Set amidst the forested ravines of the Marquette Iron Range, the Michigan Iron Industry Museum overlooks the Carp River and the site of the first iron forge in the Lake Superior region. There, from 1848 to 1855, the Jackson Iron Company and others manufactured wrought iron from local ore and demonstrated the high quality of Michigan's iron ore deposits. Today, the museum tells the story of Michigan's three iron ranges and the people who worked them, through museum exhibits, audio visual programs, and outdoor interpretive trails. The museum traces the story of iron in Michigan, from geologic origins to the 20th century, exploring the impact of the Michigan industry on the nation, the mining firms, people, and communities of the Upper Peninsula.