Ironton, MI

Ironton is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Charlevoix County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The 2020 census counted 148 residents. Ironton is located within Eveline Township on a narrow portion of Lake Charlevoix that is traversed by the Ironton Ferry. In 1879, Robert Cherry settled here along the shores of Pine Lake. Ironton is served primarily by Charlevoix Public Schools to the northwest in Charlevoix, while some southwestern portions of the community may be served by East Jordan Public Schools farther to the south in East Jordan. Taken together, these details give a newcomer a usable picture of Ironton, where its history, geography, and current gathering places meet.

For Ironton, the memorable detail is the way older history and current gathering places share one local map. Cherry worked for the Pine Lake Iron Company of Chicago and built a plant here that opened in 1881. Ironton is located in the western segment of Eveline Township, which is divided by Lake Charlevoix. The Ironton Ferry within the community connects the two segments of the township along a narrow stretch of the lake.