Brockway Mountain Drive officially opens for patrons to drive, which ultimately ended up being a 9 mile road on top of the ridge line. The idea was conceived in 1934 by the Keweenaw County Road Commission, and construction of the mountain drive began in the spring of 1933, and was drivable 4 months later, before winter. Roughly 150-200 men were employed on the project on average.
The drive was named after Daniel D. Brockway, an early pioneer settler in the area.
After construction was suspended during the winter of 1933-1934, in 1934 the road commission obtained funding from the Civil Works Administration (CWA) as part of starting construction of the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge and completing work on Brockway Mountain Drive. During this period, the distinctive rock walls at the Lodge and along Brockway Mountain Drive were built.
In 1936, the road commission deployed funded from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to finish smoothing the road (it was dirt at that time, not asphalt). Additional rock walls were added under WPA funding in 1937.
Source: The Brockway Mountain Drive Story, Paul LaVanway, 2010
[ Part of the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge property encompasses a portion of Brockway Mountain Drive ]