Copper Country

By Jen.

Dates: 7/20/2021

Having made our way all the way to the top of Keweenaw Peninsula, we started making our way back south, with a theme of the copper mining at most of the stops we made.

 

First stop of the day was at Copper Harbor’s Astor Shipwreck Park, where a ship had been driven onto that ridge of rocks in the photo above during a gale in 1844. The soldiers from the fort we had visited the day before helped rescue the crew and cargo so that no lives were lost. Everyone labored to get it unstuck, but were unsuccessful. The owner finally burned wreck in 1847, so there are little to no traces of it. Also to note, the vessel, John Jacob Astor, was considered “the finest vessel afloat” on the lakes. So many shipwrecks happen to the vessels people considered the “best” and “unsinkable.” I would highly recommend not declaring that about your vessel, if you want it to stay afloat...

Then we happened upon Delaware Mine, which was also unprofitable. 

No, that is nothing cute like snow or ice, that is mold. Yuck!

An early power drill!

Same area as above, without the flash. They worked in such dark conditions.

There were 6 more levels below this one, but they were all completely filled with water. Won’t be long until that tunnel is filled as well, if they don’t start pumping out some water.

The air compressor used to run those tools.

The old mill, massive and expanded several times, now almost a secret garden.

Prehistoric mining was done in the area by natives, which is why they started the Delaware mine.

 

Next stop was Coppertown USA Mining Museum.

The museum is based out of a factory that used to make the wooden parts that they used to create the molds for the metal parts.

A massive chunk of copper that they used to test their drill bits.

Can you imagine walking around a tunnel with a flame on your head to light the way?

These early diving suits would have been connected to the device below.

A hand-operated air pump. You’d really have to trust the operators not to get bored and stop pumping while you were underwater! Though, I’d probably prefer that over the “automatic” air pumps of the time.

Yikes!

Even scarier! An old X-Ray machine.

A snow-plow train. Can’t let snow stop the operation.

 

Last stop of the day was Quincy Mine. We arrived at the wrong time for the tours, and didn’t feel like spending money anyway. Instead, we checked out the free ruins across the street.

 

Not much left, but is on its way to becoming a wonderful garden.