There are more than 200 mine shafts buried in Houghton and Keweenaw counties alone
LAKE LINDEN -- In 1843, reports of mass copper on the Keweenaw Peninsula spurred one of the first mineral rushes in the United States.
For decades, these mines were the heart of the economy in the U.P. Today, more than 200 abandoned mines are buried across Houghton and Keweenaw counties alone.
"This was all people knew, of course,” said retired geologist James Brooks. “This was the principal for many years; the only industry up here."
Many of these sites are marked by abandoned shaft houses left years ago. Below the playground of Calumet Public Schools lies one of the most valued mineshafts in Calumet. Completely secured from the public, its only visible mark is a caved brick structure.
"The brickwork here was kind of interesting so some of us talked--the powers that be--into preserving this," Brooks added.
Many of our Facebook viewers had concerns about the safety of the shafts. The last known victim of the deadly Tamarack #4 shaft in Calumet was a seven-year-old girl, Ruth Ann.
Brooks explains that although today the shafts are paved over, you should never let curiosity get the better of you.
“You can get around these things, and the edges might be slippery and somebody could fall in," Brooks said.
Facebook viewer Sarah McCord lives close to Cannon Mine in Iron River.
“No one could answer if the ground water would be safe. We are now paying a premium every month to keep the water lines maintained, but who knows how long that will last,” said McCord.
"There is no groundwater contamination,” Brooks said. “Most of the water that comes out of them now is fairly clean."
For more information on abandoned mine sites, click here.
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