Ontonagon River
{{Short description|River in Michigan, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox river
| name = Ontonagon River
| name_etymology = Ojibwe Nondon-organ ("hunting river") or Ontonagori ("lost bowl"){{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DqQnAQAAMAAJ&q=++Ontonagon|title=Michigan State|first=Hearne|last=Brothers|date=July 11, 1970|publisher=Hearne Brothers|via=Google Books}}{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c4bhAAAAMAAJ&dq=Ontonagon+%22lost+bowl%22&pg=PP32|title=The Land of Hiawatha: Upper Peninsula of Michigan|date=July 11, 1928|publisher=Upper Peninsula Development Bureau|via=Google Books}}
| image = Ontonagon River.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| image_caption = The Ontonagon River just below the confluence of its east and middle branches, as viewed from near US Highway 45
| map = Ontonagon River Map US MI.svg
| map_size =
| map_alt =
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| source1_location =
| mouth_location = Lake Superior
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|46.87633|-89.32791|region:US-MI|display=inline,title}}
| mouth_coord_ref ={{cite gnis|1621114|Ontonagon River}}
| length =
| source1_elevation =
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| extra = {{Designation list
| embed = yes
| designation1 = nwsr
| designation1_type = Wild, Scenic, Recreational
| designation1_date = March 3, 1992
| designation1_number =
}}
}}
The Ontonagon River ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|ɒ|n|t|ə|ˈ|n|ɑː|ɡ|ən}} {{respell|ON|tə|NAH|gən}}) is a river flowing into Lake Superior at the village of Ontonagon, on the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the United States. The main stem of the river is {{convert|25|mi}} longThe American Rivers Outstanding Rivers List, Second Edition, May 1991. Compiled and edited by Matthew H. Huntington and John D. Echeverria. Washington, DC: American Rivers, Inc. and is formed by a confluence of several longer branches, portions of which have been collectively designated as a National Wild and Scenic River.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/rivers/index.htm|title=Rivers (U.S. National Park Service)|website=www.nps.gov}} Several waterfalls occur on the river including Agate Falls and Bond Falls.
Course
The Ontonagon River's principal tributaries are its West, South, Middle and East branches, all of which flow in part through the Ottawa National Forest:{{cite map |publisher=DeLorme |year=2003 |title=Michigan Atlas & Gazetteer |isbn= 0-89933-335-4}}
- The West Branch Ontonagon River{{Gnis|1622104|West Branch Ontonagon River}} is entirely contained in Ontonagon County. It begins at the outlet of Lake Gogebic near the community of Bergland and flows generally east-northeastwardly for approximately {{convert|55.5|km|disp=flip}},U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. [http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ The National Map], accessed February 3, 2012 collecting the South Branch and passing through a dam which forms the Victoria Reservoir.
- The South Branch Ontonagon River{{Gnis|1621688|South Branch Ontonagon River}} is formed in southwestern Ontonagon County by the confluence of the short Tenmile Creek and the Cisco Branch Ontonagon River. The Cisco Branch starts in Cisco Lake in eastern Gogebic County and flows generally north-northeastwardly for {{convert|52.7|km|disp=flip}} to the South Branch,{{Gnis|1619508|Cisco Branch Ontonagon River}} which then flows northwardly for {{convert|53.6|km|disp=flip}}, passing the community of Ewen, to join the West Branch.
Image:Ontonagon River South Branch.jpg]]
File:Agate Falls (265409244).jpg on the Middle Branch]]
- The Middle Branch Ontonagon River,{{Gnis|1620809|Middle Branch Ontonagon River}} {{convert|113.8|km|disp=flip}} long, issues from Crooked Lake in eastern Gogebic County and initially flows eastwardly, passing the community of Watersmeet. After collecting the Tamarack River, the Middle Branch turns northwardly into Ontonagon County, where it collects the Baltimore River and joins the East Branch.
- The East Branch Ontonagon River,{{Gnis|1619805|East Branch Ontonagon River}} {{convert|95.4|km|disp=flip}} long, issues from Jingle Lake in northern Iron County and flows generally northwestwardly through Houghton County into Ontonagon County, where it joins the Middle Branch.
Image:Ontonagon River Ontonagon Michigan.jpg, just above its mouth at Lake Superior]]
Below the confluence of its various branches, the Ontonagon River flows generally north-northwestwardly for {{convert|39.7|km|disp=flip}} in Ontonagon County to the village of Ontonagon, where it flows into Lake Superior.
National Wild and Scenic River designation
On March 3, 1992, the following reaches of the Ontonagon's upper tributaries were collectively designated the Ontonagon National Wild and Scenic River: The upper courses of the East and Middle branches in the Ottawa National Forest; the Cisco Branch in its entirety; and approximately the middle section of the West Branch, from Cascade Falls to the Victoria Reservoir.
Other historical significance
File:Ontonagon_Copper_Boulder.jpg
A very large mass of solid, nearly pure copper, the Ontonagon Boulder, was removed from the west branch of the Ontonagon River and transported in 1842 to Detroit, where it was weighed at 3708 pounds.[http://genealogytrails.com/mich/ontonagon/history1.html History of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan – Ontonagon]. Chicago: The Western Historical Company. A. T. Andreas, Proprietor 1883. Transcribed by Debi Hanes. Accessed via genealogytrails.com 12 November 2023. It is displayed in Washington, D.C., at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
See also
References
{{commons category}}
{{Reflist}}{{Protected areas of Michigan}}{{Authority control}}
Category:Wild and Scenic Rivers of the United States
Category:Rivers of Gogebic County, Michigan
Category:Rivers of Houghton County, Michigan
Category:Rivers of Iron County, Michigan