In 1844, government surveyor Douglass Houghton tasked his deputy, William A. Burt,[5] with leading a party into Michigan's Upper Peninsula to carry out a full survey of the land.

[6] On September 19, 1844, Burt noted odd compass fluctuations while surveying in the area of Teal Lake (near present-day Negaunee, Michigan).

[2] Although the local Ojibwe people (Chippewa) and earlier Native Americans certainly knew of these ore deposits, Burt and Houghton noted the find in their reports, and were the first to publish this discovery to the world at large.

[6] Arriving in Sault Ste Marie, they met French Canadian Louis Nolan, who knew of Burt's discovery the year before.

[5] The party continued onward to Copper Harbor, where they fell in with Chippewa chief Marji-Gesick, who was familiar with the Teal Lake area.

[5] Marji-Gesick guided the party to the right area and showed Everett iron ore in the roots of a fallen tree.

Jackson began utilising the Marquette forge; however, they did ship some iron ore directly: the first shipment of five tons went to New Castle, Pennsylvania.

[9] In 1857, the town was incorporated as "Negaunee," coming from an Ojibwa phrase meaning "I take the lead," or more loosely, "pioneer.

"[9] However, the Jackson Mine was indifferently run, with frequent changes in management, and for some years a "record of disappointments and financial embarrassment.

In the 1950s, the Jackson Mine and portions of the surrounding town of Negaunee were closed due to fears of collapse from undermining.

This recreational area is 5 acres (2.0 ha), located next to Business M-28 (County Road), southwest of downtown Negaunee.