Name: Beaver Island Internet Project plans affordable local dial-up access in 1997
Start: 1997-03
End: 1998-11
Location: Beaver Island

Locator map: Beaver Island highlighted within the Beaver Island archipelago — Took place at Beaver IslandLocator plate © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0); depths NOAA; names USGS GNIS. How the plates are drawn.

Event

Dates: 1997-03 – 1998-11
Kind: Announcement
Where: Beaver Island
Carried out by: Beaver Island Community School · Beaver Island Rural Health Center
Eras: Modern era
Concepts: communicationtechnologyeducationhealthcarecommunity
Within: Beaver Island

Summary

The Beaver Island Internet Project proposed affordable local dial-up service for residents, businesses, and organizations. The March 1997 notice described a joint project of the Community School, Central Michigan Biological Station, and Rural Health Center, with a target of 30 accounts by mid-April and unlimited access and email for an announced monthly fee.

Evidence limits

The notice records a planned service and target, not a completed network, subscriber list, operating budget, or later service outcome.

The April issue repeats the same target and fee structure, but does not report whether the 30-account goal or service launch was achieved.

The May notice continues to solicit account inquiries and repeats the same local-access and fee structure, without reporting subscriber counts or a completed launch.

The September and October advertisements show a more concrete service offer: $20 per month for local dial-up, unlimited access, and email; a $35 signup fee; connection within 24 hours; and paid help installing access software. The October notice also names the District Library as a consortium partner. It still says web pages are coming soon and does not document subscriber counts or sustained operation.

The April 1998 notice repeats the same price, access, setup, and software-help terms and still describes the web pages as coming soon; it does not establish subscriber counts or a completed website launch.

The July 1998 advertisement repeats the $20 monthly service, $35 signup fee, 24-hour connection promise, and paid software-installation help; it does not establish subscriber counts or a completed website launch.

Sources

Beaver Beacon, March 1997, “Beaver Island Internet Project.”
Invites residents, businesses, and organizations to join a mailing list by March 14 for local dial-up access, with a target of 30 accounts by mid-April; announced fees were a $35 start-up charge and $15–$20 per month for unlimited access and email. The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1997-03_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, March 1997, held issue PDF, source scan.
The held issue scan confirms the Beaver Island Internet Project notice.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1997-03_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, April 1997, “BEAVER ISLAND INTERNET PROJECT.”
Repeats the local-dial-up proposal, March 14 mailing-list deadline, mid-April target for 30 accounts, and announced $35 start-up and $15–$20 monthly unlimited-access and email fees. The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1997-04_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, April 1997, held issue PDF, source scan.
The held issue scan confirms the repeated Internet Project notice.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1997-04_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, May 1997, “NOTICE — Beaver Island Internet Project.”
Invites account inquiries and repeats the local-phone access, $35 one-time start-up fee, and $15–$20 monthly fee for unlimited access and email; it identifies BICS, Central Michigan Biological Station, and the Rural Health Center as the joint project partners. The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1997-05_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, May 1997, held issue PDF, source scan.
The held issue scan confirms the May Internet Project notice.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1997-05_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, June 1997, “NOTICE — Beaver Island Internet Project.”
Repeats local-phone Internet access, the $35 start-up fee, and $15–$20 monthly unlimited-access and email fees, with the project described as a joint effort of BICS, Central Michigan Biological Station, and the Rural Health Center. The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1997-06_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, June 1997, held issue PDF, source scan.
The held issue scan confirms the June Internet Project notice.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1997-06_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, February 1998, “BEAVER ISLAND INTERNET PROJECT.”
Advertises $20 monthly local dial-up, unlimited access, email, a $35 signup fee, connection within 24 hours, paid software-installation help, and web pages coming soon; it repeats the three institutional partners. The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1998-02_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, February 1998, held issue PDF, source scan.
The held issue scan confirms the February biip service notice.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1998-02_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, March 1998, “BEAVER ISLAND INTERNET PROJECT.”
Repeats the $20 monthly local dial-up, unlimited access, email, $35 signup fee, 24-hour connection, and paid software-installation help, with web pages still coming soon and the same three institutional partners. The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1998-03_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, March 1998, held issue PDF, source scan.
The held issue scan confirms the March biip service notice.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1998-03_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, April 1998, “BEAVER ISLAND INTERNET PROJECT.”
Repeats $20 monthly local dial-up, unlimited access, email, a $35 signup fee, connection within 24 hours, paid software-installation help, and web pages coming soon, with the same institutional partners. The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1998-04_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, April 1998, held issue PDF, source scan.
The held issue scan confirms the April biip service notice.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1998-04_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, July 1998, “biip — Beaver Island Internet Project.”
Repeats the $20 monthly local dial-up, unlimited access, email, $35 signup fee, and software-installation help, and identifies the Community School, CMU Biological Station, and Rural Health Center as joint project partners. The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1998-07_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, July 1998, held issue PDF, source scan.
The held issue scan confirms the July biip service advertisement.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1998-07_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, August 1998, “biip — Beaver Island Internet Project.”
Repeats the $20 monthly local dial-up, unlimited access, email, $35 signup fee, and paid software-installation help, with the Community School, CMU Biological Station, and Rural Health Center named as joint project partners. The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1998-08_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, August 1998, held issue PDF, source scan.
The held issue scan confirms the August biip service advertisement.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1998-08_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, December 1997, “biip — Beaver Island Internet Project.”
Advertises local dial-up, unlimited access, email, a $35 signup fee, connection within 24 hours, and paid help installing access software; it says web pages are coming soon and repeats the three institutional partners. The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1997-12_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, December 1997, held issue PDF, source scan.
The held issue scan confirms the December biip service advertisement.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1997-12_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, September 1998, “biip — Beaver Island Internet Project.”
A later service advertisement lists local dial-up, unlimited access, email, a $35 sign-up fee, connection within 24 hours, and paid help installing access software; it identifies the project as a joint effort of the Community School, CMU Biological Station, and Rural Health Center. The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1998-09_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, September 1998, held issue PDF, source scan.
The held issue scan confirms the later biip service advertisement.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1998-09_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, October 1998, “biip — Beaver Island Internet Project.”
Repeats $20 monthly local dial-up, unlimited access, email, a $35 signup fee, and paid software-installation help, and lists the Community School, CMU Biological Station, Rural Health Center, and District Library as consortium partners. The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1998-10_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, October 1998, held issue PDF, source scan.
The held issue scan confirms the October biip service advertisement.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1998-10_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, November 1998, “biip — Beaver Island Internet Project.”
Repeats the $20 monthly local dial-up, unlimited access, email, and $35 sign-up fee, and identifies the consortium as the Community School, CMU Biological Station, Rural Health Center, and District Library. The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1998-11_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, November 1998, held issue PDF, source scan.
The held issue scan confirms the November biip service advertisement.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1998-11_Beaver-Beacon

Added 5 August 2026 · revised 6 August 2026. Recent changes

Cite this article

Beaver Island Archive, “Beaver Island Internet Project plans affordable local dial-up access in 1997”, https://beaverislandarchive.org/events/beaver-island-internet-project-local-access-1997/, accessed [date], citing Beaver Beacon, March 1997, “Beaver Island Internet Project.” (and 25 further sources listed on the page).

Last revised 2026-08-06. Fill in [date] with the date you read it — this page is static and cannot know that.

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