Toivola, Michigan
| Toivola, Michigan | |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated community | |
|
Toivola along M-26 | |
  Toivola, Michigan | |
| Coordinates: 46°59′57″N 88°46′12″W / 46.99917°N 88.77000°WCoordinates: 46°59′57″N 88°46′12″W / 46.99917°N 88.77000°W[1] | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Houghton |
| Township | Adams, Stanton, Bohemia |
| Elevation[1] | 1,273 ft (388 m) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 49965 |
| Area code(s) | 906 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1614923[1] |
Toivola is an unincorporated community in Houghton County, Michigan, United States. The far-flung rural community is divided between Stanton Township, Adams Township, and Bohemia Township.[2] It is found along M-26, 8 miles (13 km) southwest of South Range.[3] Toivola has a post office with ZIP code 49965.[4]
History
Local lore claims a group of Misery Indians, a branch of the Chippewa or Ojibway tribe,[5] settled on the southern shore of Lake Superior in the area in 1845.[6] Toivola was settled by Finns in 1892;[7] they named the community after the Finnish term for the vale of hope, though it is translated as "Community of Hope" on the sign erected by the Michigan Department of Highways commemorating the town's centennial in 1992.[7] Many of the original Finnish settlers came to the United States fleeing the terrible conditions brought on by the Great Famine in the 1860s.[6] In the town's heyday, the population was large enough to support thirteen small schools, including the Heikkinen School and Misery Bay School.[2] The community was originally a logging camp. Toivola once had a station on the Copper Range Railroad. Toivola's post office opened on January 19, 1905; Earl N. Drake was its first postmaster.[8]
Attractions
- Misery Bay and Agate Beach - Public beaches on Lake Superior's southern shoreline. Perfect for swimming, camping, and rock hunting (fossils and agates).
- Nature Activities - Hunting, fishing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and snow shoeing.
- Juhannus - Traditional Finnish celebration of the Summer Solstice. Bonfire or kokko burned on the sands of Agate Beach. Usually accompanied by music, dancing, and food.[7]
- Artesian well - Cold, fresh water which runs from the pipe found by the old Misery Bay School on Misery Bay Road can be sampled by any passersby who thirst.[7]
References
- 1 2 3 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Toivola, Michigan
- 1 2 "A Glimpse at the Local News of 50 Years Ago: Cycling Superintendent." Daily Mining Gazette [Houghton, MI] 8 August 1984. Print.
- ↑ Houghton County (pdf) (Map). Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. 2010. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
- ↑ ZIP Code Lookup, United States Post Office
- ↑ "Origin of Misery Bay Name Appears Lost Through the Passage of Time." Daily Mining Gazette Green Sheet [Houghton, MI] 24 February 1962. Print.
- 1 2 Beaudette, Cynthia. "The 'Land of Hope' Gearing Up for Century Celebration". Daily Mining Gazette [Houghton, MI] 12 November 1991:2B. Print.
- 1 2 3 4 Naasko, Ronald J. "Toivola Reunion Filled with Fellowship and Sense of Belonging". The Finnish American Reporter [Superior, WI] 17 September 1992:14-15. Print.
- ↑ Romig, Walter (1986) [1973]. Michigan Place Names. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-1838-X.
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