Keweenaw County Property Records
Keweenaw County property records are maintained by the Register of Deeds at 5095 4th Street in Eagle Harbor, Michigan, where deeds, mortgages, liens, land contracts, and other recorded instruments for properties throughout this remote Upper Peninsula county are kept on public file. Keweenaw County is the least populous county in Michigan, occupying the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula extending into Lake Superior, and much of its property record activity involves mining-era mineral rights, lakefront parcels, and remote forested tracts. Research can be done in person at the Eagle Harbor courthouse or by contacting the office directly for mail requests.
Keweenaw County Property Records Overview
Keweenaw County Register of Deeds
The Keweenaw County Register of Deeds is at 5095 4th Street, Eagle Harbor, MI 49950. The phone is (906) 337-2229 and the fax is (906) 337-2915. Eagle Harbor is the county seat. It is a small village on the Keweenaw Peninsula, and the courthouse there is the single location where all Keweenaw County land records are officially recorded and stored.
Keweenaw County is the smallest county in Michigan by population and one of the smallest by population density in the entire United States. The county sits at the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula in the Upper Peninsula, surrounded by Lake Superior on three sides, with Houghton County to the south as the only land border. The geography has shaped the county's property records significantly: a large share of the recorded instruments involve copper mining-era patents, mineral rights conveyances, surface rights agreements, and transfers of remote forested or lakefront parcels.
| Address | 5095 4th St., Eagle Harbor, MI 49950 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (906) 337-2229 |
| Fax | (906) 337-2915 |
| County Seat | Eagle Harbor |
Searching Keweenaw County Property Records
Keweenaw County's small size means that the Register of Deeds office handles a far lower volume of recording activity than most Michigan counties, but the records that do exist often require careful attention. The grantor-grantee index maintained under MCL 565.28 is the primary search tool. You search by grantor (seller or transferor) or grantee (buyer or transferee) to find recorded instruments tied to a particular name or property.
In-person research at the Eagle Harbor courthouse is the most direct way to access Keweenaw County records, particularly for older documents related to the copper mining era. The remote location of the courthouse means that many researchers prefer to contact the office by phone first to plan a visit or arrange a mail request. For mail requests, include the property description or parcel ID, party names, and approximate recording date range, along with payment of $1 per page for copies or $5 for certified copies.
Keweenaw County property records often require tracing mineral rights separately from surface rights, as the two were frequently severed during the copper mining period. A property that looks simple on the surface may have a complex mineral rights history recorded over many decades. Anyone buying land in Keweenaw County should consider a thorough title search that specifically addresses mineral rights as well as surface ownership.
Note: Due to the county's remote location, plan ahead if you need in-person records access. Calling the office before your visit is strongly recommended.
Property Document Types in Keweenaw County
Standard instruments recorded in Keweenaw County include warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, mortgages, mortgage discharges, land contracts, and easements. Beyond the standard categories, Keweenaw County records include a significant volume of historical mining patents, mineral rights deeds, surface rights conveyances, and related instruments that reflect the county's copper mining past. These older documents often require specialized title research to properly interpret.
Lakefront and recreational property transfers are common in modern Keweenaw County recording activity. The Lake Superior shoreline and interior lakes attract buyers seeking remote waterfront properties. Deeds for these parcels may include access easements, boat launch rights, or seasonal use restrictions that need to be carefully reviewed as part of any purchase.
Recording Requirements and Michigan Law
Documents submitted for recording in Keweenaw County must meet the formatting standards in MCL 565.201. The first page must have a 2.5-inch blank top margin. Remaining margins must be at least 0.5 inch. Paper must be white, ink black, and type size at least 10 points. Each document can cover only one recordable event. These requirements apply regardless of the county's small size or remote location.
Michigan's race-notice recording rule under MCL 565.29 applies in Keweenaw County just as in any other Michigan county. The first party to record without prior notice of a competing claim generally prevails in a priority dispute. In a county with a complex mineral rights history, prompt recording after any transaction is especially important to protect your interest from competing claims that might surface later.
Fees and Transfer Taxes
The recording fee in Keweenaw County is $30 per document under MCL 600.2567, plus $3 for each additional instrument assigned or discharged beyond the first in a single document. Both state and county real estate transfer taxes apply to sales: the state rate is $7.50 per $1,000 of sale price and the county rate is $1.10 per $1,000. Copy fees are $1 per page for plain copies and $5 per document for certified copies.
Property in Keweenaw County is assessed at 50% of true cash value, with Proposal A capping annual taxable value increases at the lesser of inflation or 5%. Sales trigger uncapping, resetting the taxable value to the state equalized value in the year following the transfer. For remote properties sold at a premium, the post-sale tax increase can be notable, and buyers should request a tax estimate from the county treasurer before closing.
Title Research Considerations
Title research in Keweenaw County should follow the 40-year chain standard under Michigan's Marketable Record Title Act (MCL 565.101). However, given the county's mining history and the frequency of severed mineral rights, going back further than 40 years is often advisable for thorough due diligence. Mineral rights severances recorded in the 1800s and early 1900s may still affect property rights today if not properly addressed.
Title insurance is available for Keweenaw County properties but may require a specialized underwriter familiar with Upper Peninsula mining claims and mineral rights issues. Buyers should work with a title company or attorney experienced in Upper Peninsula property law rather than relying on a general-purpose national title insurer who may not be aware of local record complexities.
Additional Resources
The Michigan LARA office maintains UCC filings and business records that may be relevant to commercial property transactions in Keweenaw County.
Michigan LARA also maintains licensing and regulatory records that may be relevant to properties with historical mining permits or surface use agreements in Keweenaw County's copper mining districts.
The Michigan Department of Treasury provides guidance on property tax assessment, Principal Residence Exemptions, and assessment appeals that apply throughout Michigan including Keweenaw County properties.
Cities in Keweenaw County
Keweenaw County is entirely rural with no incorporated cities. Eagle Harbor is the county seat and serves as the location of county government offices. No communities in Keweenaw County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page. All property records are handled by the Register of Deeds at 5095 4th Street in Eagle Harbor.
Nearby Counties
Keweenaw County is a peninsula county accessible by land only through Houghton County to the south. It is the only Michigan county with a single land-side border.