The Ontonagon name is derived from Chippewa Indians. The name was given to the village and county when the first settlers set out from Houghton. Many villages and rivers in the upper lake region have names given to them by native Americans. The euphonious name of Ontonagon City hints at this connection. The first settlers settled in the area in 1845.
The first frame house in Ontonagon City was built by Capt. John G. Parker in 1849. It was located on River Street in Block 3. The first white child born in Ontonagon was the son of D. S. and Fanny Cash. He was born on December 4, 1848. He grew to manhood and is now a practicing physician in Minnesota. His family's story is interesting because it highlights the importance of community in the life of local people.
The population and steets of Ontonagon City are reflected in the map below. The town is located on the Michigan-Wisconsin border, approximately twelve miles south of Saginaw. The city is home to a population of approximately 3,000. It was settled by French, German, and Canadian immigrants from the 1850s. In 1858, the town had a population of approximately 2,000. The population of Ontonagon City is still relatively small, and has a history of many immigrants.
Ontonagon County was settled in 1842 by James K. Paul, a man from the Lead-Mining region of Wisconsin. He was accompanied by an educated half-breed Indian named Nicholas Myraclur. They traveled over the wild country to Lake Superior and then down the Ontonagon River. The city is named after the Ontonagon River and was home to the Chippewa nation until 1842. In 1842, the United States Government secured the land from the Iron River tribe, and the treaty was approved by the Senate in the next year.