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This report summarizes an archeological project at a nineteenth-century company town which developed around the Schoolcraft Blast Furnace below the falls of Munising Creek near present-day Munising, Michigan. The nineteenth-century community has a development and dissolution history separate from the modern town of Munising. The older community has been referred to as "East" or "Old" Munising since as early as 1911. Old Munising has development roots in the early 1850s, although construction of the actual blast furnace community was not begun until 1867. The history of community development and dissolution is a primary topic for this report. The florescence of Old Munising was dramatic, but shortlived, and the community was in decline by the late 1870s. After the 1880s, the community was essentially abandoned. By the late 1920s, all of the original buildings had been dismantled or destroyed by fire.

The archeological project reported here was initiated in 1980 in response to development of visitor facilities by the National Park Service at its Munising Falls area. A portion of the Old Munising townsite is owned by the National Park Service within the development zone. Development of trails, utilities, a restroom, and expansion and improvement of a parking area impacted, to varying degrees, archeological remains from Old Munising. This report documents a three week field project at these development components and subsequent analysis of the very large artifact assemblage which resulted from the excavations. Archeological remains of several structures, including a log bridge and portions of two houses, were discovered and investigated during the project. An extensive artifact assemblage, reflecting both the blast furnace era and the decline era is analyzed in this report. The material spans about 1867-1928.

Prior to the archeological project, considerable attention had been paid to the history of the companies which operated the blast furnace, but not to the community which developed around it. This report provides considerable new information on the community, both from historical and archeological perspectives. The archeological remains from the blast furnace, numerous kilns, and several structures are preserved and protected within the National Park Service's Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. This includes rather extensive remains within the Munising Falls development area. Other archeological components of Old Munising, including a road, dock, and other structures, lie outside the National Park Service boundary, and are not afforded any protection.

Due to the sensitive nature of this subject this report is available to professional archeologists only. If you order this manuscript we may contact you for verification of your profession.