In 1918 the Iron County Board of Supervisors approved the road commission’s recommendation, through engineer-manager Herbert F. Larson, to purchase this 320-acre tract of roadside virgin timber and dedicate it as a forest preserve. The following year Iron County established Michigan’s first roadside park and picnic tables. This was quite likely America’s first such facility. Since then similar parks have been provided by most states for the comfort and enjoyment of the traveling motorist.