Location: L'Anse - Ford Saw Mill

A Ford Motor Company saw mill was located in L'Anse on the southwest edge of town on Keweenaw Bay. It was west of downtown and across the Falls River. Ford later withdrew as automobiles became less dependent on wood products. Since that the, the large plant facility has been used for a number of purposes and still has rail service as of 2014. 

Photo Info: A 1930's postcard view of the Ford Saw Mill.

Notes

The facility included a sawmill, machine shop, tool house and railroad engine house.

Time Line

1936. June. Extensive logging operations will be started by the Ford Motor company in "L'Anse and Arvon townships. Preparations have begun by fixing and preparing roads and getting logging equipment including heavy trucks and trailers in readiness. An estimated cut of 40 million feet of logs will be taken out and trucked to the mills at L'Anse and Pequaming. The L'Anse mill is on a shingle shift basis until the new logs arrive. At Camp 2, the Ford railroad will be extended about a mile into the timber. The logs will be hauled to the L'Anse plant by rail. Timber will be trucked to both plants, hardwood to L'Anse and the hemlock to Pequaming. A small mill at Plumbago is also operated by the Baraga Lumber Company. [IDG-1936-0609]