Saxon Harbor is located on

Lake Superior Lake Superior in central North America is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. and the third-largest by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh wa ...

Oronto Bay Oronto Bay is an arm of Lake Superior between Marble Point in Iron County, Wisconsin and Little Girls Point in Gogebic County, Michigan and includes part of the Bad River Reservation. The Montreal River, which forms the border between the two s ...

in Iron County, Wisconsin, United States. The harbor, adjacent to Oronto Creek, is a part of a county park that includes deep sea fishing, camping and a sandy beach stretching for four miles westward. Historically, this was near the beginning of an ancient Native American trade route known as the Flambeau Trail and was the site of a fur trading post operated by

John Jacob Astor John Jacob Astor (born Johann Jakob Astor; July 17, 1763 – March 29, 1848) was a German-American businessman, merchant, real estate mogul, and investor who made his fortune mainly in a fur trade monopoly, by smuggling opium into China, and ...

American Fur Company The American Fur Company (AFC) was founded in 1808, by John Jacob Astor, a German immigrant to the United States. During the 18th century, furs had become a major commodity in Europe, and North America became a major supplier. Several British co ...

from 1808 to 1830. In 2006, a $2.17 million expansion to the harbor was completed. Primarily funded by a Section 154 grant set up by

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

Dave Obey David Ross Obey ( ; born October 3, 1938) is an American lobbyist and former politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for from 1969 to 2011. The district includes much of the northwestern portion of the st ...

, the project added a new harbor basin, shoreline protection, new docks and restroom facilities and American Disability Act-complaint sidewalks. On the night of July 11, 2016, a major storm destroyed the harbor. Oronto Creek spilled over its banks, washing down trees and brush; its water flowed into the harbor, washing away boats, vehicles, asphalt, concrete, and trailers at the campground. One fatality occurred at the harbor. It has since been rebuilt.

References

{{coord, 46, 33, 46, N, 90, 26, 04, W, type:waterbody_region:US-WI_source:GNIS, display=title Geography of Iron County, Wisconsin Ports and harbors of Wisconsin