Black River Harbor

 

   Stories of a Settlement on Lake Superior's South Shore

 

          Book By Nelda B. Ikenberry

         (Published November 2009)

 

 

Home More about this Book Table of Contents Purchase & Ordering Information Charter Fishermen & Harbor Lodging

 

More about this Book

 

Black River Harbor today is Picturesque,

Pristine, Remote, and a very special

vacation destination - HOW TRUE!

Aerial View. Click on photo to see a larger picture.

View out to Lake Superior. Click on photo to see a larger picture.
Sunset 2004. Click on photo to see a larger picture. Bridge at the harbor. Click on photo to see a larger picture.

 

It was not always like this!

From 1900 to the 1930s, a settlement

of squatters lined harbor shores.

Fred Drier fishing. Click on photo to see a larger picture.

Drier fishing gear. Click on photo to see a larger picture.

 

 

Because there is little record of harbor history and because it is meaningful to remember how it was when this was a working harbor, it is important to collect and save stories for future generations.  this book gathers both stories and photos from the dawn of the last century when independent men carved out livings as fishermen, woodsmen, and trappers, using what nature provided and their own ingenuity.

Book cover. Click on photo to see a larger picture.

 

The coming of a land-road to the harbor and the booming iron mining industry brought dozens of fishermen to the harbor.   all too soon there followed decimation of lake fish by the sea lamprey and over fishing.   somehow a few stalwart charter fishermen stayed on.

Harbor Glynn. Click on photo to see a larger picture.

Boats in winter. Click on photo to see a larger picture.
Happy Daze. Click on photo to see a larger picture. Isle Royale Queen. Click on photo to see a larger picture.

 

Independent Men and women like vic, fred, presque isle billy, matt and annie, martin, doug, herb, melvin, jimmy and others carried on.  their stories mingle hard times with good living.

Annie Maki. Click on photo to see a larger picture.

Jack Ylisto, friend. Click on photo to see a larger picture.
Melvin's Family. Click on photo to see a larger picture. Vick close up to woodpile. Click on photo to see a larger picture.

 

What began as a personal collection of photos and stories became a cooperative community effort.  within a decade, it grew to be a book of fifty stories and five-hundred photos!  it is now a gift to future generations in the hope that it will engender new appreciation for the historic harbor most visitors never really get to know.

 

Nelda B. Ikenberry  

Black River Harbor  

Ironwood, Michigan  

Nelda at her woodpile. Click on photo to see a larger picture.