The Keweenaw County Historical Society was established in 1980 to preserve, honor, and share the history of Keweenaw County, the northernmost and least populous of Michigan’s 83 counties. The non-profit, donor-funded organization is entirely operated by volunteers and addresses multiple facets of the county’s past, including copper mining, human interaction with and commercial fishing on Lake Superior, and lumbering, among other areas.

The bicentennial celebration of the United States reignited a grassroots interest in local American history. Groups of passionate citizens across the nation established or revived organizations to preserve and interpret the past in their own hometowns. At the vanguard of this charge in Keweenaw County was Lauri Leskinen, a retired commercial artist and amateur historian who felt strongly that too much of the county’s valuable history had already been irrevocably lost. In late 1980, like-minded individuals met at Leskinen’s home to organize their efforts; the first general meeting was held on December 4 of that year. In January 1981, the newborn Keweenaw County Historical Society elected its first leaders, choosing Leskinen as president for the 1981-1982 term. Other early presidents included Mel Backman and E.C. “Ned” Humphreys. Clarence Monette, a prolific author of local history books, also served a lengthy tenure as an officer.

Members of the Keweenaw County Historical Society work to make history accessible now and in the future through diverse projects. Chief among these are the society’s custodianship, restoration, and preservation of historic locations in Keweenaw County. In 1982, the group was deeded Eagle Harbor’s Rathbone School, site of the founding of the Knights of Pythias fraternal organization; that same year, the group became “keeper of the light” for the Eagle Harbor Light Station, eventually receiving ownership of the facility in 2009. In 1985, the society acquired and initiated renovations on the deconsecrated Phoenix Church, more formally known as the Church of the Assumption and now commonly used for community weddings. In the 1990s, donors added the Bammert Blacksmith Shop in Phoenix and much of the old Central Mine site--including the village of Central--to the society’s properties. The Keweenaw County Historical Society has since received the former schoolhouse in the village of Gay and the Eagle Harbor Lifesaving Station; the group also operates a museum space in the Eagle River Community Building and three museums in Eagle Harbor devoted to local commercial fishing, maritime shipping, and Keweenaw history more generally. These locations and other community spaces play host to seasonal programs presenting facets of local history, concerts, and workshops; the Society is also deeply involved in the annual Central Mine Reunion and presents a Blessing of the Pets each summer. Finally, the group has penned a host of publications, ranging from the quarterly “Superior Signal” newsletter to specialty books on topics such as local lighthouses and the prehistoric role of copper in Michigan.

The group continues to thrive and boasts a membership of over 1,100 members, including numerous life members. In honor of the dedicated spirit of its first president, whose vision and passion for Keweenaw history have made its ongoing efforts possible, the Keweenaw County Historical Society annually bestows the Lauri W. Leskinen Memorial Award on “someone who has made noteworthy contributions to the preservation and sharing of the history of Keweenaw County.”