While snow is a welcome sight for those who enjoy outdoor sports and recreation, not all winter activities are fun and games. Some require dedication and hard work—like snow removal! Thankfully, we have tools to help: the Yooper scoop, steel shovels, and for the really big jobs, heavy equipment.
Our flashback image takes us back to the winter of 1950, when the area’s first mechanical snowblower was deployed. Ernest C. Schmidt of Oskar proudly poses with the machine on Liminga Road, taking a break from clearing snow for the Houghton County Road Commission.
Today, modern plows and high-powered snowblowers keep our roads and sidewalks clear. But we’d love to hear—how did you navigate campus through the snow when you were a student? Let us know in the comments!
About the Archives
The Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections houses a wide variety of print, graphic and manuscript resources related to the history and culture the Copper Country and Michigan Technological University. If you would like to research in the archives, appointments are available from 1-5 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Appointments may be requested by calling (906) 487-2505 or by filling out the request form on the archives website. If you have any questions regarding archives services, collections, or remote research help, please reach out to (906) 487-2505 or e-mail us at copper@mtu.edu. The Michigan Tech Archives can also be found on Facebook (Michigan Tech Archives), Instagram (@michigantecharchives), and X (@mtuarchives).