Brochure

Keweenaw National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Keweenaw National Historical Park Michigan There can scarcely be a shadow of a doubt [that the Keweenaw Peninsula] will eventually prove of great value to our citizens and to the nation. —Douglass Houghton, leader of the 1840 expedition that surveyed the mineral resources of Lake Superior’s southern shores. Pieces of mass copper exposed and transported by Ice Age glaciers are known as float copper (left). Word of the Ontonagon Boulder (above), a 3,700pound chunk of float copper, sparked the copper rush to the Keweenaw Peninsula in the 1840s. The Ontonagon Boulder now resides in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. Float Copper LURE OF THE COPPER COUNTRY COMPANY HOUSING DRY HOUSE 1 DRILLING AND BLASTING 3 SHAFT– ROCKHOUSE Following the copper vein, miners drilled holes into the lode and filled them with explosive charges (above). Blasts freed copper rock for removal. HOIST HOUSE 4 POOR ROCK 2 hauling 5 After hand-loading the copper rock into tram cars, workers hauled the trams through the drift to the shaft. There the rock was transferred to skips (above) and hoisted to the surface. FROM ROCK TO INGOT From the top of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, The Keweenaw Peninsula had the largest a lonely arc of land points northeast into Lake deposit of pure elemental copper in the world. The land was formed by the Portage Lake Superior’s expanse. This is a world of trees Volcanics, a series of hundreds of lava flows. and water, of a fiery north woods autumn The flows hardened into rock layers, some exagainst a backdrop of cool blues. Roads trace traordinarily rich in native copper. Over time the shoreline, trails wind through these layers tilted to form the peninsula’s forests. Around the corner or Mass Copper ridged spine, exposing the over a hill, structures emerge— copper deposits. ­survivors of the Keweenaw’s industrial age. Back then the Early Native Americans were forests were fuel, the waters the groundbreakers—literally. were commercial routes, and Some 7,000 years ago Lake Superior the shaft-rockhouses, stamp peoples developed sophisticated mining mills, and smelters churned out techniques. The copper was so pure it copper day and night. The struccould be used straight from the ground to tures, their setting, and stories of the make beads, tools, and ornaments. Extensive mining life are preserved and protected at trade routes carried Keweenaw copper to Keweenaw National Historical Park. Processing Copper Two conceptualized scenes document the multi-faceted, labor-intensive process of producing copper for export in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In the block diagram at far right are the underground operations. At left, top to bottom, are the surface operations. The accompanying photographs were taken at Keweenaw mining companies. MACHINE SHOP BOILER HOUSE Mining Hat 3 HOISTING A huge steam-powered drum (above) with a cable attached pulled loaded skips from the mine. At the same time, another skip or man-car descended on a parallel track, balancing the load. SHAFT–ROCKHOUSE The focal point of any mine, the shaft-rockhouse stood directly over the mine opening. Inside, man­cars carried workers in and out of the mine. Skips hauled mined rock to the shaft-rockhouses, where it was crushed, sorted, and readied for milling. Bailers brought up water, helping keep the mine dry. places like Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa, Hopewell Culture National Historical Park in Ohio, and Alberta, Canada. More recently, copper captivated French, British, and American explorers. When the United States gained title to the Keweenaw in 1842, it opened the door to commercial mining ventures. By the 1870s the mines had caught the world’s attention and held a place in the international copper market until the last mine closed in 1996. The architecture, landscapes, and heritage that remain tell us that the fortunes of the mining companies and the communities they fostered were inseparable. The Keweenaw’s story is more than lakeside sunsets, picturesque towns, and winter sports. It is also one of natural wealth and human ingenuity. HOIST HOUSE Steam-powered drums rotated to wind and unwind cables, which raised and lowered skips, bailers, and man-cars. HOIST HOUSE 3 4 Lunch Pail 6 ON ST FL ND VA SA SKIP LA 2 COPPER ORE STOPE E OW S LO MASS COPPER ER Skips entered the shaft-rockhouse (above) where copper rock was separated and crushed. Poor rock was discarded while copper rock (two- to fourpercent copper) was sent to the stamp mill. 1 PP 4 CRUSHING and separating ROCK DRIFTS At regular intervals along the shaft were drifts— horizontal tunnels—that led to the mining sites. Drift floors usually had tracks along which tram cars hauled copper rock to the skips. CO BLACKSMITH SHOP DE FLOAT COPPER TRAM CAR STAMP MILL 7 5 TRANSPORTING Railroads served the peninsula’s mining industry, linking mines, mills, smelters, and support facilities. Spurs and sidings off the main line carried rail cars into buildings for loading (above). PILLARS AND STULLS COPPER FORMATIONS Eons ago, a rich solution rose from deep within the Earth, permeated the existing rock layers, and created three types of copper rock. Amygdaloid copper formed within the vesicles and holes of ancient lava flows. Conglomerate copper developed within the sedimentary rock layers. Mass copper formed in large fissures and fractures. 1 2 LAUNDER COMPANY HOUSING 6 STAMPING / CONCENTRATING TAILINGS Massive steam-powered stamps (above) pounded the copper rock repeatedly, breaking it down into smaller pieces. Efficient stamps processed 600–800 tons of rock per day. SHAFT Most shafts followed the angle of the copper lode from the surface to a mile or more underground. Man-cars (for workers) and skips (hauling equipment and copper rock) were counterbalanced on parallel tracks. Drill Bits STOPES, Pillars, and Stulls From the drift, miners drilled and blasted overhead, relying on gravity to help free the copper rock. A stope was the cavity left after the rock was removed. Pillars (sections of rock left intact) and stulls (timbers) supported the ceiling. Hand Lantern THE BUSINESS OF MINING 7 SORTING Stamped rock was sorted by water. Heavier pieces, about 60 percent copper, fell to the bottom of the sorters (above) and were collected for smelting. Waste rock or tailings was washed into the lake. MINERAL HOUSE WAREHOUSE SLAG 8 9 SMELTER 8 SMELTING Smelter furnaces (above) heated copper concentrate to a liquid. Slag—rock debris—was skimmed off the surface. Air stirred into the molten copper oxidized (burned off) the remaining impurities. 9 CASTING DOCK 10 Workers ladled pure molten copper into molds (above). As it cooled, the copper hardened into blocks called ingots. Ingots were cast in different shapes and sizes for different markets. ILLUSTRATIONs NPS / wood ronsaville harlin, inc.; historic photographs courtesy michigan technological university archives; Copper specimens courtesy quincy mine hoist association; other artifact photographs nps / keweenaw nhp museum collection; drill bits—© David l. masten. 10 Shipping In summer, ships loaded with ingots traveled to ports like Detroit and Chicago. Ingots were stockpiled for months at a time in harsh winter weather. In 1843 reports of mass copper on the Kewee­ Mines operated year-round, day and night. naw Peninsula spurred one of the first mineral Even with several feet of snow on the ground, rushes in the United States. Copper was valued the mines were warm or even hot. Underfor its use in everything from guns to cookground workers carried equipment, lights, ware to telegraph wire. Prospectors looked for meals, and anything else needed for their shift. prehistoric mines in the Keweenaw and often Besides miners, there were timbermen reinbuilt shafts right over them. In 1855 forcing the drifts with wooden posts, new shipping locks at Sault Ste. trammers operating the rock-hauling Marie linked Lake Superior cars, and general laborers. Surface and Lake Huron, opening workers operated hoists, monitored eastern and European markets rock crushers, stoked the smelter, to Keweenaw copper. The repaired equipment, and tracked Civil War and the increasing payroll at business offices. Some growth and industrialization unskilled workers were young of America’s cities encourboys. Women did not work in aged many companies to the mines. Copper Rock (cut) establish mines in the region. Eastern stockholders financed and directed Falls, fires, explosions, rock falls, and mechani­cal most of these operations. Earnings not reinmishaps took their toll: about one man a week vested in mining properties went to Boston, died. Others suffered from blindness, hearing New York, and other distant cities. loss, lost limbs, and head injuries. A local newspaper report from 1900 documents one acciBy the 1870s the Copper Country was earning dent: “Richard Trevarrow, aged 21 years, emits name and producing over three-quarters of ployed at No. 5 Shaft, Calumet branch . . . as the nation’s copper. At that time, the amygda- timberman, went to work this morning just as loid and conglomerate deposits in the central cheerful as usual. Before 9 o’clock he was inpart of the peninsula were the most profitable. jured so seriously that he died within an hour.” Two of the most successful companies that tapped these deposits were the Quincy and Despite their success, by around 1900 new Calumet & Hecla mining companies. Mining mines out west challenged the Keweenaw’s copper required a large workforce. Companies dominance. Managers looked for ways to inrecruited men and provided them and their crease production while cutting costs. They families with houses, schools, hospitals, and introduced new technologies like the onelibraries. They donated land for churches and man drill, which meant that men worked parks, and encouraged the development of banks, shops, and other businesses. By 1910 the region’s population reached 100,000 and Processed Copper Ingot over 30 nationalities called the Keweenaw Peninsula home. Towns turned from pioneer settlements into bustling industrial communities as mining operations expanded. alone instead of in pairs. In 1913, frustrated by low wages and long work days, miners walked off the job. The strike polarized the region and brought hardship and tragedy before ending in 1914. Concessions were made by both miners and managers, but the bitter dispute left lingering resentment. The Great Depression and World War II added to the precarious state. Mining became more expensive as shafts went deeper. Labor disputes simmered, another stress that companies could ill afford. The Keweenaw faced increasing competition and copper’s market value fell. By 1968 all but one mine on the peninsula had closed their doors, ending one of North America’s longest and most profitable mining eras. One-Man Drill Advertisement Keweenaw Past and Present n a a k k i i r e m A a t s e m o Su CITTADINI AMERICANI From top: People outside Cliff Mine, whose early success helped spark immigration to the Copper Country in the mid-1800s; identification cards; Calumet & Hecla identification badge. The Cornish pasty (below), meat and vegetables baked in a crust, was popular in the Copper Country. Miners (above) heated pasties inside lunch pails over a flame. Eastern Europeans made their traditional Povitica (below right), a sweet nut bread. above—courtesy PASTY CENTRAL; below—nps / jane Hanna. Above: Early churches in Calumet. Mining companies sometimes donated land for church construction. Left: Railroad locomotive and workers in snow. Railroads transported supplies and materials to mining operations. Background: Tamarack mine workers. From 1882 until it was bought by C&H in 1917, Tamarack was the second largest producer of copper from the Calumet conglomerate lode. Above background: Mine workers recorded by nationality, December 1928. From top: Winter in the Copper Country; Italian immigrant in Calumet; English class for immigrants; mining company employee records, identification badge, C&H. Above, scattered: Copper pennies, one of the end products of Keweenaw copper. Copper was also used in sheathing for ship hulls, plumbing, roofing, electrical components, and was alloyed with other metals. Right: Employee identification badge. While women did not work in the mines, they did work in offices and other support operations. From top: Holman and Williams grocery, Calumet, ca. 1900; identification badge; union card; broom factory established for blinded employees; community pool in bathhouse built by C&H; employment record for deceased mine­ worker. Right: Loading mineral onto steamer. all images above courtesy michigan technological university archives except the following: pennies—courtesy american numismatic society; tamarack mine workers, grocery store, locomotive, wfm card, pool, and steamer—nps / KEWEenaw NHP museum collection. Old World Keweenaw Preserving Keweenaw’s Heritage “Here is a large community peopled by foreigners,” wrote a visitor to Calumet in 1907. Jobs in the mines—and hardships overseas —brought thousands of immigrants to the Keweenaw between 1843 and 1914. Early on, experienced miners came from Cornwall, England, and also from Ireland and Germany. Later immigrants arrived from northern and eastern Europe as well as from China and Lebanon. In 1908 Calumet public schools taught children from over 30 countries. Local residents feared the loss of their heritage as they witnessed the demolition of mining, milling, and smelting structures in the 1970s and 80s. Many looked toward preservation as the answer. The establishment of national historic landmark districts at Quincy and Calumet in 1989 recognized the region’s significance. Believing that more was needed, they persuaded Congress to create Keweenaw National Historical Park in 1992. The park preserves and interprets sites, structures, and stories related to copper mining on the peninsula. The National Park Service works closely with local governments, educational institutions, and public and private entities. A permanent advisory commission helps with operations and the coordination of partner activities. People brought the old ways with them: Finnish saunas, polka music, and povitica, an Eastern European sweet bread. They came with faith, too. A community’s ethnic diversity was reflected in the number and denomination of churches. Many groups formed mutual aid organizations like Calumet’s Slovenian Catholic St. Joseph Benevolent Society, established in 1883. While many people were initially drawn here to work in the mines, they found ways to return to more traditional occupations. Some generalizations rang true: Italian grocers imported linguini and olive oil and French Canadians ran sawmills and lumber camps. With the mines’ decline, economic depression and hardship compelled many to move to cities like Detroit and Chicago. Yet the thousands of immigrants who came here left a legacy that is reflected in street signs, restaurant names, and community reunions and festivals. For many Americans, this was their ancestors’ first home in a new world. You may have been drawn to the Keweenaw for relaxation and recreation. Once you’re here you discover that the Copper Country’s history is intertwined with its natural beauty. Past and present meet in unexpected ways and in unexpected places. NPS Above: Calumet & Hecla’s former general office building now serves as headquarters for Keweenaw National Historical Park. Right: Calumet Theatre. Opened in 1900 with an original seating capacity of 1,200, the theater hosted plays, operas, and entertainers like John Philip Sousa and his band. Planning Your Visit Getting to the Park Keweenaw National Historical Park is in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula about 100 miles northwest of Marquette, Mich., via U.S. Hwy. 41, and about 200 miles north of Green Bay, Wis., via U.S. Hwy. 141 and 41. Daily scheduled air service is provided to the Houghton County Memorial Airport (CMX). Charter bus service is also available. The Park Units and Keweenaw Heritage Sites The national historical park preserves two largescale mining complexes. The Quincy Unit near Hancock focuses on the above- and belowground technologies of copper mining. Twelve miles north is the Calumet Unit, which incorporates the social, ethnic, commercial, and company­planned aspects of the Calumet & Hecla mining community. Calumet Unit NPS Quincy Unit Most property in the two park units is privately owned. Please respect private property. As the park continues to develop, more National Park Service facilities and services will become available. Contact the park for updated information. More Information Visitor information is available year-round Monday through Friday at park headquarters in Calumet. There is a seasonal information desk in the Quincy Unit. For more information contact: In and around the two park units are over a dozen independently operated Keweenaw Heritage Sites that work in partnership with the National Park Service. Each site tells a different story about the Copper Country. Services vary with each site and may include interpretive programs, self-guiding tours, museum exhibits, theatrical performances, and recreational opportunities. Hours and days of operation vary with the season, and each Keweenaw Heritage Site has its own admission fee or donation request. Most sites are closed for winter. Keweenaw National Historical Park 25970 Red Jacket Rd. Calumet, MI 49913 906-337-3168 www.nps.gov/kewe Additional area information is available at the Keweenaw Convention and Visitors Bureau, 888-646-6784. Keweenaw National Historical Park is one of over 390 parks in the National Park System. To learn more visit www.nps.gov. ✩GPO:20xx—xxx-xxx/xxxxx Reprint 20xx Printed on recycled paper.