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Keweenaw Peninsula · Upper Peninsula, Michigan

Preserving our history while building for the future

The Jacobsville Community Heritage Center preserves the history of the quarries, the harbor, and the families who built a town from red stone at the mouth of the Portage River.

Wooden roadside sign reading Jacobsville Community Heritage Center, Houghton County, Michigan
The Center's entrance sign, Houghton County, Michigan

Welcome

A small town, a lasting community

"Founded in 1885 on the strength of red sandstone, Jacobsville's story is still being written by the people who remember it."

Jacobsville was platted by John Henry Jacobs as a quarrying and fishing village on Lake Superior's Portage River. For decades, its sandstone shaped buildings across the Copper Country and beyond. Today, our Heritage Center gathers the photographs, records, and memories of that community — and gives our 45 members a place to keep them alive for the next generation.

Read the full history →
Carved sandstone cornerstone reading Built By Frank Kuusisto 1931
Cornerstone, 1931 — built by Frank Kuusisto

Our History

From quarry town to preserved heritage

Explore the timeline of Jacobsville — from its founding and the boom years of the sandstone trade, through the churches and general stores that anchored daily life, to the community effort that preserves it today.

1885 · Town platted by John Henry Jacobs

1931 · Cornerstone laid, built by Frank Kuusisto

1900 · Population reaches 800

Today · 45 members carry the story forward

Visit the History page →

What's On

Upcoming at the Center

Full events calendar →
Sat, Sep 12

Fall Heritage Open House

Tour the archive room and see this season's featured photographs from the quarry era.

Thu, Oct 8

Members' Potluck & Story Night

Bring a dish and a memory — an evening of shared stories for members and guests.

Sat, Nov 15

Annual Meeting

Yearly gathering to review the Center's work and welcome new members.

Get Involved

Membership keeps this history standing

Members support the upkeep of the Center and its archive, and receive access to community records, the member directory, and Center bylaws.

Become a Member
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Already a member?

Log in to view the member directory, community center bylaws, and shared documents. (Member login is coming soon — this area is reserved for the next phase of the site.)

Member Login →