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B+History
History · Iron River Township

Iron River Township dates to 1885, and 20% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 75% of U.S. towns. What drives it

3 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 16 buildings. Below: 29 old photos and papers, maps from 1981 on, and the census since 1890.

1885founded
3on the National Register
20%homes built before 1940
29old photos & papers
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Iron River Township’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Iron River Township began

When was Iron River Township founded?

1885

Iron River Township dates its founding to 1885 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1890.

First census: 1,117 in 18902020 census: 1,052141 years

How historic is Iron River Township?

B+

More historic than 75% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1889.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Iron River Township’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Iron River Township is more historic than 75% of U.S. towns. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.

B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Iron River Township’s overall grade.
Founding era1885, from Wikipedia: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 194019.5% of homes (±7.6) · typical MI town 11.9% · U.S. 8.4%B+National Register3 listings, 19 historic buildings, 221 per 10,000 residents · typical MI town 0.0 · U.S. 2.4A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 75%
NewerOlder

Few Michigan towns list much on the Register (a typical Michigan town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Iron River Township’s 221 sits above most of its state (97% of Michigan towns have fewer) while its 19 historic buildings outnumber those of 79% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikipedia alone; no second source gives 1885.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to A. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±7.6 points).

Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Iron River Township’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A town in old photos29 old photos, postcards and papers, 1911–1937.Lost villages3 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Iron River Township, and 4 old place names are still on the map.Boom and bustPeaked at 4,665 in 1930; 3,007 people lived here in 2020.
★ What stands out · By decade

Iron River Township, decade by decade

2 decades in the archive, from the 1910s to the 1930s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1910s–1930s29 items
James Wall1911James WallIron River Mining District, Michigan 19121912Iron River Mining District, Michigan 1912Buckboard Charlie's outhouse. Near Iron River, Michigan1937Buckboard Charlie's outhouse. Near Iron River, Michig…Signboard on land near Iron River, Michigan1937Signboard on land near Iron River, MichiganBuckboard Charlie, a squatter near Iron River, Michigan1937Buckboard Charlie, a squatter near Iron River, Michig…Backyard of Buckboard Charlie's shack near Iron River, Michigan1937Backyard of Buckboard Charlie's shack near Iron River…Bed in Buckboard Charlie's cabin near Iron River, Michigan1937Bed in Buckboard Charlie's cabin near Iron River, Mic…Buckboard Charlie in his shack near Iron River, Michigan1937Buckboard Charlie in his shack near Iron River, Michi…Privy on Lon Allen's farm near Iron River, Michigan1937Privy on Lon Allen's farm near Iron River, MichiganMachinery and other property of Buckboard Charlie. Iron River, Michigan1937Machinery and other property of Buckboard Charlie. Ir…Shack occupied by parents of Lon Allen. Iron River, Michigan1937Shack occupied by parents of Lon Allen. Iron River, M…The living room of Sherman Ritchie's shack near Iron River, Michigan1937The living room of Sherman Ritchie's shack near Iron …Lon Allen, farmer of the cut-over regions near Iron River, Michigan1937Lon Allen, farmer of the cut-over regions near Iron R…Chicken house and home of Lon Allen, farmer near Iron River, Michigan1937Chicken house and home of Lon Allen, farmer near Iron…John Nygren who lives alone in a shack near Iron River, Michigan1937John Nygren who lives alone in a shack near Iron Rive…John Nygren sitting in front of his shack near Iron River, Michigan1937John Nygren sitting in front of his shack near Iron R…Rear of house occupied by Buckboard Charlie, squatter near Iron River, Michigan1937Rear of house occupied by Buckboard Charlie, squatter…Mrs. Lon Allen stirring the soup in her home near Iron River, Michigan1937Mrs. Lon Allen stirring the soup in her home near Iro…Two "barns" on the land occupied by Buckboard Charlie, squatter near Iron River, Michigan1937Two "barns" on the land occupied by Buckboard Charlie…John Nygren and his dog Prince. Nygren lives alone in a shack near Iron River, Michigan1937John Nygren and his dog Prince. Nygren lives alone in…Home of Buckboard Charlie, squatter near Iron River, Michigan. Spring yard cleaning has just taken place1937Home of Buckboard Charlie, squatter near Iron River, …Lon Allen's son raking brushings from land which will be planted in potatoes. Near Iron River, Michigan1937Lon Allen's son raking brushings from land which will…Buckboard Charlie reading the American Legion monthly in the living room of his shack near Iron River, Michigan1937Buckboard Charlie reading the American Legion monthly…Rusting engine and an old plow on the "property" of Buckboard Charlie, squatter near Iron River, Michigan1937Rusting engine and an old plow on the "property" of B…Sick, undernourished baby of Sherman Ritchie, who is a lumberjack when he can find work. Near Iron River, Michigan1937Sick, undernourished baby of Sherman Ritchie, who is …Log left by loggers, and some dead falls in the forest near Iron River, Michigan. Forest's second growth1937Log left by loggers, and some dead falls in the fores…Son and daughter of Lon Allen's loading firewood on the trailer for delivery to the customer. Near Iron River, Michigan1937Son and daughter of Lon Allen's loading firewood on t…Lon Allen, former lumberjack, now a cut-over farmer, demonstrates how cooks used horn to call jacks to dinner. Near Iro…1937Lon Allen, former lumberjack, now a cut-over farmer, …Lon Allen and his son playing their fiddles to the tune of "The Arkansas Traveler." The fiddle played by the son was ma…1937Lon Allen and his son playing their fiddles to the tu…
1940s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Three other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Beechwood
1889–1976
Atkinson
1892–1905
Gibbs City
1917–1952
18801950today
Hamlets and corners on the map
BasswoodBeechwoodGibbs CityHazel
Gone or out of use
Basswood StationlocaleBeechwood Post Officepost officeBeechwood StationlocaleGibbs City Post Officepost officeHazel Stationlocale
2cemeteries and burying grounds inside Iron River Township
ResthavenRosehill

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

People over time

Iron River Township, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0004,5005,0001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 4,665

Peaked at 4,665 in 1930; 3,007 people lived here in 2020.

14 censuses, 1890–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Iron River Township’s Wikipedia page.

The story

How Iron River Township came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Iron River Township.

Read it all →

Originally settled in 1882 under the name 'Nanaimo', named after the Nanaimo iron mine, owned by the Mineral Hills Iron Company. In 1878, two brothers, Donald and Alexander MacKinnon acquired the site, and a village was platted and registered in 1881. The new town was given a station on the Chicago and North Western Railway and renamed 'Iron River' after the nearby Iron River. The settlement was incorporated as a village within Iron River Township in 1885, and as a city in 1926.

On November 2, 1999, the voters of the cities of Iron River and Stambaugh and the village of Mineral Hills approved consolidation into a new city, which continued the name Iron River. The consolidation became effective July 1, 2000.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Iron River Township, 1885 to 1981

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1885
    FoundingIron River Township is established
  3. 1889Post officeThe Beechwood post office opens
  4. 1892Post officeThe Atkinson post office opens
  5. 20th century
  6. 1905Post officeThe Atkinson post office closes
  7. 1911In the archiveJames Wall
  8. 1917Post officeThe Gibbs City post office opens
  9. 1930CensusPopulation peaks at 4,665
  10. 1937In the archiveBuckboard Charlie's outhouse. Near Iron River, Michigan
  11. 1952Post officeThe Gibbs City post office closes
  12. 1976Post officeThe Beechwood post office closes
  13. 1981On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
On the map

Iron River Township on the map, 1981 to 1999

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Iron River Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Iron River Township on the 1981 USGS mapIron River Township on the 1999 USGS map1981Beechwood sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Iron River Township.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

James Wall
Retake this viewJames Wall, 1911

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Iron River Township’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

3 listings protect 19 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
3
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
19
each building in a district counts
first listed
1983
Bethany Lutheran Church
Bethany Lutheran ChurchNelson E. Fisher House-High BanksCamp Gibbs
BuildingsDistricts

Architectural styles listings

Colonial Revival1
CCC Camp1
Bethany Lutheran ChurchBuilding
Nelson E. Fisher House-High BanksColonial Revival
All 3 listings
Camp GibbsDistrict · listed 1994

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Help out

Finish Iron River Township’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
2 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewJames Wall: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Bates Township2 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townStambaugh Township4 historic placesA−Iron River38 historic placesA−Duncan TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townInterior TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Iron River Township’s history

What year was Iron River Township founded?

In 1885, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Iron River Township’s post office opened in 1889, and the census of 1890 counted 1,117 people here.

How does Iron River Township rank for history?

Iron River Township is more historic than 75% of U.S. towns. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Iron River Township?

Three places: the Bethany Lutheran Church (listed 1983), the Nelson E. Fisher House-High Banks (1983) and the Camp Gibbs (1994).

How old are the homes in Iron River Township?

20% of Iron River Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.6 points), against a typical 12% for a Michigan town; the median home was built in 1974.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (2), the Library of Congress (27), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.