Bates Township had three mines: The Bates, Chicagon, and Rogers. Together they shipped a total of 8,196,380 tons of ore from 1909-1947.
Larson Park sits in a tract of 320 acres of old growth forest. There are two main forest systems in Bates Township, the Copper Country State Forest and the Ottawa National Forest. The Copper Country State Forest is 250,000 acres. The Ottawa national Forest is approximately 1,000,000 acres and spreads through the four western counties of the Upper Peninsula.
All forests are open to the public to use for hunting, fishing and camping. There is a huge abundance of wildlife including Whitetail Deer and Ruffed Grouse to hunt and enjoy. Lakes and rivers are all full of fish. Take advantage and use the forest!
Bates enjoyed the greatest concentration of permanent farm settlements when lands became available through the Homestead Act of 1862. These settlers were mainly of sturdy Scandinavian stock who made their way to the frontier stopping center of Norway, Michigan. The families were large as a rule and many hardships were endured in carving the homes out of the wilderness. The head of the family usually worked the mines and cleared the lands and built buildings on weekends when not working in the mines. The early years
were very difficult and most food was taken from the soil. Land had to be grubbed by hand to plant a meager garden. Later horses were used as the farmers cleared more land to raise livestock, grain, and vegetables. There are 7 Centennial Farms in Bates, with a few farms remaining active today. The township always had a poor fund to provide some help for the needy. Scandinavians, Polish and the Finnish all lived in their own areas in the Bates Township.
Bates Township, established in 1885 consists of approximately 132 square miles in somewhat of an "hour-glass" shape. The boundaries of Bates Township changed twice back in the early days when certain factions fell into disfavor with the ruling clique. It is one of 7 townships in Iron County. The others are Iron River, Stambaugh, Hematite, Crystal Falls, Mastodon, and Mansfield. It shares its border with 2 of Upper Michigan's 15 counties (Houghton and Baraga). The northern half is a lush forest recreational area. The southern half has approximately 1,000 residents and numerous lakes and forests.
Bates Township has supported many businesses in the past as well as present. Farming, logging, and mining were the major industries. The mining industry is only history but logging continues as a major source of income for many families.
summer months, the adventurer can fish the lakes, hike, camp, swim, or ATV in Bates. During the winter months one can snowshoe, ice fish, snowmobile, or just relax and warm up by the fire. Big game hunting, moose sightings and bird watching are also options. The Paint River flows through Bates Township and offers canoeing, fishing, and great scenery. Public access to sandy beaches is common.