ABANDONED MICHIGAN: The Freda Ruins, Keweenaw Peninsula

If you're looking for a little Michigan adventure, you may get a kick out of visiting the old Copper Mill ruins, otherwise known as the Freda Ruins in the U.P.'s Keweenaw Peninsula. These are awesome ruins.

The town that grew around the mill was populated for the sole purpose of working the mill.

Thanks to the Copper Range Railroad that supplied travelers, residents and business to the area, Freda turned into quite the vacation spot along Lake Superior. The Freda Park opened for business in 1908 and became known as the cleanest and best-kept park in the western half of the U.P.

With the ever-growing purchases of automobiles, railroad travel was on the decline, which meant less visitors and spending in Freda. Suffering from a lack of revenue, the park shut down for good in 1918.

The post office, which opened in 1907, finally ceased operation after the mill shut down in the mid-1960's and residents kept moving away. The old post office was eventually bought and refurbished into the Superior View Restaurant, which itself closed down in 2016

If you choose to visit, do so with caution, as abandoned places are not the safest places to explore. I don't know if there are any 'no trespassing' signs around, but if so, respect them.