Ontonagon County Historical Society

08/15/2026

08/15/2026

It's Nation Lighthouse Day and we have Don Moore out at the Lighthouse Operating a Special Events station on HAM radio tune in or come on out
20meters 14.275 W8O
More photos to come. He's just now setting up.

08/10/2026

Besides a lot of other grounds work, we've had the plants removed from the side of the lighthouse. We would like to put rocks along here for a low maintenance option.
Does anyone have rocks around the size of a baseball to fill a 15" x 20' space they would consider donating to the lighthouse? Or perhaps sell at a reduced rate? We can pick them up, or delivery would be amazing!

08/08/2026

Hello friends and local history enthusiasts!
We need your help to complete a special display. Do you have an old nurses uniform from years past that you would be will to gift to the museum? We want to put it on a mannequin under our vintage nurses cape. This will add a nice touch to the cape and help us show a more accurate uniform of the nurses of the past in our local medical history display.
Please leave a comment below or message me and I can arrange to pick it up from you or you can drop it off at the museum any day of the week from 10am-4pm. We're open 7 days a week through late October.
Thank you for your consideration and for helping The Ontoangon County Historical Society.

08/07/2026

It's that time again!
OCHS would love it if you would join us for a meal and a presentation! The Ontonagon County Historical Society will hold its monthly dinner meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 20th at Holy Family Catholic Church in Ontonagon. Sally Berman will present the story of the founding of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. Public is welcome. To make or change reservations, please call Sue Basile at 906-884-2084 no later than noon August 16th. The menu will include roast chicken, potato salad, green salad, and chocolate brownies. Price is $15.

07/03/2026

PLEASE COME OUT AND LEND A HAND!!!!
16YRS OLD AND OLDER WELCOME!

Volunteer Workday at Ontonagon County Historical Society
Keweenaw National Historical Park

Special Event
Jul 25, 2026 at 9:00 AM
Free
Register

The Ontonagon County Historical Society (OCHS) was founded in 1957 to collect and preserve artifacts of the county’s history and is a Keweenaw Heritage Site partner of Keweenaw National Historical Park. Their mission is to educate visitors on the topics of mining, logging, farming, and marine history. The Ontonagon Lighthouse is part of OCHS and has been restored to host self-guided tours.

Join staff on Saturday, July 25th from 9 am – noon to at the Ontonagon Lighthouse for the Volunteer Workday with Keweenaw National Historical Park Heritage Site partner the Ontonagon County Historical Society. Maintaining a clean and well-preserved cultural landscape is an on-going task that requires continual monitoring and upkeep. Volunteers will work side-by-side with site and park staff to help with brush clearing on the landscape and cleaning up modern litter.

to help with brush clearing on the lighthouse landscape and cleaning up modern litter. Plan to wear closed-toed shoes, insect, and sun protection. Bring plenty of water, gloves if you have them, and a sense of pride in your contributions to historic preservation! Tools, gloves, and appropriate PPE are provided.

Duties:

Use hand tools to cut and clear vegetation and plant growth around buildings and fences and other historic landscape.
Pick-up modern-day trash for disposal.
Mininimum Age: 16

More information

Fees
This event is free to attend.

Location
Ontonagon Lighthouse 999 Lighthouse Lane Ontonagon, MI 49953

Schedule
Date: Jul 25, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM
Duration: 3 hours

07/03/2026

PLEASE JOIN US!!!
The Ontonagon County Historical Society will hold its monthly dinner meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 16th at Holy Family Catholic Church in Ontonagon. John Doyle will present on the history of the Norwich Country Club. Public is welcome. To make or change reservations, please call Sue Basile at 906-884-2084 no later than noon July 12th. The menu will include a pasta buffet, garlic bread, salad, and Italian ice. Price is $15.

06/04/2026

New doors hung over our open closets today!
Thank you so much Matt and Brandi! They look awesome!

06/04/2026

COME JOIN US!!
The Ontonagon County Historical Society will hold its monthly dinner meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 18th at Holy Family Catholic Church in Ontonagon. Doug Karttunen will present the complete story of the Ontonagon Boulder’s journey to Washington, DC back in the 1840’s. Public is welcome. To make or change reservations, please call Sue Basile at 906-884-2084 no later than noon June 14th. The menu will include pork tenderloins, mashed potatoes, green beans, tossed salad, and strawberry shortcake. Price is $15.

05/23/2026

🥳 We're Open!!!
Museum 10-4
Lighthouse 11-3
7 days a week