101 West Lakeshore Drive

Beginning in June 1886, Houghton welcomed electricity as a power source. It was initially generated and promoted by James R. Dee, who sold his interests to the stock company Peninsula Electric in 1887 and became the superintendent. During 1888 and 1890, Dee established new electrical plants in Nestor and Lake Linden.

In 1890 Houghton’s burgeoning electric company, Peninsula Electric, built their powerhouse just west of the bridge on land purchased from William Van Orden, the company secretary. Its location on the waterfront allowed the utility to off-load coal directly from lake shippers and eliminate transportation costs. Built of Jacobsville sandstone with an iron roof, the building was considered fireproof. Opening in 1891, it housed a single 250-horsepower steam powered generator which supplied electricity for the twin cities of Houghton and Hancock. Until 1932, the powerhouse generated the electricity necessary to power the Houghton County Traction Company’s streetcars that connected Houghton north to Mohawk.  

In 1902 Peninsula Electric was sold to the Houghton County Electric Light Company who consolidated with other area power companies in 1947 and formed today’s Upper Peninsula Power Company (UPPCO). A few years later, the powerhouse became just a switching station. By 1965, it closed altogether. 

Eventually, the building was repurposed for social use. In December 1967, the Houghton-Hancock Youth Organization announced plans to create a teen center in the old powerhouse building. They raised $10,000 to cover the cost of repairs and opened within a year after launching the initial plan. The new teen center featured fluorescent and colored lights, hardwood floors, a ten-foot ceiling, wood paneling, a lounge, and a snack bar. It was used by multiple youth organizations in the area, including Girl and Boy Scout groups as well as 4-H clubs. Unfortunately, the cost of upkeep became too expensive and the teen center was forced to close in 1974.

Over the next decade the abandoned building fell into disrepair. In the 1980s, local contractor Moyle Construction purchased the dilapidated building and in 1998 began an extensive exterior renovation. Several years later, the Local Development Finance Authority purchased it for a high-tech business incubator and extensively renovated the inside. In 2003, the Michigan Tech Enterprise Corporation (MTEC) SmartZone was formed with funding from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. The  SmartZone purchased the building from Moyle for $375,000 and completed half of the necessary renovations by February 2003. In June 2003, the first businesses moved in.

Sources: Winter 2013-2014 Michigan Tech Magazine; Historic Houghton Walking Tour (c.2000); MTEC SmartZone: The Backstory; Michigan Tech Archives Blog; Image: University Archives and Historical Collections MS051-060-144-01