Community History and Other Industries

Community History and Other Industries. . The forest industry is alive and well here at present but farming is mainly a thing of the past., When immigrants flocked to the village of Republic, they settled in separate and distinct locales , such as "French Town", "Finn Town" (Park City) and "Swede Town". The population peaked at 2,594 in 1890. Many fraternal organizations were created such as the Hibernians, Knights of the MaCabees, the Scandinavian Society, St. Jean de Baptiste, the Social Circle, the Dancing Club and the Daughters of St. George. Seven churches and at one time fourteen saloons were operating to satisfy the needs of faith and recreation. In January 1888 the organizational meeting of the first Finnish National Temperance Brotherhood Association, a national body, was held here and had connections to the religious community. Socialists were unwelcome by most and were unable to gain a foothold in the community., Logging of the virgin forest was an important part of Republic's early history, with many logging companies and mills erected. Hundreds of lumberjacks lived in the area temporarily, moving on when their job was done., Small farms also dotted the outlying area, raising hay, cows and potatoes. Witch Lake, the area 10 miles south of town, was a beehive of much logging activity, seasonal hunting and eventually the site of many summer homes., Both Republic and Witch Lake were crisscrossed with railroad tracks. The railroads served the mining and logging industries and the needs of the prosperous town. Passenger trains continued through Republic until 1963 and when the mine closed in 1981 shipments by railroad cars soon were a thing of the past. . This historical marker was erected by Republic Area Historical Society and Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Incorporated. It is in Republic in Marquette County Michigan