Cheese Factory
Pictures coming soon!
The cheese factory (more formally known as the Stella Cheese Factory) was built on what was once the Baltic Mine in the 1930's. It operated until the 1960 and has remained vacant ever since. Today there are a good deal of ruins to explore here as well as some older structures remaining from the old Baltic Mine. I've also heard rumor that there's a way to get into the old mine back in the woods to the west somewhere but I've never spent much time looking for it.
As far as I know, this land is owned by the county and is used as a gravel stockpile for the road commission. Due to the huge piles of crushed rock, this has also become one of the go-to free firing ranges in the area. I've been shooting here for 7 years regularly and have never had problems. I've also found a good deal of copper in the rock piles, and with the road commission continually moving the gravel around, I'm always able to walk away with a pocket full of it.
To get here from Houghton, head west downtown and through the yooper loop. Continue west on M-26 until you get to South Range. Right before you exit the main downtown area, take a left onto Trimountain Ave. Go straight until you reach the church and take a right onto Atlantic avenue. The road will turn to the left and into Stanton Ave. Continue 1000 feet and take a right onto 12th Street. Continue 2000 feet until the road veers left. At this point you will see a gravel road that leads to a gate on your right. Park at this gated area and walk down that gravel road until you get to the rock piles. The cheese factory will be to your left.
