Aura, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Aura is a small unincorporated community
in Arvon Township
of Baraga County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. With coordinates of 46°51′46"N 88°19′07"W, the area is approximately 12 miles (19.3 km) northeast of L'Anse
and four miles (6 km) east of Pequaming
.
and Huron Bay, this small farming settlement consisted of approximately fifteen square miles in both Arvon
and L'Anse
townships. Historically, the rich clay loam has been most suitable for potatoes, hay, wheat, oats, and other grains, although active farming has declined over the years.
Native Americans. In 1877, the Hebard and Thurberg Lumber Company leased the peninsula from the chief, David King. They built a large steam-powered sawmill the following year and established sixteen lumber camps. The principal Chippewa village, known as Pe-qua-qua-wa-ming, is now Pequaming
. The mill produced up to 25 million board feet of lumber annually and employed as many as 650 men. After the death of King, his heirs sold the entire peninsula to Charles Hebard and his company. The land and the sawmill were later owned by Henry Ford
.
Towards the end of the Copper Country Strike of 1913-1914 that affected mining interests throughout the Copper Country
region of Michigan, Hebard began selling off harvested lands in the middle of the Abbaye peninsula on reasonable terms, of $300 for 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) with only a small cash downpayment to stake a claim. Many jobless Finnish miners moved there to begin farming the land. The first settlers in June 1914 were Tobias Hilunen and his family, who purchased Camp Number 3 and which had buildings in habitable condition. Other Finnish families arrived later that summer. They named the place Aura (Finnish
: "Plow"), because someone had found an old plow on the land, apparently left by loggers.
A post office was opened December 19, 1921, and the first postmaster was Hilda Mytty. It was discontinued on February 1, 1974 and was a CPO until February 20, 1982.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Arvon Township
Arvon Township, Michigan
Arvon Township is a civil township of Baraga County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 482.Arvon Township's name is derived from that of the district of Carnarvon in Wales, famous for its slate industry, because of the deposits of slate in the area...
of Baraga County
Baraga County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 8,746 people, 3,353 households, and 2,223 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 4,631 housing units...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. With coordinates of 46°51′46"N 88°19′07"W, the area is approximately 12 miles (19.3 km) northeast of L'Anse
L'Anse, Michigan
L'Anse is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Baraga County. The population was 2,107 at the 2000 census. The village is located within L'Anse Township....
and four miles (6 km) east of Pequaming
Pequaming, Michigan
Pequaming is an unincorporated community in L'Anse Township of Baraga County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The geographic coordinates are .Originally home to Chippewa tribes, the site was named for "Pequa quaming," a narrow neck of land almost surrounded by water...
.
Geography
Situated on the Point Abbaye peninsula between Keweenaw BayKeweenaw Bay
Keweenaw Bay is an arm of Lake Superior in North America. It is located adjacent to the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, to the southeast of the Keweenaw Peninsula. It is also the name of a small community near the bay....
and Huron Bay, this small farming settlement consisted of approximately fifteen square miles in both Arvon
Arvon Township, Michigan
Arvon Township is a civil township of Baraga County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 482.Arvon Township's name is derived from that of the district of Carnarvon in Wales, famous for its slate industry, because of the deposits of slate in the area...
and L'Anse
L'Anse Township, Michigan
L'Anse Township is a civil township of Baraga County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 3,926. Mount Arvon and Mount Curwood, the highest and second highest points in Michigan are located in the township....
townships. Historically, the rich clay loam has been most suitable for potatoes, hay, wheat, oats, and other grains, although active farming has declined over the years.
History
In the 1870s, the land on the Point Abbaye peninsula was still mostly the property of the ChippewaOjibwa
The Ojibwe or Chippewa are among the largest groups of Native Americans–First Nations north of Mexico. They are divided between Canada and the United States. In Canada, they are the third-largest population among First Nations, surpassed only by Cree and Inuit...
Native Americans. In 1877, the Hebard and Thurberg Lumber Company leased the peninsula from the chief, David King. They built a large steam-powered sawmill the following year and established sixteen lumber camps. The principal Chippewa village, known as Pe-qua-qua-wa-ming, is now Pequaming
Pequaming, Michigan
Pequaming is an unincorporated community in L'Anse Township of Baraga County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The geographic coordinates are .Originally home to Chippewa tribes, the site was named for "Pequa quaming," a narrow neck of land almost surrounded by water...
. The mill produced up to 25 million board feet of lumber annually and employed as many as 650 men. After the death of King, his heirs sold the entire peninsula to Charles Hebard and his company. The land and the sawmill were later owned by Henry Ford
Henry Ford
Henry Ford was an American industrialist, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production. His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry...
.
Towards the end of the Copper Country Strike of 1913-1914 that affected mining interests throughout the Copper Country
Copper Country
The Copper Country is an area in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the United States, including all of Keweenaw County, Michigan and most of Houghton, Baraga and Ontonagon counties. The area is so named as copper mining was prevalent there from 1845 until the late 1960s, with one mine ...
region of Michigan, Hebard began selling off harvested lands in the middle of the Abbaye peninsula on reasonable terms, of $300 for 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) with only a small cash downpayment to stake a claim. Many jobless Finnish miners moved there to begin farming the land. The first settlers in June 1914 were Tobias Hilunen and his family, who purchased Camp Number 3 and which had buildings in habitable condition. Other Finnish families arrived later that summer. They named the place Aura (Finnish
Finnish language
Finnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...
: "Plow"), because someone had found an old plow on the land, apparently left by loggers.
A post office was opened December 19, 1921, and the first postmaster was Hilda Mytty. It was discontinued on February 1, 1974 and was a CPO until February 20, 1982.