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Helmer, Michigan

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Coordinates: 46°15′59″N 85°42′56″W / 46.26639°N 85.71556°W / 46.26639; -85.71556
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Helmer, Michigan
Unincorporated community
Helmer signage looking west along H-44
Helmer signage looking west along H-44
Helmer is located in Michigan
Helmer
Helmer
Location within the state of Michigan
Helmer is located in the United States
Helmer
Helmer
Location within the United States
Coordinates: 46°15′59″N 85°42′56″W / 46.26639°N 85.71556°W / 46.26639; -85.71556
CountryUnited States
StateMichigan
CountyLuce
TownshipLakefield
Settled1881
Established1894
Elevation
689 ft (210 m)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)
49853 (McMillan)
Area code906
GNIS feature ID628066[1]

Helmer is an unincorporated community in Luce County in the U.S. state of Michigan.[1] The community is located within Lakefield Township. As an unincorporated community, Helmer has no legally defined boundaries or population statistics of its own.

History

[edit]
Helmer appearing on a Luce County map from 1911

The area was first settled as early as 1881 when Presbyterian minister Roy Mills built a mission house along Helmer Creek.[2] At the time, the area was part of western Chippewa County until Luce County was created in 1887.[3]

Helmer received its first post office on March 19, 1894 with Gaylord Helmer serving as the first postmaster until March 19, 1899. Charles Fyvie served as postmaster from June 25, 1907 until the Helmer post office was discontinued on September 30, 1914.[4] The post office served as a rural branch of the McMillan post office until it was ultimately discontinued in 1920.[2][5]

When the railway industry began constructing lines through the Upper Peninsula near the end of the century, Helmer did not have railroad access, and the nearest railway depot was to the north in McMillan. Helmer served as a small resort community with a stagecoach stop for travelers. Road access to Helmer was limited until M-98 was commissioned in 1919, which connected Helmer to M-77 to the west and M-28 to the northeast.[6] In 1929, M-135 was commissioned to further connect Helmer to M-28 and also U.S. Route 2 to the south.[7] Both M-98 and M-135 were decommissioned in 1960 and turned over to county control and are now known as H-44 and H-33 respectively.

Helmer continues to exist as an unincorporated community within Lakefield Township and contains a small population and a few businesses. The East Lakefield Cemetery is located near Helmer just to the east. It is an active cemetery with its earliest grave dating back to 1900.[8]

Helmer House Inn

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Helmer House Inn
Helmer House Inn in June 2021
Location2747 County Road 377
McMillan, Michigan
Coordinates46°16′13″N 85°43′08″W / 46.27028°N 85.71889°W / 46.27028; -85.71889
Built1881
DesignatedJanuary 13, 1982

The most notable structure within the community of Helmer is the Helmer House Inn, which is located along Helmer Creek just north of Manistique Lake at 2747 Helmer Road (County Road 377). The building was constructed in 1881–1882 as a mission house and manse by Roy Mills of the Presbyterian church from Newberry. It served in this capacity until 1888 when it was purchased by local sheriff Gaylord Helmer. He converted the structure into a general store and hotel. In 1894, Helmer added a second structure to the original house to accommodate more travelers, as well as housing the community's first post office with himself as postmaster.[5][9]

In 1904, the general store was purchased by Charles and Jeanie Fyvie. The Helmer post office, which was established in 1894, was located within the structure until it was ultimately discontinued as a rural branch in 1920. The Fyvie family continued to live there and operated the hotel and general store until it closed in 1950.[2] After it closed, it remained unused and fell into disrepair. The structure was restored in 1981 and reopened as a hotel to commemorate its centennial anniversary. It was then designated as a Michigan State Historic Site on January 13, 1982. A state historic marker was also erected on the site.[9][10]

The hotel closed down a few years later, and the building became neglected and fell into disrepair again. In 2017, the building was at risk of being demolished until local residents James and Kristen Handrich purchased and restored the structure by the following year. The building reopened in 2020 as the Helmer House Inn & Cafe, which serves as a bakery and provides bed and breakfast accommodations.[5] In 2020, the Helmer House Inn & Cafe was awarded as having the Upper Peninsula's best doughnuts.[11]

Geography

[edit]

Helmer is a small community located within Lakefield Township in the state's Upper Peninsula about 15 miles (24.1 km) west of the village of Newberry. The community is surrounded by portions of the Sault Ste. Marie section of the Lake Superior State Forest.[12] Helmer sits at an elevation of 689 feet (210 m) above sea level.[1]

Helmer is located along the northeast shores of Manistique Lake along H-33 (Manistique Lakes Road) and the western terminus of H-44 (Ten Curves Road). Aside from Newberry, the nearest sizable communities include McMillan to the north, Curtis to the south, Engadine to the southeast, and Germfask and Seney to the west. M-28 crosses east–west about 6 miles (9.7 km) to the north, and M-117 runs south–north about 10 miles (16.1 km) to the east.

Helmer no longer contains its own post office and uses the McMillan 49853 ZIP Code.[13] The community is served by Tahquamenon Area Schools in Newberry, which serves the entire county itself and has the largest area of any public school district in the state.[14][15]

Along with Manistique Lake, other nearby geographic features include the short Helmer Creek, which connects Manistique Lake to North Manistique Lake to the north.[16] Locke Creek is the only tributary of Helmer Creek and joins the creek within the community.[17] Fork Lake and Fork Creek are small waterways that serve as tributaries connecting to the northeastern portion of Manistique Lake near Helmer.[18][19]

[edit]
  • Helmer House Inn in the early 1900s
    Helmer House Inn in the early 1900s
  • Historic photo of the general store
    Historic photo of the general store
  • Closed and neglected structure in 2012
    Closed and neglected structure in 2012
  • Helmer House Inn state historic marker
    Helmer House Inn state historic marker

References

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  1. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Helmer, Michigan
  2. ^ a b c Romig, Walter (October 1, 1986) [1973]. Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities (Paperback). Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. pp. 260–261. ISBN 978-0-8143-1838-6.
  3. ^ "Bibliography on Luce County". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  4. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Helmer Post Office (historical)
  5. ^ a b c Helmer House Inn (2020). "Helmer House Inn History". Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  6. ^ Michigan State Highway Department (July 1, 1919). State of Michigan (Map). Scale not given. Lansing: Michigan State Highway Department. Upper Peninsula sheet. OCLC 15607244. Retrieved December 18, 2016 – via Michigan State University Libraries.
  7. ^ Michigan State Highway Department (May 1, 1929). Official Highway Service Map (Map). [c. 1:810,000]. Lansing: Michigan State Highway Department. OCLC 12701195, 79754957.
  8. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: East Lakefield Cemetery
  9. ^ a b MichMarkers.com (2021). "Helmer House Inn: Registered Site L0981". Archived from the original on November 29, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Helmer House Inn Historic Marker
  11. ^ "In this U.P. historic landmark you will find a bed and breakfast, cafe and doughnuts". MLive. Booth Newspapers. October 26, 2020. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
  12. ^ Michigan Economic Development Corporation (2021). "Manistique Lakes Area Tourism Bureau: Helmer". Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  13. ^ "49853 ZIP Code map" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  14. ^ Michigan Geographic Framework (November 15, 2013). "Luce County School Districts" (PDF). Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  15. ^ State of Michigan (May 22, 2018). "Square mileage of Michigan school districts" (PDF). Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  16. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Helmer Creek
  17. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Locke Creek
  18. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Fork Lake
  19. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Fork Creek
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