Iron Mountain Iron Mine
Take a ride through area mining history.
Located in Vulcan, Michigan — just 3 miles east of Downtown Norway — the Iron Mountain Iron Mine offers an unparalleled train-driven tour of one of the iron mines that helped shape the region we know today.
Opened in 1958 after brothers Eugene and Albert Carollo along with business partner James Goullette developed the former East Vulcan mine into an attraction that could celebrate the history of the Menominee Range mining era.
The site was originally the East Vulcan Mine, one of six mines managed by the Menominee Mining Company, with operations spanning from the Norway-Vulcan area through Florence, Wisconsin. The East Vulcan Mine operated from 1877 until its closure in 1945, producing over 21 million tons of ore. During its operation, the nearby towns of Vulcan and Norway grew quickly due to the influx of mine and lumber workers settling in the region — and mining's cultural imprint is still visible in the area's architecture and character to this day.
After World War II, brothers Eugene and Albert Carollo, along with business partner James Goulette, struck on the idea of building a historic tourist attraction rooted in their U.P. mining heritage. Albert had been impressed by similar natural attractions during his travels through the American West. After exploring several unsuitable sites near Iron Mountain, the brothers rediscovered the buried exploratory tunnels of the old East Vulcan Mine while combing the hills off US-2 in Vulcan. A team of workers rehabilitated the site to make it safe for visitors, and the Iron Mountain Iron Mine opened for its first public tour in 1958.
As you approach on US-2, you'll likely spot Big John first — a 42-foot figure that has greeted visitors from across the world since 1962. The mine headquarters and gift shop offer a broad selection of rocks and mineral specimens, historical artifacts, and souvenirs to commemorate your visit. Tours run at regular intervals throughout the day, and visitors are outfitted with protective jackets and helmets to help them brave the wet conditions, low-hanging rocks, and year-round 40-degree temperatures underground.
The centerpiece of the experience, of course, is the guided tour itself. Seasoned guides walk visitors through the incredible effort, primitive tools, and dangerous conditions miners faced during the golden era of mining in the Upper Peninsula. Starting with the tools of the trade — including candle-lit helmets and early rock drilling equipment, better known as widowmakers — visitors board an underground train for the first leg of the journey before continuing on foot through a half-mile of tunnels. Along the way, the guides explain the equipment and methods that miners used over a century ago. The tour concludes in the big stope, a vast mined-out cavern the spans the length of two football fields, and is a vivid reminder of the decades of hard work required to extract these valuable minerals.
Whether you're a history buff, a curious traveler, or just looking for something genuinely unlike anything else in the region — the Iron Mountain Iron Mine is a must see for anyone visiting Norway and the surrounding area.
Visit the Iron Mountain Iron Mine at W4852 Hwy U.S. 2, Vulcan, MI 49801. The mine is open from Memorial Day weekend through mid-October, with hours of operation from 9 am to 5 pm. Guided tours run every 35 minutes during peak season and last approximately 45 minutes. Call (906) 563-8077 for more information, or visit their website at: ironmountainironmine.wixsite.com/ironmine.
