Montreal in Iron County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Penokee Iron Range Trail – A Company Town

Iron County Heritage Area

Photographed by Paul Fehrenbach, July 21, 2011

1. Penokee Iron Range Trail – A Company Town Marker

Inscription. Neat white frame houses, gently curving streets, and gracious landscaping mark the City of Montreal – the only planned mining company town in Wisconsin.

In 1921 the Oglebay-Norton Mining Company designed a community that would provide an environment to “accommodate the nationality and temperament” of the 700 miners needed to work at the new Montreal Mine #5 shaft and their families.

Recognizing that content workers were productive employees, the company took care of almost every detail of daily life from housing to recreation for miners moving to the new community they first called “Hamilton.”

For as little as $1.50 per room, per year, miners could rent one of 140 company owned homes. Six different models were available from the smaller one family “bungalow” to the larger two family “D-2 duplex.” Each home was painted white and maintained at company expense.

Playgrounds and gardens dotted the community. After work families enjoyed movies, billiards, and the soda fountain at the company run “Hamilton Club” social center. Miners and their families living here did not need to look any further than their backyard for livelihood and leisure.

Topics.

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1921.

Location. 46° 25.709′ N, 90° 14.228′ W. Marker is in Montreal, Wisconsin, in Iron County. It is at the intersection of Montreal Street and Wisconsin Avenue (Wisconsin Highway 77), on the left when traveling south on Montreal Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Montreal WI 54550, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Wisconsin’s Copper Country

and on the North Shore. It is also in the American Midwest,

on the Great Lakes,

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Great North Woods,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Penokee Iron Range Trail – Montreal Location (here, next to this marker); George W. Sullivan (approx. 0.3 miles

Photographed by Paul Fehrenbach, July 21, 2011

2. Penokee Iron Range Trail – A Company Town Marker

Photo from lower right of marker

away); The City of Montreal (approx. 0.3 miles away); Penokee Iron Range Trail – Gile Falls (approx. 0.6 miles away); Flambeau Trail – Flambeau Trail Crossing (approx. 0.9 miles away); This 5 ½ Foot Diameter Drill Core (approx. 2.9 miles away); Penokee Iron Range Trail – Historic Iron County Courthouse (approx. 2.9 miles away); Leon Lawrence Lewis / The Jewish Community of the Gogebic Range (approx. 2.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Montreal.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Montreal Trails – The Montreal Mine (was approx. 0.3 miles away but has been confirmed missing).

Photographed by Paul Fehrenbach, July 21, 2011

3. Penokee Iron Range Trail – A Company Town Marker

and Montreal Location marker

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on August 1, 2011, by Paul Fehrenbach of Richfield, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 1,242 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 1, 2011, by Paul Fehrenbach of Richfield, Wisconsin. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.