History

The birthplace of Viola Turpeinen, a nationally known accordionist, and Charles Van Riper, a famous speech pathologist and author who wrote the "Northwoods Readers" under the pen name Cully Gage, Champion was settled in 1868 on the main line of the Marquette, Houghton & Ontonagon Railroad Company.

The first settlers were English iron miners from Cornwall and French woodsmen from Canada, who took jobs at the new Champion Mine. By 1900 a new wave of immigrants, led by the Scandinavians, Germans, Italians, Irish, and Finns had arrived and quickly established Champion as a vital railroad, mining, logging, and farming center.

Because of its topography, Champion has 3 distinct residential areas: “Beacon” or “Uptown” is situated along the southern bluff and is the site of the abandoned Champion Mine. It historically boasted the largest population, numerous businesses, four churches, a 27-room boarding house, a hospital, a school (which closed in 1996), and a cemetery.

“Black Hill” is situated on the northern bluff and is the locale of the former Champion Furnace, the platted village of Daliba, and rich farmland.

“Downtown” is the area lying between the two bluffs, straddling the highway and railroad tracks. It is the only remaining business district. Beacon and Downtown at one time had separate post offices and railroad depots, but of these four only the Downtown post office has survived.

A railroad roundhouse was built here (pictured at left) and a rail junction was constructed east of town. For almost 100 years trains of the H.M. & O. and its successors (Duluth South Shore & Atlantic; Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific; Chicago & North Western; and Soo Line) carried iron ore, pulpwood, general freight, passengers, and mail east to Ishpeming and Marquette and south to Escanaba and Kingsford. (More railroad info here.)

Champion Station was a jumping-off point for Cyrus McCormick, who had a large summer camp north of here. In recent years the railroad line through Champion has transported only pulpwood to Ishpeming; it is operated by the Canadian National Railway system, which acquired Soo Line’s successor, Wisconsin Central.

The population of Champion has risen and fallen throughout the years. When the Champion Mine was booming in the early 1900s, more than 2,500 people lived here. Between 1911 and 1949 however, the mine was closed, forcing most businesses in Beacon to close and the local workforce to move elsewhere. Although the mine was reactivated in 1949 and remained in operation until 1969, local population has continued to decline.

The population of Champion today is only about one-tenth of what it was 100 years ago, but the hearts of all residents still resonate with the memories of Champion’s colorful and prosperous past. .

On a bluff known locally as “Beacon,” located approximately ¾ mile southwest, exploration for iron ore was begun in 1863 by the Marquette, Houghton & Ontonagon Railroad Company, whose line passed this site. The company discovered ore but did not mine it and, in 1869, sold its holdings to the Champion Iron Mining Company, whose financial backers included most notably S. P. Eli and Peter White, of Marquette.

Within only 15 years one million tons were hoisted, making Champion Mine one of the most productive in the Upper Peninsula. It had seven shafts and held a reputation as the deepest mine on the Marquette Range and a source of the highest quality of specular hematite ore. The mine was accessed by spur lines, of the H. M. & O and the Chicago & North Western Railway, which transported the ore to Marquette Harbor.

Ownership of the Champion Mine changed hands twice again before 1910. Clairton Steel Company acquired control from the Champion Iron Mining Company, then sold its interest to the Oliver Mining Company. The latter operated the mine for only a short time before closing it in 1911. The mine remained idle until 1949, when it was reopened by the North Range Mining Company on lease from the Oliver Mining Company. North Range operated the mine for 20 years before ceasing operations for good in the late 1960s.

All the mine buildings were dismantled and removed and the shafts were sealed. Nature has reclaimed most of the mine land; however, large piles of rock, concrete foundations, steel cables, and other leftovers are still evident.

One of the most enduring people in Champion's past was Dr. Paul Van Riper. "Doc Van" as he was affectionately called, came to Champion as a new, young doctor employed by the mine in 1900 and he served the people of Champion and the surrounding area until shortly before his death at the age of 92.

The Marquette General Hospital web site has a nice article about Doc Van called "The Van Riper Legacy" which can be accessed by clicking here.

Van Riper State Park is named after our famous doctor and the picture at the right is from a newspaper article on the day of the park's dedication in Doc Van's honor.

Visitors to the Champion area often discover a winding and scenic road that follows the Peshekee River north from Lake Michigamme into the wilderness area around the McCormick Tract and beyond. What they may not know, however, is that much of this roadway is a remnant of a multimillion dollar railroad fiasco in the late 1800's. More about this intriguing story can be found by clicking on Article 1 or Article 2.