North Manitou Island Shingle Mill

North Manitou Island Shingle Mill is a two-story sawmill at the north edge of the island’s historic village, just beyond the dock. It makes the most sense as part of a walk through the village; stop here if you want to see how island timber became shingles and lumber for the community.

From the dock, the village route passes the old generator building and a solar array before reaching the mill. Respect residents’ privacy as you explore; people still live in the village.

The mill is a long vertical-plank structure under a corrugated metal gable roof. A narrow upper-story addition projects like a covered bridge, held up at its far end by two wooden posts, with smaller shed-roof sections attached to the main building.

The building dates to the late 1920s, but it reused the engine and equipment of the Stormer Mill, which date to 1875. It is the only known original steam-powered sawmill remaining in Michigan. The machinery is older than the building around it, a good reminder that island industries often reused what they had.

The mill provided lumber for the east-side barn built in 1927–28 and heavy planks for docks battered by winter ice and storm waves. It later supplied island building projects, staff cottages, orchard workers’ cabins and shingles. The mill connects the village’s historic buildings to the work that kept the island supplied.

North Manitou’s lumber and fishing economy grew because steamships could stop at the island: they loaded cordwood and carried away lumber, fish barrels and produce. The sawmill belongs to that working story, and its position just north of the dock makes sense once you know how much island life depended on boats.

North Manitou is reached by boat, and the mill is a walk from the village dock. The island has no food service, store or medical center, so plan provisions before leaving the mainland.