Keweenaw National Historical Park
Encyclopedia
Keweenaw National Historical Park is a unit of the U.S. National Park Service
. Established in 1992, the park celebrates the life and history of the Keweenaw Peninsula
in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state
of Michigan
. As of 2009, it is a partly privatized park made up of two primary units, the Calumet Unit and the Quincy Unit, and 19 cooperating "Heritage Sites" located on federal, state, and privately owned land in and around the Keweenaw Peninsula. The National Park Service owns approximately 1700 acres (688 ha) in the Calumet and Quincy Units. Units are located in Baraga
, Houghton
, Keweenaw
, and Ontonagon
counties.
The Congressional legislation establishing the Park stated, among other things, that:
in the world. Occurring here in relatively pure form, the red metal could be broken out of the rock and worked to make a wide variety of products, from jewelry and tool
s by its earliest miners to coins
and electric wire
by its final generations. Keweenaw copper was mine
d for approximately 7,000 years, from 5000 BCE until 1968. During the period for which records were kept, 1840–1968, more than 11 billion pounds (5 million metric tons) of copper were mined here. During the peak production years of World War I
, 1916–1917, the annual copper yield reached a maximum of 270 million pounds (125,000 t).
and the Finns, are especially important in the heritage of the Keweenaw National Historical Park. When news of the region's rich native copper was first widely published in the 1830s, many families from the English county of Cornwall
immigrated to the Upper Peninsula, bringing the Cornish pasty and their region's knowledge of hard-rock mining with them. Several park Heritage Sites, including the log cabin
village of "Old Victoria," recall Cornish heritage in the region.
Later in the 1800s, many families from Finland
emigrated to the United States. Until 1918, Finland was a colony of Russia
. A large percentage of these Finns settled in the Western Upper Peninsula because of perceived similarities between their old and new homes, and found work in the Keweenaw. Finnish sauna
s can still be found throughout the area. Several park Heritage Sites, including the "Hanka Homestead", recall the Finnish influx.
and Laurium
, which are not ghost town
s but operating human communities that have survived the shutdown of their parent employer, the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company
, in 1968. By digging shafts into the rock, the men and owners of the Calumet & Hecla found geological formations of rock laced with nuggets of almost pure copper.
The Calumet & Hecla was the richest of the separate copper mines of the Keweenaw, and the towns built at the mine head reflect its productivity. A 1,200-seat opera house
, large churches built of Lake Superior
brownstone
, and mansion
s built by the mining bosses survive as memories of the Calumet mine's glory years.
The Quincy Unit of the Keweenaw National Historical Park commemorates one of the most remarkable feats of engineering in northern Michigan, the 9000 feet (2,743.2 m) deep Quincy Mine
shaft. Nicknamed "Old Reliable" for its record of paying annual dividends for decades, the Quincy mine enjoyed a position on the rich copper rock of the Pewabic Lode. A private preservation foundation maintains the Quincy Mine's surface mine hoist, which is the largest steam-powered hoist in the world.
and nearby.
.
in Houghton, Michigan
. As of 2011, it is now located across from the Advanced Technology Development Complex. The museum is named for Arthur Edmund Seaman, who worked at Michigan Tech in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and was the museum's curator from 1928-1937.
The mineral collection was established in the 19th century, and by 1890 numbered 27,000 specimens. A museum to house the collection was constructed in 1908. The museum has since moved several times, and the collection has grown to over 30,000 specimens, of which 8000 are on display. The museum features an extensive mineral collection and exhibits on copper formation, and has the world's best collection of crystallized native copper and native copper in crystallized calcite.
, within the park's Calumet Unit. The theatre was built in 1899, and it the oldest municipal theatre in the country. The theatre originally housed live theatre, attracting notable performers such as such as Frank Morgan
(later famous for his roles in The Wizard of Oz), Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., Lon Chaney, Sr.
, John Philip Sousa
, Sarah Bernhardt
, and Madame Helena Modjeska
among others. However, in the late 1920s, the theatre converted to a movie house, serving in this medium until the 1950s. Summer stock theatre was brought back to the Calumet Theater in 1958, and performed there every summer until 1968, and returned in 1972.
In 1975, the auditorium was restored for the centennial of Calumet. In 1988-89, the exterior of the theatre was restored. In 1983, the Calumet Theatre Company was incorporated as a non-profit organization. The staff consists mostly of volunteers, though there are eight full-time staff members. Today, the Calumet Theatre is home to as many as 80 theatre-related events a year, with an estimated 20,000 people attending.
. The heritage center, located in a 1917 elementary school building, features exhibits that trace Chassell's history from a fishing and lumber town up to the present. It includes the Chassell Township Museum and the Friends of Fashion Vintage Clothing Collection
. The museum is located in an old bank building and features exhibits on the Copper Range Company
.
, within the park's Calumet Unit. Coppertown USA is housed within the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company's old pattern shop. Exhibits span the range of the copper mining timeline, from prehistoric times to the present, but concentrate on the operations of the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company.
. The Delaware Copper Mine provides tours of one of the oldest copper mines in the Keweenaw, dating back to 1846. The mine had five shafts, with the deepest reaching 1400 feet (426.7 m). The mine is open June through October and offers guided and self-guided tours.
The Finnish American Heritage Center & Historical Archive is located at 601 Quincy Street on the campus of Finlandia University
in Hancock, Michigan
. The Finnish American Heritage Center includes a theater, an art gallery, and Historical Archives which house the largest collection of Finnish-North American materials in the world. The Finnish American Heritage Center links the Finnish community in America to the one in Finland through exhibits on Finnish history and tradition. The associated Historical Archive houses the largest collection of Finnish-North American materials in the world. This collection, established in 1932, currently houses 20,000 items, including genealogical resources, information about Finnish culture, artifacts, and Finnish-American artwork.
Fort Wilkins Historic State Park is located on U.S. Highway. 41 in Copper Harbor, Michigan
. The fort was built in 1844,and provided order and protected the Keweenaw's copper resources during the Civil War
. The park also contains one of the first lighthouses on Lake Superior, and offers camping, fishing, hiking, swimming, and biking, and day-use facilities.
The Hanka Homestead is located approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) west of U.S. Highway 41, off Tower Road Pelkie, Michigan
. The Hanka Homestead is a Finnish-American "stump farm" homestead originally settled around the turn of the twentieth century. The farm was lived in by members of the Hanka family until 1966; the farm has been resored to its appearance in 1920.
. The museum houses over 100 years of photographs and artifacts with three floors of exhibits of local Copper Country mining, logging and cultural history. In addition, the Houghton County Historical Museum runs the Linden & Torch Lake Railroad, the Traprock Valley School House (a one-room school), the First Congregational Church in Lake Linden, Michigan
(used as the HCHS Heritage Center), the Leo Chaput Log Cabin, and the Perl Merrill Research Center (used as the archives and a genealogical facility).
. These locations include the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse
, Central Mine Historic District
, Phoenix Church
, the Rathbone School and the Bammert Blacksmith Shop. Visitor Centers for the Historical Society are located at the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse and Central Mine. Their sites are open from June through October.
, within the park's Calumet Unit. Ste. Anne's was built in 1900 as a French Canadian Roman Catholic church and deconscrated in 1966. It was underutilized for a number of years until, in 1994, a group of local citizens bought the building. The Keweenaw Heritage Center's mission is to "preserve and interpret the culture and heritage of the Copper Country through the preservation of buildings, development of exhibits and other educational activities." A major museum on the first floor is planned.
. The 13000 square feet (1,207.7 m²) structure was built as a home by wealthy mining captain Thomas H. Hoatson in 1908 at a cost of $50,000. The house functions as a bed and breakfast
and is open to the public for tours.
. The site features a group of small log houses which were once used by miners of the Victoria Mining Company. These cabins were built in 1899 and abandoned in 1921. The structures were restored in the 1970s, and tours through the cabins and the mine site beyond are available.
. The Ontonagon County Historical Society was founded in 1957 "to collect and preserve the artifacts of the county's history and to educate the public about that history and related topics." Exhibits at the historical society's museum include artifacts related to the early days of mining and other topics. The Society also operates the Ontonagon Lighthouse, constructed in 1851-52. The Society acquired the lighthouse in 2000, and offers tours in the summer months.
Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park is located west of Ontonagon, Michigan
on Michigan State Route 107. The park totals 59000 acres (23,876.5 ha) and offers day-hiking, backpacking, camping, canoeing, biking and winter sports. There are also numerous historical copper mining sites within the park, as well as stands of virgin timber.
, within the park's Quincy Unit. The company offers tours through the surface buildings of the Quincy Mine as well as underground tours.
, within the park's Calumet Unit. The second floor of the building holds exhibits on the history of fire fighting in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
. Established in 1992, the park celebrates the life and history of the Keweenaw Peninsula
Keweenaw Peninsula
The Keweenaw Peninsula is the northern-most part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It projects into Lake Superior and was the site of the first copper boom in the United States. As of the 2000 census, its population was roughly 43,200...
in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. As of 2009, it is a partly privatized park made up of two primary units, the Calumet Unit and the Quincy Unit, and 19 cooperating "Heritage Sites" located on federal, state, and privately owned land in and around the Keweenaw Peninsula. The National Park Service owns approximately 1700 acres (688 ha) in the Calumet and Quincy Units. Units are located in Baraga
Baraga County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 8,746 people, 3,353 households, and 2,223 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 4,631 housing units...
, Houghton
Houghton County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 36,016 people, 13,793 households, and 8,137 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 17,748 housing...
, Keweenaw
Keweenaw County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,301 people, 998 households, and 604 families residing in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile . There were 2,327 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
, and Ontonagon
Ontonagon County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,818 people, 3,456 households, and 2,225 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile . There were 5,404 housing units...
counties.
The Congressional legislation establishing the Park stated, among other things, that:
(1)The oldest and largest lava flow known on EarthEarthEarth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
is located on the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan. This volcanic activity produced the only place on Earth where large scale economically recoverable 97 percent pure native copper is found.
(2) The Keweenaw Peninsula is the only site in the country where prehistoric aboriginal mining of copper occurred. Artifacts made form this copper by these ancient Indians were traded as far south as present day AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
.
Copper heritage
The Keweenaw Peninsula is the site of the most extensive known deposits of native copperCopper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
in the world. Occurring here in relatively pure form, the red metal could be broken out of the rock and worked to make a wide variety of products, from jewelry and tool
Tool
A tool is a device that can be used to produce an item or achieve a task, but that is not consumed in the process. Informally the word is also used to describe a procedure or process with a specific purpose. Tools that are used in particular fields or activities may have different designations such...
s by its earliest miners to coins
COinS
ContextObjects in Spans, commonly abbreviated COinS, is a method to embed bibliographic metadata in the HTML code of web pages. This allows bibliographic software to publish machine-readable bibliographic items and client reference management software to retrieve bibliographic metadata. The...
and electric wire
Wire
A wire is a single, usually cylindrical, flexible strand or rod of metal. Wires are used to bear mechanical loads and to carry electricity and telecommunications signals. Wire is commonly formed by drawing the metal through a hole in a die or draw plate. Standard sizes are determined by various...
by its final generations. Keweenaw copper was mine
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
d for approximately 7,000 years, from 5000 BCE until 1968. During the period for which records were kept, 1840–1968, more than 11 billion pounds (5 million metric tons) of copper were mined here. During the peak production years of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, 1916–1917, the annual copper yield reached a maximum of 270 million pounds (125,000 t).
"(7) The entire picture of copper mining on Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula is best represented by three components: the Village of CalumetCalumet, MichiganCalumet is a village in Calumet Township, Houghton County, in the U.S. state of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, that was once at the center of the mining industry of the Upper Peninsula. Also known as Red Jacket, the village includes the Calumet Downtown Historic District, listed on the National...
, the former Calumet and Hecla Mining CompanyCalumet and Hecla Mining CompanyThe Calumet and Hecla Mining Company was a major copper-mining company based in the Michigan Copper Country. In the 19th century, the company paid out more than $72 million in shareholder dividends, more than any other mining company in the United States during that period.-History:In 1864, Edwin J...
properties (including the OsceolaOsceola Township, Houghton County, MichiganOsceola Township is a civil township of Houghton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,908 at the 2000 census.-Communities:...
#13 mine complex), and the former Quincy Mining CompanyQuincy MineThe Quincy Mine is an extensive set of copper mines located near Hancock, Michigan. The mine was owned by the Quincy Mining Company and operated between 1846 and 1945, although some activities continued through the 1970s. The Quincy Mine was known as "Old Reliable," as the Quincy Mine Company paid...
properties. The Village of CalumetCalumet, MichiganCalumet is a village in Calumet Township, Houghton County, in the U.S. state of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, that was once at the center of the mining industry of the Upper Peninsula. Also known as Red Jacket, the village includes the Calumet Downtown Historic District, listed on the National...
best represents the social, ethnic and commercial themes. Extant Calumet and Hecla buildings best depict corporate paternalism and power, and the themes of extraction and processing are best represented by extant structures of the Quincy Mining CompanyQuincy MineThe Quincy Mine is an extensive set of copper mines located near Hancock, Michigan. The mine was owned by the Quincy Mining Company and operated between 1846 and 1945, although some activities continued through the 1970s. The Quincy Mine was known as "Old Reliable," as the Quincy Mine Company paid...
."
Ethnic heritage
Two ethnic groups, the CornishCornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
and the Finns, are especially important in the heritage of the Keweenaw National Historical Park. When news of the region's rich native copper was first widely published in the 1830s, many families from the English county of Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
immigrated to the Upper Peninsula, bringing the Cornish pasty and their region's knowledge of hard-rock mining with them. Several park Heritage Sites, including the log cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
village of "Old Victoria," recall Cornish heritage in the region.
Later in the 1800s, many families from Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
emigrated to the United States. Until 1918, Finland was a colony of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. A large percentage of these Finns settled in the Western Upper Peninsula because of perceived similarities between their old and new homes, and found work in the Keweenaw. Finnish sauna
Sauna
A sauna is a small room or house designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these and auxiliary facilities....
s can still be found throughout the area. Several park Heritage Sites, including the "Hanka Homestead", recall the Finnish influx.
Calumet Unit
The Calumet Unit of the Keweenaw National Historical Park includes many sites in and around the villages of CalumetCalumet, Michigan
Calumet is a village in Calumet Township, Houghton County, in the U.S. state of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, that was once at the center of the mining industry of the Upper Peninsula. Also known as Red Jacket, the village includes the Calumet Downtown Historic District, listed on the National...
and Laurium
Laurium, Michigan
Laurium is a village in Calumet Township, Houghton County in the U.S. state of Michigan, in the center of the Keweenaw Peninsula. The population was 2,126 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, which are not ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
s but operating human communities that have survived the shutdown of their parent employer, the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company
Calumet and Hecla Mining Company
The Calumet and Hecla Mining Company was a major copper-mining company based in the Michigan Copper Country. In the 19th century, the company paid out more than $72 million in shareholder dividends, more than any other mining company in the United States during that period.-History:In 1864, Edwin J...
, in 1968. By digging shafts into the rock, the men and owners of the Calumet & Hecla found geological formations of rock laced with nuggets of almost pure copper.
The Calumet & Hecla was the richest of the separate copper mines of the Keweenaw, and the towns built at the mine head reflect its productivity. A 1,200-seat opera house
Opera house
An opera house is a theatre building used for opera performances that consists of a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and set building...
, large churches built of Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
brownstone
Brownstone
Brownstone is a brown Triassic or Jurassic sandstone which was once a popular building material. The term is also used in the United States to refer to a terraced house clad in this material.-Types:-Apostle Island brownstone:...
, and mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
s built by the mining bosses survive as memories of the Calumet mine's glory years.
Quincy Unit
Quincy Mine
The Quincy Mine is an extensive set of copper mines located near Hancock, Michigan. The mine was owned by the Quincy Mining Company and operated between 1846 and 1945, although some activities continued through the 1970s. The Quincy Mine was known as "Old Reliable," as the Quincy Mine Company paid...
shaft. Nicknamed "Old Reliable" for its record of paying annual dividends for decades, the Quincy mine enjoyed a position on the rich copper rock of the Pewabic Lode. A private preservation foundation maintains the Quincy Mine's surface mine hoist, which is the largest steam-powered hoist in the world.
Heritage Sites
As of 2009, the Keweenaw National Historical Park operated in cooperation with 16 heritage sites in the Keweenaw PeninsulaKeweenaw Peninsula
The Keweenaw Peninsula is the northern-most part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It projects into Lake Superior and was the site of the first copper boom in the United States. As of the 2000 census, its population was roughly 43,200...
and nearby.
Adventure Mining Company
The Adventure Mining Company is located at 200 Adventure Avenue in Greenland, Michigan. The Adventure Mine operated in Greenland from 1850 until 1920, and consisted of five shafts, one of which descended 1300 feet (396.2 m) beneath the surface. Although the site seemed promising, the mine never turned a profit. The Adventure Mining Company currently offers offers tours of the surface and underground portions of the Adventure MineAdventure mine
The Adventure Mine is a copper mine near Greenland, Michigan in Ontonagon County, Michigan that operated from 1850 to 1920. The mine has five shafts. It is open for tours from late May to mid-October, under the operation of the Adventure Mining Company....
.
A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum
The A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum was located on the Fifth Floor of Electrical Resource Center at Michigan Technological UniversityMichigan Technological University
Michigan Technological University is a public research university located in Houghton, Michigan, United States. Its main campus sits on on a bluff overlooking Portage Lake...
in Houghton, Michigan
Houghton, Michigan
Houghton is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan's Upper Peninsula and largest city in the Copper Country on the Keweenaw Peninsula. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,708. It is the county seat of Houghton County...
. As of 2011, it is now located across from the Advanced Technology Development Complex. The museum is named for Arthur Edmund Seaman, who worked at Michigan Tech in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and was the museum's curator from 1928-1937.
The mineral collection was established in the 19th century, and by 1890 numbered 27,000 specimens. A museum to house the collection was constructed in 1908. The museum has since moved several times, and the collection has grown to over 30,000 specimens, of which 8000 are on display. The museum features an extensive mineral collection and exhibits on copper formation, and has the world's best collection of crystallized native copper and native copper in crystallized calcite.
Calumet Theatre
The Calumet Theatre is located at 340 Sixth Street in Calumet, MichiganCalumet, Michigan
Calumet is a village in Calumet Township, Houghton County, in the U.S. state of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, that was once at the center of the mining industry of the Upper Peninsula. Also known as Red Jacket, the village includes the Calumet Downtown Historic District, listed on the National...
, within the park's Calumet Unit. The theatre was built in 1899, and it the oldest municipal theatre in the country. The theatre originally housed live theatre, attracting notable performers such as such as Frank Morgan
Frank Morgan
Frank Morgan was an American actor. He was best known for his portrayal of the title character in the film The Wizard of Oz.-Early life:...
(later famous for his roles in The Wizard of Oz), Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., Lon Chaney, Sr.
Lon Chaney, Sr.
Lon Chaney , nicknamed "The Man of a Thousand Faces," was an American actor during the age of silent films. He was one of the most versatile and powerful actors of early cinema...
, John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era, known particularly for American military and patriotic marches. Because of his mastery of march composition, he is known as "The March King" or the "American March King" due to his British counterpart Kenneth J....
, Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt was a French stage and early film actress, and has been referred to as "the most famous actress the world has ever known". Bernhardt made her fame on the stages of France in the 1870s, and was soon in demand in Europe and the Americas...
, and Madame Helena Modjeska
Helena Modjeska
Helena Modjeska Helena Modjeska Helena Modjeska (October 12, 1840 – April 8, 1909, whose actual Polish surname was Modrzejewska , was a renowned actress who specialized in Shakespearean and tragic roles.Modjeska was the mother of Polish-American bridge engineer Ralph Modjeski....
among others. However, in the late 1920s, the theatre converted to a movie house, serving in this medium until the 1950s. Summer stock theatre was brought back to the Calumet Theater in 1958, and performed there every summer until 1968, and returned in 1972.
In 1975, the auditorium was restored for the centennial of Calumet. In 1988-89, the exterior of the theatre was restored. In 1983, the Calumet Theatre Company was incorporated as a non-profit organization. The staff consists mostly of volunteers, though there are eight full-time staff members. Today, the Calumet Theatre is home to as many as 80 theatre-related events a year, with an estimated 20,000 people attending.
Chassell Heritage Center
The Chassell Heritage Center is located at 42373 Hancock Street in Chassell, MichiganChassell, Michigan
Chassell is an unincorporated community in Chassell Township of Houghton County in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located on Pike Bay at the south end of Portage Lake and is the largest community in the township....
. The heritage center, located in a 1917 elementary school building, features exhibits that trace Chassell's history from a fishing and lumber town up to the present. It includes the Chassell Township Museum and the Friends of Fashion Vintage Clothing Collection
Copper Range Historical Museum
The Copper Range Historical Museum is located Trimountain Avenue in South Range, MichiganSouth Range, Michigan
South Range is a village in Adams Township, Houghton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is bordered on the east by the unincorporated community of Baltic. It is about five miles southwest of Houghton on M-26. The population was 727 at the 2000 census...
. The museum is located in an old bank building and features exhibits on the Copper Range Company
Copper Range Company
The Copper Range Company was a major copper-mining company in the Copper Country of Michigan, United States. It began as the Copper Range Company in the late 19th century as a holding company specializing in shares in the copper mines south of Houghton, Michigan...
.
Coppertown USA Museum
The Coppertown USA Museum is located at 25815 Red Jacket Road in Calumet, MichiganCalumet, Michigan
Calumet is a village in Calumet Township, Houghton County, in the U.S. state of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, that was once at the center of the mining industry of the Upper Peninsula. Also known as Red Jacket, the village includes the Calumet Downtown Historic District, listed on the National...
, within the park's Calumet Unit. Coppertown USA is housed within the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company's old pattern shop. Exhibits span the range of the copper mining timeline, from prehistoric times to the present, but concentrate on the operations of the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company.
Delaware Copper Mine
The Delaware Copper Mine is located off U.S. Highway 41, 12 miles (19.3 km) south of Copper Harbor, MichiganCopper Harbor, Michigan
Copper Harbor is a small unincorporated community in northeastern Keweenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is within Grant Township on the Keweenaw Peninsula that juts from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan into Lake Superior.-History:...
. The Delaware Copper Mine provides tours of one of the oldest copper mines in the Keweenaw, dating back to 1846. The mine had five shafts, with the deepest reaching 1400 feet (426.7 m). The mine is open June through October and offers guided and self-guided tours.
Finnish American Heritage Center & Historical Archive
Finlandia University
Finlandia University is a university in Hancock, Michigan, United States, and the only private university in the Upper Peninsula. Founded in 1896 as Suomi College, it is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.-History:...
in Hancock, Michigan
Hancock, Michigan
Hancock is a city in Houghton County; the northernmost in the U.S. state of Michigan, located on the Keweenaw Peninsula, or, depending on terminology, Copper Island. The population was 4,634 at the 2010 census...
. The Finnish American Heritage Center includes a theater, an art gallery, and Historical Archives which house the largest collection of Finnish-North American materials in the world. The Finnish American Heritage Center links the Finnish community in America to the one in Finland through exhibits on Finnish history and tradition. The associated Historical Archive houses the largest collection of Finnish-North American materials in the world. This collection, established in 1932, currently houses 20,000 items, including genealogical resources, information about Finnish culture, artifacts, and Finnish-American artwork.
Fort Wilkins Historic State Park
Copper Harbor, Michigan
Copper Harbor is a small unincorporated community in northeastern Keweenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is within Grant Township on the Keweenaw Peninsula that juts from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan into Lake Superior.-History:...
. The fort was built in 1844,and provided order and protected the Keweenaw's copper resources during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The park also contains one of the first lighthouses on Lake Superior, and offers camping, fishing, hiking, swimming, and biking, and day-use facilities.
Hanka Homestead
Pelkie, Michigan
Pelkie is an unincorporated community in Baraga County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The community is on the Sturgeon River in the northeast part of Baraga Township at ....
. The Hanka Homestead is a Finnish-American "stump farm" homestead originally settled around the turn of the twentieth century. The farm was lived in by members of the Hanka family until 1966; the farm has been resored to its appearance in 1920.
Houghton County Historical Museum
The Houghton County Historical Museum is located at 5500 Michigan State Highway 26 in Lake Linden, MichiganLake Linden, Michigan
Lake Linden is a village in Houghton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,081 at the 2000 census. The village is mostly within Schoolcraft Township, though a tiny portion lies in Torch Lake Township.-History:...
. The museum houses over 100 years of photographs and artifacts with three floors of exhibits of local Copper Country mining, logging and cultural history. In addition, the Houghton County Historical Museum runs the Linden & Torch Lake Railroad, the Traprock Valley School House (a one-room school), the First Congregational Church in Lake Linden, Michigan
First Congregational Church (Lake Linden, Michigan)
The First Congregational Church is a church located at 53248 N Avenue in the Linden Lake Historic District in Lake Linden, Michigan...
(used as the HCHS Heritage Center), the Leo Chaput Log Cabin, and the Perl Merrill Research Center (used as the archives and a genealogical facility).
Keweenaw County Historical Society
The Keweenaw County Historical Society, established in 1981, has five locations throughout Keweenaw County, MichiganKeweenaw County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,301 people, 998 households, and 604 families residing in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile . There were 2,327 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
. These locations include the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse
Eagle Harbor Lighthouse
Eagle Harbor Light is a lighthouse near Eagle Harbor Township, Michigan on the Keewenaw Peninsula jutting from the Michigan's Upper Peninsula up into Lake Superior. This area of Michigan is often referred to as Copper Country, and sometimes as Copper Island...
, Central Mine Historic District
Central Mine Historic District
The Central Mine Historic District is a historic district located off US 41 in Central, Michigan. The mine itself was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1958, while the surrounding district was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1973 and listed on the National Register of...
, Phoenix Church
Church of the Assumption (Houghton Township, Michigan)
The Church of the Assumption is an historic Carpenter Gothic style Roman Catholic church located on US 41, 400 feet east of M-26 in Phoenix in Houghton Township, Michigan. It is also known as the Phoenix Church. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.- History...
, the Rathbone School and the Bammert Blacksmith Shop. Visitor Centers for the Historical Society are located at the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse and Central Mine. Their sites are open from June through October.
Keweenaw Heritage Center
The Keweenaw Heritage Center is located in the old Ste. Anne's church at 25880 Red Jacket Road in Calumet, MichiganCalumet, Michigan
Calumet is a village in Calumet Township, Houghton County, in the U.S. state of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, that was once at the center of the mining industry of the Upper Peninsula. Also known as Red Jacket, the village includes the Calumet Downtown Historic District, listed on the National...
, within the park's Calumet Unit. Ste. Anne's was built in 1900 as a French Canadian Roman Catholic church and deconscrated in 1966. It was underutilized for a number of years until, in 1994, a group of local citizens bought the building. The Keweenaw Heritage Center's mission is to "preserve and interpret the culture and heritage of the Copper Country through the preservation of buildings, development of exhibits and other educational activities." A major museum on the first floor is planned.
Laurium Manor Inn
The Laurium Manor Inn is located at 320 Tamarack Street in Laurium, MichiganLaurium, Michigan
Laurium is a village in Calumet Township, Houghton County in the U.S. state of Michigan, in the center of the Keweenaw Peninsula. The population was 2,126 at the 2000 census.-History:...
. The 13000 square feet (1,207.7 m²) structure was built as a home by wealthy mining captain Thomas H. Hoatson in 1908 at a cost of $50,000. The house functions as a bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
and is open to the public for tours.
Old Victoria
Old Victoria is located at Victoria Dam Road in Rockland Township, MichiganRockland Township, Michigan
Rockland Township is a civil township of Ontonagon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 324 at the 2000 census.-Communities:...
. The site features a group of small log houses which were once used by miners of the Victoria Mining Company. These cabins were built in 1899 and abandoned in 1921. The structures were restored in the 1970s, and tours through the cabins and the mine site beyond are available.
Ontonagon County Historical Society
The Ontonagon County Historical Society is located at 422 River Street in Ontonagon, MichiganOntonagon, Michigan
Ontonagon is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 1,769. It is the county seat of Ontonagon County....
. The Ontonagon County Historical Society was founded in 1957 "to collect and preserve the artifacts of the county's history and to educate the public about that history and related topics." Exhibits at the historical society's museum include artifacts related to the early days of mining and other topics. The Society also operates the Ontonagon Lighthouse, constructed in 1851-52. The Society acquired the lighthouse in 2000, and offers tours in the summer months.
Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park
Ontonagon, Michigan
Ontonagon is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 1,769. It is the county seat of Ontonagon County....
on Michigan State Route 107. The park totals 59000 acres (23,876.5 ha) and offers day-hiking, backpacking, camping, canoeing, biking and winter sports. There are also numerous historical copper mining sites within the park, as well as stands of virgin timber.
Quincy Mine Hoist and Underground Mine
The Quincy Mine Hoist and Underground Mine is located at 49750 U.S. Highway 41 in Hancock, MichiganHancock, Michigan
Hancock is a city in Houghton County; the northernmost in the U.S. state of Michigan, located on the Keweenaw Peninsula, or, depending on terminology, Copper Island. The population was 4,634 at the 2010 census...
, within the park's Quincy Unit. The company offers tours through the surface buildings of the Quincy Mine as well as underground tours.
Upper Peninsula Firefighters Memorial Museum
The Upper Peninsula Firefighters Memorial Museum is located at 327 Sixth Street in Calumet, MichiganCalumet, Michigan
Calumet is a village in Calumet Township, Houghton County, in the U.S. state of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, that was once at the center of the mining industry of the Upper Peninsula. Also known as Red Jacket, the village includes the Calumet Downtown Historic District, listed on the National...
, within the park's Calumet Unit. The second floor of the building holds exhibits on the history of fire fighting in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
External links
- Keweenaw NHP - official site
- Keweenaw NHP - Heritage Sites
- Adventure Mining Company
- A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum
- Calumet Theatre
- Chassell Heritage Center
- Copper Range Historical Museum
- Coppertown USA Museum
- Delaware Copper Mine
- Finnish American Heritage Center & Historical Archive
- Fort Wilkins State Park
- Houghton County Historical Museum
- Keweenaw County Historical Society
- Keweenaw Heritage Center
- Laurium Manor Inn
- Old Victoria
- Ontonagon County Historical Society
- Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park
- Quincy Mine Hoist and Underground Mine