Boyne City in Charlevoix County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Downtown Boyne City
From 1890 to the present, Boyne City's commercial center has flanked the south bank of the Boyne River. The late Victorian facades of its earliest buildings were influenced by fashionable turn-of-the-twentieth century architecture. Buildings of brick and wood signified the town's economic boom, especially from 1900 to 1910. Two natural resources ensured Boyne City's historic industry: navigable waterways and abundant woodlands.
Sawmills clustered the west side of Lake Street near the wharves on Lake Charlevoix. Fraternal halls, elaborate hotels, and an opera house rose next to mercantile buildings. The citizenry enjoyed high employment and cultural entertainments. However, by the 1920s deletion of the region's woodlands led to the abandonment and eventual demolition of mill buildings. During the Depression era, a neoclassical Carnegie post office and library complemented a slowly recovering business district.
Boyne City's expansive and public Lake Charlevoix shoreline has since shaped the prosperous and clean commerce of tourism. The integrity of the past is, today, evident in Boyne City's flourishing downtown district.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1890.
Location. 45° 12.776′ N, 85° 0.899′ W. Marker is in Boyne City, Michigan, in Charlevoix County. Marker is at the intersection of South Lake Street and Ray Street, on the right when traveling south on South Lake Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 118 South Lake Street, Boyne City MI 49712, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Railroad Round House (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Schaub Meat Market (about 300 feet away); Bellamy Opera House (about 300 feet away); S. Dosie Clothing Furnishings & Shoes (about 300 feet away); Bergy Bros. (about 400 feet away); The New Boyne Hotel (about 400 feet away); Beardsley's Dry Goods Store (about 400 feet away); Railroad Office Building (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Boyne City.
Also see . . . Michigan SP Boyne City Central Historic District. The National Register of Historic Places Registration Form indicates that "The Boyne City Central Historic District...incorporates...all or portions of 14 blocks encompassing the historic core of the city. It includes blocks comprising the central business district from Front Street eastward along Water and Ray Streets and continues east across East Street to include historic residential blocks associated with the city's founding fathers and businessmen." (Submitted on August 10, 2023, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.)
Credits. This page was last revised on August 10, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 10, 2023, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 88 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. submitted on August 10, 2023, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.