School at Gay
Source: https://www.keweenawhistory.org/School-at-Gay
Archived: 2026-04-23 15:32
School at Gay
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Central
Exploring Central – The Central Mine and The Central Mining Company
Exploring Central – The Churches at Central & The Central Reunion
Exploring Central – Life At Central
Exploring Central – The School at Central
Exploring Central – “Sad News From Central Mine”
Exploring Central- Photo Album of Historic Photos of Central
Schoolhouse at Gay
Copper Milling at Gay- About the Exhibit
Copper Milling at Gay- Timeline
Copper Milling at Gay- A Rich and Unique Landscape
Copper Milling at Gay- Copper Processing and Stamp Sands
Copper Milling at Gay- Social Life in a Company Town
Copper Milling at Gay- After the Mills: Fishing and Lumbering
Copper Milling at Gay- After the Mills: Gay Industries
Copper Milling at Gay- Migrating Sands and Buffalo Reef
Copper Milling at Gay- How Harmful are Stamp Sands?
Copper Mining at Gay- The Legacy: Living with the Effects
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Miner's Home Rental
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Caretakers of the past, stewards of the future.
Keweenaw County Historical Society
Sites
Eagle Harbor Lighthouse
Maritime Museum
Commercial Fishing Museum
Keweenaw History Museum
Rathbone School/Knights of Pythias
Eagle Harbor Lifesaving Station
Phoenix Church
Bammert Blacksmith Shop
Eagle River Museum
Central
Exploring Central – The Central Mine and The Central Mining Company
Exploring Central – The Churches at Central & The Central Reunion
Exploring Central – Life At Central
Exploring Central – The School at Central
Exploring Central – “Sad News From Central Mine”
Exploring Central- Photo Album of Historic Photos of Central
Schoolhouse at Gay
Copper Milling at Gay- About the Exhibit
Copper Milling at Gay- Timeline
Copper Milling at Gay- A Rich and Unique Landscape
Copper Milling at Gay- Copper Processing and Stamp Sands
Copper Milling at Gay- Social Life in a Company Town
Copper Milling at Gay- After the Mills: Fishing and Lumbering
Copper Milling at Gay- After the Mills: Gay Industries
Copper Milling at Gay- Migrating Sands and Buffalo Reef
Copper Milling at Gay- How Harmful are Stamp Sands?
Copper Mining at Gay- The Legacy: Living with the Effects
Schedules/Events
Sites and Museum Schedule
Event Calendar
Rentals
Lighthouse Cottage Rental
Miner's Home Rental
Your KCHS
About the KCHS
Contact the KCHS
Log In
Become a member
Renew Your Membership and FAQs
Become a KCHS Volunteer
donate
Publications of the KCHS
Privacy Notice
Members Only
Additional Resources
The SchoolHOUSE at Gay
The town of Gay, Michigan, is located on the shore of Lake Superior along the southern edge of the Keweenaw Peninsula, about 12 miles south of Mohawk. It was originally a commercial fishing village to harvest fish from Lake Superior and later a lumber community to harvest wood for the copper mines of the Keweenaw. In 1898 the Mohawk Mining company built its stamp mill in Gay to take advantage of the water available from Lake Superior to use in stamping or separating copper from mine rock. Soon another mill for the Wolverine Mining Company was built alongside the Mohawk mill, and the town of Gay became part of the copper mining process in the Keweenaw. The town was named for Joseph E. Gay, one of the founders of the Mohawk and Wolverine Mining Companies. The stamp mills closed by 1932, and today only a large smoke stack and a mile of gray stamp sand are left of the mills.
(Photo: Some of the historic looms used by Gay Industries to make rag rugs, etc.)
The first school in Gay was built in 1902 to meet the needs of the families working at the mills. It became overcrowded and a new, six room, two story building was built in 1927. It served students from grades one through 10. Students attending school past grade 10 went to Calumet. The school was a center of community life until the mills closed in 1932. By 1959 only 25 students attended the school, and it was closed in 1961.
In 2009 the Keweenaw County Historical Society took over the property and began extensive repair and restoration work. The school is now a museum telling the story of the town of Gay and the impact of the Mohawk and Wolverine Copper Mining Companies' mills on the town of Gay and the environment. It also tells the story of commercial lumber and fishing in the area.
(Photo: Our 1907 Jewell motor car and a carriage are also on display.)
(Photos: Volunteers are often on site to demonstrate weaving. Photos by Michelle Lehman Hayes )
Visiting the Schoolhouse at Gay
2026 Season (tentative)-
June 17th through October 10th
Hours-
1pm to 4pm, Wednesday and Saturday if docent is available.
Call 616-485-0086 or 906 296-0437 for appointment
Admission-
There is no admission fee for this museum, but a donation is appreciated.
Location-
The Gay School is located at the intersection of Lake Street and the Gay Road in the town of Gay, Michigan, about 12 miles south of Mohawk, Michigan via the Gay-Mohawk Road across the street from the Township Hall. GPS:N 47 13.645 W 88 09.764, Decimal Degrees:47.227417, -88.162733
Related Links-
Keweenaw Geoheritage
All sites are closed for the season.
We hope to see you next year!
SITE SCHEDULES
No upcoming events until next season
SEE ALL EVENTS
Keweenaw County Historical Society
670 Lighthouse Road Eagle Harbor
Mohawk, MI 49950
We are proud to be a Keweenaw National Historical Park Heritage Site.
All content
copyright © 2010-2025
Powered by
Wild Apricot
Membership Software
Menu
Log in
Keweenaw County Historical Society
Sites
Eagle Harbor Lighthouse
Maritime Museum
Commercial Fishing Museum
Keweenaw History Museum
Rathbone School/Knights of Pythias
Eagle Harbor Lifesaving Station
Phoenix Church
Bammert Blacksmith Shop
Eagle River Museum
Central
Exploring Central – The Central Mine and The Central Mining Company
Exploring Central – The Churches at Central & The Central Reunion
Exploring Central – Life At Central
Exploring Central – The School at Central
Exploring Central – “Sad News From Central Mine”
Exploring Central- Photo Album of Historic Photos of Central
Schoolhouse at Gay
Copper Milling at Gay- About the Exhibit
Copper Milling at Gay- Timeline
Copper Milling at Gay- A Rich and Unique Landscape
Copper Milling at Gay- Copper Processing and Stamp Sands
Copper Milling at Gay- Social Life in a Company Town
Copper Milling at Gay- After the Mills: Fishing and Lumbering
Copper Milling at Gay- After the Mills: Gay Industries
Copper Milling at Gay- Migrating Sands and Buffalo Reef
Copper Milling at Gay- How Harmful are Stamp Sands?
Copper Mining at Gay- The Legacy: Living with the Effects
Schedules/Events
Sites and Museum Schedule
Event Calendar
Rentals
Lighthouse Cottage Rental
Miner's Home Rental
Your KCHS
About the KCHS
Contact the KCHS
Log In
Become a member
Renew Your Membership and FAQs
Become a KCHS Volunteer
donate
Publications of the KCHS
Privacy Notice
Members Only
Additional Resources
Log in
^
LOG IN
Caretakers of the past, stewards of the future.
Keweenaw County Historical Society
Sites
Eagle Harbor Lighthouse
Maritime Museum
Commercial Fishing Museum
Keweenaw History Museum
Rathbone School/Knights of Pythias
Eagle Harbor Lifesaving Station
Phoenix Church
Bammert Blacksmith Shop
Eagle River Museum
Central
Exploring Central – The Central Mine and The Central Mining Company
Exploring Central – The Churches at Central & The Central Reunion
Exploring Central – Life At Central
Exploring Central – The School at Central
Exploring Central – “Sad News From Central Mine”
Exploring Central- Photo Album of Historic Photos of Central
Schoolhouse at Gay
Copper Milling at Gay- About the Exhibit
Copper Milling at Gay- Timeline
Copper Milling at Gay- A Rich and Unique Landscape
Copper Milling at Gay- Copper Processing and Stamp Sands
Copper Milling at Gay- Social Life in a Company Town
Copper Milling at Gay- After the Mills: Fishing and Lumbering
Copper Milling at Gay- After the Mills: Gay Industries
Copper Milling at Gay- Migrating Sands and Buffalo Reef
Copper Milling at Gay- How Harmful are Stamp Sands?
Copper Mining at Gay- The Legacy: Living with the Effects
Schedules/Events
Sites and Museum Schedule
Event Calendar
Rentals
Lighthouse Cottage Rental
Miner's Home Rental
Your KCHS
About the KCHS
Contact the KCHS
Log In
Become a member
Renew Your Membership and FAQs
Become a KCHS Volunteer
donate
Publications of the KCHS
Privacy Notice
Members Only
Additional Resources
The SchoolHOUSE at Gay
The town of Gay, Michigan, is located on the shore of Lake Superior along the southern edge of the Keweenaw Peninsula, about 12 miles south of Mohawk. It was originally a commercial fishing village to harvest fish from Lake Superior and later a lumber community to harvest wood for the copper mines of the Keweenaw. In 1898 the Mohawk Mining company built its stamp mill in Gay to take advantage of the water available from Lake Superior to use in stamping or separating copper from mine rock. Soon another mill for the Wolverine Mining Company was built alongside the Mohawk mill, and the town of Gay became part of the copper mining process in the Keweenaw. The town was named for Joseph E. Gay, one of the founders of the Mohawk and Wolverine Mining Companies. The stamp mills closed by 1932, and today only a large smoke stack and a mile of gray stamp sand are left of the mills.
(Photo: Some of the historic looms used by Gay Industries to make rag rugs, etc.)
The first school in Gay was built in 1902 to meet the needs of the families working at the mills. It became overcrowded and a new, six room, two story building was built in 1927. It served students from grades one through 10. Students attending school past grade 10 went to Calumet. The school was a center of community life until the mills closed in 1932. By 1959 only 25 students attended the school, and it was closed in 1961.
In 2009 the Keweenaw County Historical Society took over the property and began extensive repair and restoration work. The school is now a museum telling the story of the town of Gay and the impact of the Mohawk and Wolverine Copper Mining Companies' mills on the town of Gay and the environment. It also tells the story of commercial lumber and fishing in the area.
(Photo: Our 1907 Jewell motor car and a carriage are also on display.)
(Photos: Volunteers are often on site to demonstrate weaving. Photos by Michelle Lehman Hayes )
Visiting the Schoolhouse at Gay
2026 Season (tentative)-
June 17th through October 10th
Hours-
1pm to 4pm, Wednesday and Saturday if docent is available.
Call 616-485-0086 or 906 296-0437 for appointment
Admission-
There is no admission fee for this museum, but a donation is appreciated.
Location-
The Gay School is located at the intersection of Lake Street and the Gay Road in the town of Gay, Michigan, about 12 miles south of Mohawk, Michigan via the Gay-Mohawk Road across the street from the Township Hall. GPS:N 47 13.645 W 88 09.764, Decimal Degrees:47.227417, -88.162733
Related Links-
Keweenaw Geoheritage
All sites are closed for the season.
We hope to see you next year!
SITE SCHEDULES
No upcoming events until next season
SEE ALL EVENTS
Keweenaw County Historical Society
670 Lighthouse Road Eagle Harbor
Mohawk, MI 49950
We are proud to be a Keweenaw National Historical Park Heritage Site.
All content
copyright © 2010-2025
Powered by
Wild Apricot
Membership Software