May 12, 2026

Drying Nets at the Beaver Island Michigan Fishery – c1910

Black-And-White Photo Of Men Standing In A Fishery Yard Beside Large Wooden Net Frames And Fishing Gear In Front Of Two Wooden Buildings Near The Water On Beaver Island, Michigan.

Men stand in front of big wooden frames and net gear at a Beaver Island fishery, with docks and other waterfront buildings nearby. This looks like the work behind the catch — drying, repairing and storing nets between trips.

Beaver Island’s St. James Harbor was once lined with fishing boats and shoreline industry. A historic net shed built in 1906 at St. James Harbor still stands today as the Beaver Island Marine Museum, a reminder of how central commercial fishing was to island life.

Do you know where on Beaver Island this was taken — or what kind of nets they’re working with here?

#BeaverIsland #StJamesMichigan #LakeMichigan #MichiganHistory #GreatLakesFishing

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Michaela Nolte

Michaela is a history buff and loves to export historical markers and old buildings and seeks stories about Michigan and Great Lakes history. When she is not writing, you can find her with a good book sipping wine on the beach.

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