Sandstone and Concrete
We have often discussed the two faces of the Keweenaw. The difference between the west and east shores of the peninsula is almost as stark as night and day. The shoreline along the east side is relatively protected from the onslaught of the lake’s wind driven waves. There the shoreline gently slides into the lake, creating a gradual transition between land and sea. The west shore, however, is not so lucky.
Return to the Sea
The Champion Mill was the last. The Atlantic Mill was the first, built along the red cliffs at Redrige in 1895. Soon others followed. As the mines along the south range (south of Houghton) opened in increasing numbers, the need for processing facilities became urgent. And while the mines to the north concentrated their mill operations along the shores of Torch Lake, these southern mines did not have the luxury of such a large and deep body of water nearby. They would have to settle for a more distant shore to build their mills – the Lake Superior Shore.
The Big Picture
After making our way off the beach an atop the short ridge backing it, we had found ourselves at the center of an expansive concrete floor. It stretched away from us in all directions, dropping off to the lake behind us backed by high concrete walls in front of us. Scattered across its surface were concrete monoliths of varying size and shape.
Buddles?
The Champion Mill, like any mill on the Keweenaw, works to separate copper from the rock that entombs it. First, copper rock is broken down into very small particles using stamps, then a series of machines work to separate the heavier copper from the much lighter rock. During out Mohawk Mill exploration, we took a detailed look at the process including the use of jigs and wifely tables. By the ruins we found at Champion, it became apparent that a few more machines were in use here that were absent at Mohawk.
Feeding the Thirst
Stamp mills required large amounts of water to operate, in the order of tens of millions of gallons a day. While some mills such as those at Redridge relied on dams to create large reservoirs to supply their water needs, mills such as Champion simply pumped the needed water out of the lake. This required a large pump, and a pump house to house it.