Why Do People Leave The U.P.? (relocating, house)

[fine_where_I_am]

Originally Posted by and the

I love the U.P........in September and October. That's about it for me. Besides just exploring the woods, my favorite place is Calumet. As far as populations shifts, imagine what places like Calumet and Houghton-Hancock were like 100 years ago. Nothing like today. The U.P. has seen a huge population decrease, at least in the cities, don't you think?

Yes in the Keweenaw Peninsula at least, it's been declining population for basically 100 years now.
Houghton County for instance had around 72K people in 1920, and only half as many (36K) today. But the population has been hovering around 35K for almost 50 years now.
People aren't moving down to Detroit to find jobs anymore. Lower Michigan has a worse unemployment problem than the UP, believe it or not. http://www.milmi.org/admin/uploadedP...miurat_map.pdf Unemployment significantly higher in the Eastern UP, which is more closely connected to the LP economy. When people say there is a lack of jobs available to them, if they're well qualified/educated then what they *really* mean might be "there are jobs for me, but they don't pay as much as I want them to".

Great Lakes Pirate makes a good point. Hard to find a suitable mate without moving to a larger town.

[and the]

Last time I was up there I talked to some Keweenaw County Sheriff's Deputies. I thikn there's something like 7 full time deputies for the whole county, including Isle Royale. They have some part time deputies and they get help from the State Police and National Park police. The Sheriff's job comes with a house, that's attached to the jail. I don't know if the current Sheriff lives there or not. It wasn't that long ago that the Sheriff's wife and/or deputies wives handled dispatching duties. Location of the courthouse and sheriff's station/jail is right on Lake Superior. Beautiful location.

They said they get a ton of domestic problems involving alcohol in the winter. I guess a "ton" is relative, but somethings gotta give if you're not into winter sports and you don't have anything to do all day but drink and hang out with your spouse. My hat's off to anyone who can get through winter up there. You ever run into those monks at the Jampot? Do they live up there all winter?

[Great Lakes Pirate]

In Keweenaw County, about 5 miles out of Mohawk, on US-41, near Cliffs Drive, just south of the Snow-meter.

[TwoSticks]

Originally Posted by 4WD Greg

One of these days, I'm going to retire up there, and I'll NEVER have to leave again!

Me too. I can't wait.

Originally Posted by 4WD Greg

It's the most beautiful place on earth.

Amen, brother!

[jeeg]

Originally Posted by and the

but somethings gotta give if you're not into winter sports and you don't have anything to do all day but drink and hang out with your spouse. My hat's off to anyone who can get through winter up there. You ever run into those monks at the Jampot? Do they live up there all winter?

Regarding the first part...... you're correct. If you're not into outdoor activities year round, don't move up here. You'll go bonkers!
We have yet to try skiing or snowmobiling altho it's on our to do list. Mainly we just love to hike everywhere and just play outside in general! As long as the temps are not in the negatives, that's where you'll find us! (have two small kids, once they get older the negative temps won't hold us back)

As to the second part, yes the monks live there year round (love visiting over there). If you type in The Jampot, monastery into the google search engine..... their website will be the first one shown.

[and the]

In Keweenaw County, about 5 miles out of Mohawk, on US-41, near Cliffs Drive, just south of the Snow-meter.

Thanks! I do seem to recall it being around Mohawk. I'd like to get back up there again and see if anything has changed much over the past 14 or so years. Do you know any background info. on that cemetery? I think there was a doctor and his wife buried there. Several firemen and others killed in mining accidents. Was there a church right around there?

As to the second part, yes the monks live there year round (love visiting over there). If you type in The Jampot, monastery into the google search engine..... their website will be the first one shown.

They make good stuff....Kinda pricey, but good....I still get their newsletter, the "Magnificat" or something like that.

[Great Lakes Pirate]

Originally Posted by and the

Thanks! I do seem to recall it being around Mohawk. I'd like to get back up there again and see if anything has changed much over the past 14 or so years. Do you know any background info. on that cemetery? I think there was a doctor and his wife buried there. Several firemen and others killed in mining accidents. Was there a church right around there?

Hi. There are two cemetaries in the proximity of the old Cliff Mine. There is a sign on US-41 (north of Mohawk, before the snow-meter) directing you to the cemetaries. If anyone is visiting us in the Western UP, it's convenient to a roadtrip up to Copper Harbor. (However, the County removes the signs in the fall, to deter Halloween-time goofballs and vandals).
Here's a primer on Cruising the Copper Country:
Keweenaw Local Resource Guide

Here's some great info & photos of the Cliff Mine, and its former town, Clifton
Clifton and the Cliff Mine Viturally nothing exists today, except the cemetaries.

And here's the names of those people buried in Clifton:
Cliff Catholic Cemetery, Keweenaw County
Hillside Cemetery, Keweenaw County

[wordsmith680]

It's cold here in the "Banana Belt" again this morning. (-12) Winters do seem long at this time of year, but you have to love real winter with snow on the ground, freshened on a regular basis from before hunting season (Nov) to march. My son teaches school and is a true Yooper. My daughter couldn't wait to go south to "the city". Now she lives on a farm in Ohio.....ironic? There certainly are less economic opportunities, but the culture you love is that money is not the main focus. And yes if you aren't too ambitious and a little inventive, you can live fairly well on a limited income. I'm lucky enough to have wood of my own to burn (no heating bill) and be healthy enough to be able to cut and split it. (Good way to keep in shape "heats you twice") Everyone should see an area like this before its gone, but the story I here is that auto workers from downstate came up saw how "cheap" land and taxes were that their going home and bragging about it was the beginning of the end.

[and the]

That's great stuff GLP, thanks alot.

[CMUfan]

My goodness...why would anyone want to STAY in the U.P.???

Why leave? Ticks, mosquitoes, inbreeding, bad teeth, poverty, lack of shopping, etc.

The ONLY reason to GO to the U.P. is to visit for the occasional beauty of the land (Munising, Copper Harbor, etc.)

I was forced to go there EVERY summer for many years (my Great-Grandparents lived there). While I did appreciate the beauty of much of the scenery (which is only a reason to visit...not to live there) I couldn't stand it! My Great-Aunt had three or four teeth left, and my Great-Uncle refused to wear his false teeth. Their dogs kept getting eaten by bears and their sauna was/is worth more than their entire house!