NEGAUNEE, MI— The Michigan Iron Industry Museum in Negaunee is closed indefinitely after heavy snow caused structural damage to its main gallery roof.
The roof is intact, but several of the trusses that bear the roof’s weight began cracking on February 21. Officials say this season’s heavy snow and drifts caused by windy conditions are more than the structure could bear.
Additional snow from this week’s blizzard has been removed. “We are grateful to Mike Colleur from Colleur Construction and Will Rajala from WR Construction LLC for their teams’ hard work to clear the snow off the compromised roof,” said Troy Henderson, historian for the museum. “They did it all from a lift extended above the roof so as not to add additional weight. The depth of snow the crew removed ranged from 4 to 6 feet. It was a massive endeavor.”
Emergency stabilization of the compromised trusses will begin on Monday. Once the roof is stabilized, museum staff will remove artifacts and exhibit casework from the museum’s main gallery and store them until the permanent repairs are completed.
Museum historians are working to reschedule spring programs and school field trips.
