Copper Country Explorer http://coppercountryexplorer.com an exploration journal into the shadows of the copper country Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:31:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 en hourly 1 An Eagle River Trestle http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/07/03/an-eagle-river-trestle/ http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/07/03/an-eagle-river-trestle/#comments Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:31:48 +0000 explorer http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=3536 As the Eagle River makes its way north towards the big lake it turns and tumbles its through a narrow gorge beset on all sides by sheer cliffs and rocky outcroppings that makes the river's journey much more challenging. Its a beautiful and rugged landscape that looks more like something you'd find out west along some Rocky mountain stream. The topography also makes the river hard to walk due to the scarcity of level ground along its banks, resulting in explorers such as ourselves to hop-scotch our way across the boulders and rocks scattered across the riverbed. Soon we had stumbled across our first ruins, sitting conveniently alongside the river's edge.]]> http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/07/03/an-eagle-river-trestle/feed/ The Many Mills of Phoenix http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/07/01/the-many-mills-of-phoenix/ http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/07/01/the-many-mills-of-phoenix/#comments Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:32:49 +0000 explorer http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=3516
The old Bay State Mill with the New Phoenix Mine in the background
When the region's premiere copper mining company - the Lake Superior Copper Company - folded up after only five years of profitless work along the Eagle River a new company was re-organized to take its place. Fittingly this new company was named the Phoenix, and like its mythical avian namesake would arise from the ashes of the Lake Superior Copper Company as a much stronger and vigorous mine. Its a mine that may not have been the region's most profitable but managed to continue on for nearly three quarters of a century continuously re-inventing and adapting itself to ever growing challenges. These re-inventions and adaptations resulted in the continual evolution of the companies stamping facilities.]]> http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/07/01/the-many-mills-of-phoenix/feed/ Sitting Atop a Rock Pile http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/30/sitting-atop-a-rock-pile/ http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/30/sitting-atop-a-rock-pile/#comments Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:08:46 +0000 explorer http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=3510 Sitting all alone up there it seems out-of-place and perhaps even lost. But there it was, a concrete footing smack dab in the center of the Baltic No. 2's massive poor rock pile. Why it was up here we weren't exactly sure, it was the first time we found anything atop a poor rock pile besides poor rock. Made of concrete, it was topped by a iron eye-loop along with a pair of holes on its shaft facing side. It looked to be a tie down of sorts, or perhaps a footing for a trestle or pulley stand. Either way its placement atop a rock pile was odd.]]> http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/30/sitting-atop-a-rock-pile/feed/ Keweenaw Free Guide is Here http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/29/keweenaw-free-guide-is-here/ http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/29/keweenaw-free-guide-is-here/#comments Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:52:37 +0000 explorer http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=3375 The ultimate Keweenaw guide is finally here. After over a year in the making I'm proud to announce the grand opening of CCE's newest sister site, one committed to providing the most complete inventory of Copper Country attractions available anywhere. Better still, everything listed on the site is completely free to enjoy at no cost to you. That's why we call it Keweenaw Free Guide.]]> http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/29/keweenaw-free-guide-is-here/feed/ Stop Sign http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/25/stop-sign/ http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/25/stop-sign/#comments Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:19:27 +0000 explorer http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=3481 Love this old-style stop sign found at the corner of 7th and Scott in Calumet. If you look close you'll see others scattered about the city. I don't know hold old these are, but they look to be built from a stamped piece of metal instead of wood like you see today. Also love how it makes sure you know why your stopping, because of a "thru street" - which is also funny considering 7th actually ends here at Scott. ]]> http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/25/stop-sign/feed/ Re-alignments http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/24/re-alignments/ http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/24/re-alignments/#comments Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:29:22 +0000 explorer http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=3477
The old C&H blacksmith shop along the Hecla surface plant
In the previous series I made an observation about the fluidity of railroads and their ability to adapt to changing needs. At the C&H Hecla surface plant this dynamic was fully tested as the great mine abandoned its conglomerate mining and concentrated efforts elsewhere. What was once a surface plant dedicated to the support of the Hecla Mine specifically had to adapt to a more secondary role. This change over happened sometime after consolidation, when C&H bought out almost all of its regional competitors. ]]> http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/24/re-alignments/feed/ The Roundhouse that Was http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/23/the-roundhouse-that-was/ http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/23/the-roundhouse-that-was/#comments Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:10:26 +0000 explorer http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=3469 After doing the previous exploration of the C&H Railroad remains, my go-to railroad man Gordy Schmitt sent me a few pics of the old rail yards as they appeared back in the '70s. (Thanks Gordy!) We'll begin with the old roundhouse itself before it was converted into the current Calumet Electronics building. Gordy points out that the turntable was still in place and operable at this point. He also notes that the locomotive stalls shown here were converted into simple repair stalls for rock cars and other rolling stock when the railroad converted to diesel. ]]> http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/23/the-roundhouse-that-was/feed/ The Rails that Remain (p2) http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/22/the-rails-that-remain-p2/ http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/22/the-rails-that-remain-p2/#comments Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:58:37 +0000 explorer http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=3464 For a transportation system that could only operate over rails, railroads were incredibly dynamic. In the case of C&H, the miles of tracks on which its train ran were constantly rearranged and rerouted in response to the companies ever changing needs. As new shafts opened, new spur lines were quickly laid to meet them while older lines to closed shafts were torn up and removed. This dynamic is quite evident along the remaining sections of rails still standing along the old C&H corridor - a corridor we continue to explore today.]]> http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/22/the-rails-that-remain-p2/feed/ The Rails that Remain (p1) http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/19/the-rails-that-remain-p1/ http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/19/the-rails-that-remain-p1/#comments Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:33:53 +0000 explorer http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=3396 Nestled between the towns of Calumet and Laurium lies a narrow strip of land some two miles in length on which was built the largest industrial complex the Keweenaw has ever known - the C&H surface plant. Built to serve the great Calumet Conglomerate lode which sat just below the surface, the C&H surface plant consisted of over 75 structures along with several miles of track belonging to the C&H Railroad. Since the mine's closure, most of these buildings have been razed or reconstituted for other use while the tracks have been torn up and scrapped. Yet a small portion of this great industrial mecca still remains, situated between 6th Street extension and School Street. Within this small tract sits the last remnants of the C&H Railroad, in the form of a couple hundred feet of rail. ]]> http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/19/the-rails-that-remain-p1/feed/ Guest Post: Superior No.1 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/17/guest-post-superior-no1/ http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/17/guest-post-superior-no1/#comments Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:03:42 +0000 explorer http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=3365 From its earliest conception I had always envisioned CCE as a community gathering spot, where fellow Copper Country explorers could share information and swap stories about their own explorations. Towards that end I have had an open policy when it came to guest contributions - if you have any adventures, photos, or articles you would like to share I would be more than happy to publish it on the web here at CCE. While I have gotten a good deal of photos in the past, guest posts have not been so forthcoming. That all changes today, thanks to fellow Copper Country explorer Brian Wereley. ]]> http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2009/06/17/guest-post-superior-no1/feed/