Fayette Historic State Park

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Fayette Historic State Park is a state park and historic townsite near Fayette in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located on the Big Bay de Noc of Lake Michigan on the southern side of the Upper Peninsula, it was the site of an industrial community that manufactured charcoal pig iron between 1867 and 1891. The town has been reconstructed into a living museum showing what life was like in this town in the late 1800's.

HISTORY Named after Fayette Brown, the Jackson Iron Company agent who chose the site, Fayette was once one of the Upper Peninsula's most productive iron-smelting operations. Fayette grew up around two blast furnaces, a large dock and several charcoal kilns after the Civil War. Nearly 500 residents--many immigrating from Canada, the Bristish Isles, and northern Europe--lived in and near the twon that existed to make pig iron. During 24 years of operation Fayette's blast furnaces produced a total of 229,288 tons of iron, using local hardwood forests for fuel and quarrying limestone from the bluffs to purify the iron ore. When the charcoal iron market began to decline, the Jackson Iron Comapny closed its Fayette smelting operations in 1891. Today the town has many restored buildings that serve as a living museum. Visitors may walk through the building to learn about life in Fayette in the late 1800's. Over 20 buildings are open, with restoration continuing on other parts of the town.

The townsite is open daily for visitors from aprox May through October. A visitors center and museum store are also located at the park. There is no admission charge, however a Michigan State Park permit is required. For more information consult the State of Michigan Fayette page.

CAMPING Sixty-one semi-moderan campsites. Facilities include electrial service to all campsites and access to vault toilets and waster. Most campsites are well shaded. Boat camping is allowed in Snail Shell Harbor, and space is on a first-come, first-serve basis. There is a beach on Sand Bay (Lake Michigan) just a short distance from the campground. The picinic area is adjacent to the beach and offers a picnic shelter, grills and vault toilets. Playground equipment and horsehoe courts are available.

HIKING The park offers aprox. 5 miles of hiking trails. The trails are groomed in the winter for cross-country skining. Trails wind through a hardwood forets and throughout the historic townsite.

The historic settlement is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

External links

Recreation areas

State forests

Other sites

[Michigan State Parks]

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