Growing up there during the 70s and 80s, the town had everything a teenage girl needed! My friends and I had a lot of fun. It was a truly wonderful place to grow up. As sad and hard as things seem right now, one thing I know to be true about that place. Ontonagon has survived countless ups, downs, and even fires that wiped out practically the whole place, but it always found a way to reinvent itself and survive and even thrive. I know my town will once again become a thriving center down the road, though I will not recognize it as my Ontonagon. Believe me, it will outlive us all!

[@Yooperal3]

Thank you for your comment and for sharing your story.I think Onto will weather the storm also..Hopefully people will see what I see about the beauty and potential of the place.With some elbow grease and new thought that place could truly shine again. Either way I love the area and plan to retire up there..at least from spring through fall. Can't do the winter though..the older I get the less I like the cold!

[@bobwenger1365]

Stub's museum bar is a highlight of this town, the turn of the century photos of the logging camps tells the story behind this town. I agree that a brew pub would do well and definitely needs more campgrounds to attract more people . Deer season in Ontonagon used to be a real sight everyplace was full they had to shut down the streets so the hunters didn't get run over. Hate to see the great little towns like this struggle.

[@I_LOVE_THE_SUNCOAST]

Hello from Florida, I really like Michigan.

[@Yooperal3]

The Upper Peninsula is the most beautiful area in the Midwest especially Lake Superior! BTW I love Florida!

[@marukana_saha]

_Meander through the streets of Ontonagon, Michigan, and let the town's rich history and stunning scenery captivate your sense. It's a walk that will leave you inspired and refreshed._ _Thank you for always sharing your insight and expertise with the world._

[@Yooperal3]

Thanks for your kind comment

[@Yooperal3]

Thanks for the comment.It is sad to see these places wither on the vine...as an outsider looking in I just see so much potential and somewhat easy fixes(maybe not financially). To help Ontonagon get on the right path to becoming a go to town on the beautiful shore of Lake Superior. I truly love that town and hope it can succeed as a thriving town and not become a ghost town like a lot of nearby places.Time will tell...

[@bgem5856]

Agree. We see so much potential, possibly more than any area up there. We just bought one of the downtown buildings. Plan on using the upper level as a second home but hopefully sprucing up the commercial space below will help the town be more attractive.

[@Yooperal3]

Good to here that.Hopefully other people see the potential can work together as a community and change things for a better future for Onto. I see their town meetings on Facebook and shake my head at the stubbornness and say to myself why argue so much on some no brain solutions.Seems like positive change is wanted but they just can't come together to make it happen. Good luck on your new place! You picked a wonderful spot to stay in!

[@rogerstevens1545]

making me homesick , have not been back since 2014

[@Yooperal3]

Hope the video helped bring back the memories!

[@janvanderheiden8052]

First you toured Cedarburg, now you are walking the streets of Ontonagon. My sisters and I have been there (Ontonagon) several times in the past years. We love to have lunch there, visit the guitar shop (they have awesome crafted guitars.I love to look at them and I don't even play them!). A visit to Gitche Gumee Landing is always a must, among other shops. We love to visit the lake shore. Just a month ago we discovered a wonderful old red brick building a block or two off Main Street - the old court house? What a fantastic place! SOMEBODY needs to rescue it before it crumbles away!! We took several photos there. Yes, Ontonagon is a sweet surprise of a town north of Wisconsin. Even the drive to get there is gorgeous, with us stopping often (in autumn) to snap more pictures. Love Ontonagon! Maybe you could do a video about the old court house? I would love to learn more about it, and sure wish someone would care for it and save it!

[@Yooperal3]

Thank you for your comment There will be more videos of Ontonagon Area next season as I go there often.Stay tuned

[@PenelopePeppers]

How about a Hotel on the lake with boat access and a golf course and heated pool and the like......similar to the Grand Hotel ?? Accommodation's for Summer and for Winter like Snowmobile Trails and Cabins and firepits . A lot of people don't like camping. They want to drive and relax without setting up a camp 🤗

[@Yooperal3]

They're doing that in silver city...no golf course but Silver Sands Hotel is remodeling to serve what your looking for.

[@zsmokey]

when i was a kid in the 90s the main street was full of parked cars

[@Yooperal3]

I believe it the mill was still open people had jobs...they could be full again...tourism is the answer!

[@bertvosburg558]

Reading the comments I'll say it sounds like an over all hard place to live. August through October with good weather doesn't balance out all the other down sides like WEATHER AND BUGS 9 months out of the year. My dad bought up some Farm land in Pickford and Rudyard starting in the 1990's through the 2000's for the hay ground. Had a Native American friend (Ottawa Bear Clan) Jesse Chambers that lived in Newberry and knew how to live there. (Now past) He was the type to go out in the woods, WAY OUT and camp for two weeks. There are a lot of retirees UP there! Lol. My sister and her husband are one couple with a place in Curtis. As the saying goes it's a beautiful place to visit but wouldn't want to live there. Or as the confederate was asked what he thought of these parts when in the beautiful Farm land of Pennsylvania compared to Georgia he replied , "It's a nice place but doesn't measure up to Home"

[@Yooperal3]

Thanks for the comment and story about your family ties up there...I agree about the harshness of the Yoop, but that's what makes the place interesting.The heartiness of the people. I want to retire there too but I'll be honest I will be a snowbird.The older I get the less I wanna see snow or feel the cold. That being said I love the U.P. can't think of a better place to be than Lake Superior!!!

[@Randy-fx1rm]

Railways have been destroyed coast to coast we will need rail and rail cars in the future... and infrastructure to manufacture again .

[@Yooperal3]

Agreed we've let things go to shambles...America needs to get itself in order...we're definitely in trouble as a nation!

[@bertvosburg558]

I've been saying that for the longest! Everyone loves the independence of a private vehicle but the world has too many people in condensed places now. Many other countries have great public rail transport.

[@FrontRowRock]

Ontonagon is not a destination for anyone but short term tourists. The problem is that tourists only come 6 months or less each year. Once deer season ends its a ghost town until Christmas, then only snowmobilers and few skiers at the Porkies show up. By then end of March trails are waterlogged and your back in the ghost town until the end of May. In the spring the May bugs (noseums) will eat you alive and early summer the black flies will bury you once they carve you up. Campgrounds empty very quickly when the biting black flies come in June and don't leave until mid August. August through October are the most beautiful months around Ontonagon and the only months worth a visit. I lived in or near Ontonagon during its best days when the mine, the mill, and shipyard for in full production. I also lived there when when Unions busted that up when they became greedy and priced themselves out of the US market. Schools closed and were sold for pennies on the dollar. They had it made and blew it. The biggest mistake was moving the bridge away from Gitche Gumee thus bypassing all the Porky and White Pine traffic that came into town.

[@Yooperal3]

I agree with all you are saying.However that town is a beautiful town with a lot of potential to attract more people and business.I see Copper Harbor Munising Grand Marias...heck even Terrace Bay Canada at the remote top of Superior thriving with the right attractions. I see the facebook meetings with the town folk bickering over every little thing. This isn't helping go in the right direction.I see a place worth bickering about but in a positive direction. I just hope they can come together and keep the beautiful town going so it doesn't end up like some of the other dead or dying towns in the majestic Yoop!

[@FrontRowRock]

@@Yooperal3 I would love to move back. I love that area. The bickering never stops up there. I've been to many Village meetings and there are basically two bickering camps... one for lifers who own or owned resort and tourist businesses and then the tree hugger snowflake crowd that relocated from blue cities and think they know it all but really know very little. Tourism does not provide sustainable income. They need manufacturing and tech industries to butter their biscuits. You are right, its beautiful and has potential but few live there with skills to make that happen.

[@Yooperal3]

@FrontRowRock Argee it takes a certain person to want to live there...I hope to retire in Onto...then do the snowbird thing.I also know about the 2 camp division hopefully they can come to some positive agreements and move in the right direction. If not I got land far enough back in the woods as long as I can get gas and beer...we're good! Anyways I love Ontonagon and hope nothing but the best for the town!

[@Randy-fx1rm]

TIME TO WAKE UP THE IRON INDUSTRY AND GET AMERICA BACK TO WORK.

[@Bretski126]

Never happen. It’s global, now.

[@theyuha]

I tend to avoid tourist areas, the best areas are the undiscovered places. We need to set aside more land for state parks so people can visit nature. The big tourist areas are to crowded and expensive and sometimes are no longer worth visiting anymore. Lake Superior is better than Miami.

[@Yooperal3]

I agree totally.Im not advocating condos and high end houses...but Ontonagon can definitely improve the area for tourists. The town is dying and nothing is coming their way. I wish they would develop the state land north of town for camping and nature. This would help bring people to the area. I know copper Harbor Munising and grand marias can get crowded but the town needs some kind of income and they embrace it. They gotta do something or that place will continue to decline. BtW Superior is Superior to Miami! Only wish the water was as warm!!!

[@rogerstevens1545]

it did not help that the state rerouted the bridge so not as many people drive through town to get to the porkies

[@Yooperal3]

I've heard that comment before...probably would've been better to route the cars through town. I still think if the attractions are there people will make the left turn into town to see em

[@Yooperal3]

Or right turn depending on direction

[@Randy-fx1rm]

Tourists need good paying steady jobs dont cha kno .... America needs American iron.

[@Yooperal3]

America needs American everything!!! Hopefully people wake up!

[@Randy-fx1rm]

@@Yooperal3agreed.