If you have driven US Hwy 41 toward Copper Harbor recently, you may have noticed that the last of our roadside signs is gone. In September, we took down the logo sign at the turn by the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, following the historic sign we removed several years ago. In their place is what was always there underneath them: the historic stone wall, the tall pines and maples, and the quiet of the forest.
We took the signs down on purpose. Here is why.
Signs Were Built for a Different Era
For decades, roadside signs did real work for the Lodge. They told passing drivers there was dining, lodging, golf, and trails just off the highway, and they invited people to pull in on a whim.
That is no longer how the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge operates. Today, the Lodge is a privately owned resort open to cabin guests. Our guests make their reservations in advance, and before they arrive, they hear from us directly with directions to the property. Nobody who is staying with us needs a sign on the highway to find us.
A sign on US Hwy 41 only spoke to drive-bys, and the property is not open to drive-bys. Keeping the signs up sent the wrong message to the wrong audience.
Signs Are Noise. We Are a Quiet Place
The reason the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge exists is to bring people closer to nature, so they can step away from everyday life for a while. Signs work against that. They are visual noise, and they are the first thing the eye catches before the woods do.
Now, when people drive by, they see the stone wall that has stood along the road for generations, and they see the forest. That is the most honest introduction to this place we could offer. It says what we are without saying anything at all.
A Safer Turn for Drivers Heading to Copper Harbor
There is also a practical reason, and it matters more than any of the others. The signs sat at the turn on US Hwy 41, and they blocked the view of drivers coming through it. There have been accidents on that turn.
With the signs removed, drivers heading to and from Copper Harbor have a clearer line of sight through the curve. If taking down a few signs helps prevent even one accident, it was the right call.
Where the Signs Went
The historic sign (“Historic Keweenaw Mt. Lodge”) came down from US Hwy 41 several years ago and has lived in our Education Center in the Lodge Building ever since. It is part of the story of this place, and cabin guests can see it up close, indoors, as a piece of Lodge history rather than a roadside marker.
The logo sign, with the round Keweenaw emblem and the list of amenities, came down this September. It was designed and built in multiple pieces, and it came down the same way. We have not yet decided whether we will display it. For now, it is in safekeeping.
The Signs That Remain on Golf Course Road
We have not removed every sign. A few remain on Golf Course Road, and they are there for a reason: once someone has chosen to turn off the highway onto Golf Course Road, they deserve clear information about what to expect.
Those signs say:
- The golf course is open to cabin guests only.
- Dark Sky Park visitors are welcome from 7pm to 7am, with access to outside facilities only and no building access. Stargazing is welcomed; camping is not allowed. More information is at keweenawdarksky.com.
- The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge is a drug-free property, inside and outside: no smoking, no vaping, no e-cigarettes, and no marijuana.
Honestly, this is still more signage than we would like. Every sign is a little more noise. But until there is a better way to share this information with people who have already made the turn, these few will stay.
Information, Not Advertising
Our approach is simple: we share clear information and let people decide whether the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge is the right fit for them. We do not need a billboard on the highway to do that. Everything you need to know about the Lodge is at keweenawmountainlodge.com.
The next time you drive the turn on US Hwy 41, slow down, look at the stone wall, and take in the trees. That is the Lodge saying hello.