In 1909, the Allouez Mining Company leased land for the Houghton County Traction Company to construct a sub-station and waiting area. The building featured clapboard siding and a gabled roof, but it almost immediately outgrew its space. In 1910, the Traction Company constructed a small addition, which has since been removed.
Logistics changed in 1931 when the Michigan Department of Transportation widened Highway 41. Rather than ordering a demolition, the entire building was moved approximately 40 feet west to the other side of the railroad tracks. The Traction Company finally folded in 1932, leaving the building to serve as a bus stop, gas station, restaurant, residence, vacation rental, and antique shop.
The building serves many roles today. The upstairs area, originally the stationmaster's apartment, was renovated into a vacation rental in 2011. By 2023, the former garage was repurposed into an ADA-friendly luxury vacation rental, and Keweenaw Island Gifts opened in the gift shop in 2025. The site now runs on 100% solar power from March to November, with grounds landscaped with native midwest wildflowers.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Kyle McLonely
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