W.R Stafford Saw Mill Site | |
Site in 2018 | |
Location | 4451 Huron St., Port Hope, Michigan |
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Coordinates | 43°56′37″N82°42′32″W / 43.94361°N 82.70889°W Coordinates: 43°56′37″N82°42′32″W / 43.94361°N 82.70889°W |
Area | 4.5 acres (1.8 ha) |
Built | 1858 |
Built by | John Geltz |
MPS | Port Hope MPS |
NRHP reference # | 87001959 [1] |
Added to NRHP | November 20, 1987 |
The W.R Stafford Saw Mill Site, containing the remnants of a mid-1800s saw mill, is located at 4451 Huron Street (at the foot of State Street on the shore of Lake Huron) in Port Hope, Michigan. The only remaining visible structure standing is the chimney of the mill (known as the Port Hope Chimney), and the site is now used as part of the Stafford County Park. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. [1]
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the easterly portion of Lake Michigan–Huron, having the same surface elevation as its westerly counterpart, to which it is connected by the 5-mile-wide (8.0 km), 20-fathom-deep Straits of Mackinac. It is shared on the north and east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the south and west by the state of Michigan in the United States. The name of the lake is derived from early French explorers who named it for the Huron people inhabiting the region. The Huronian glaciation was named due to evidence collected from Lake Huron region. The northern parts of the lake include the North Channel and Georgian Bay. Across the lake to the southwest is Saginaw Bay. The main inlet is the St. Marys River, and the main outlet is the St. Clair River.
Port Hope is a village in Huron County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 267 at the 2010 census. The village is within Rubicon Township.
The first saw mill constructed at this site was built in 1858 for lumberman William R. Stafford. The mill had a stone chimney built by mason John Geitz. The original 1858 mill, along with the associated docks and the houses of hundreds of workers, was destroyed by fire in 1871. [2] The mill was rebuilt in 1872, but destroyed by fire a second time in 1881. The mill was rebuilt again, and remained in use until probably the early 1890s. The 1858 chimney was used by all three mills. [3]
The mill and associated buildings sat unused for decades. The dock into the lake was destroyed in a 1913 storm, and the last building was removed in 1941 by a local farmer, who converted it into a farm shed. Commonwealth Associates, Inc. of Jackson, Michigan performed a limited archaeological investigation of a part of the site in 1978 in connection with proposed improvements of the Stafford County Park, but a more complete study of the site has not been done. [3]
Jackson is a city in the south central area of the U.S. state of Michigan, about 40 miles (64 km) west of Ann Arbor and 35 miles (56 km) south of Lansing. It is the county seat of Jackson County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 33,534, down from 36,316 at the 2000 census. Served by Interstate 94, it is the principal city of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Jackson County and has a population of 160,248.
The saw mill site is now part of a county park and includes parking, lawn, and beach areas. The site covers the area of the former 1858 saw mill, accompanying grounds, and the covered over or submerged remnants of the Stafford dock that once extended 1,000 feet into the lake. The dock was made of timber cribs filled with stone. [3]
The last visible remnant of the mill is the 1858 chimney. The chimney stands just above the beach, and measures nine by ten feet along the ground, rising approximately 80 feet. The lower section of twenty feet is constructed of sandstone, and contains an open hearth on one side. The upper section of about 60 feet is constructed of red brick, and gradually tapers toward the top. [3]
Huron County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 33,118. The county seat is Bad Axe. Huron County is at the northern tip of the Thumb, which is a sub region of Mid Michigan. It is a peninsula, bordered by Saginaw Bay to the west and Lake Huron to the north and east, and has over 90 miles (140 km) of shoreline, from White Rock on Lake Huron to Sebewaing on the Saginaw Bay. Huron County's most important industry is agriculture, as with most of the other Thumb counties. Huron County enjoys seasonal tourism from large cities such as Detroit, Flint, and Saginaw.
Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous.
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The W. R. Stafford Flour Mill and Elevator was a mill located at 4310 Huron Street in Port Hope, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 and demolished in the early 2000s.
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