Author: Jordan Shawhan

Since the earliest days of Michigan Tech, campus life has taken on a different rhythm in the summer. Many students head home, faculty go on research trips, and a new season of special programs begins—like sports camps, summer youth programs, and field schools. This is true today, just as it was in the early 1900s.

This great image from the University Archives’ Negative Collection, dated June 1, 1911, shows a group of summer field students preparing for a trip into one of the local mines—lunch buckets and all!

Did you participate in summer sessions or special programs during your time at Michigan Tech? 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).

Beachcombing days have returned to the Keweenaw! While the shorelines can be explored in all seasons, they are much more welcoming in the warmer months. This image from the University Archives’ Harold Putnam Collection shows a peaceful reflection at Eagle Harbor Beach in the mid-twentieth century.

Do you prefer the softer, more poetic beach experience—looking within or searching for beach glass? Or perhaps the more animated experience of splashing in the waves and skipping stones? Let us know your favorite Keweenaw beach and beachfront activities 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).

Spring is a season of change—though this year, the snow seems to be sticking around a little longer than it did in 1955! This photograph from the Michigan Tech University Archives’ Earl Gagnon Collection captures a sunnier springtime scene in downtown Houghton.

Speaking of change, take a look at how the cars are parked. Notice anything different? That’s right—Shelden Avenue was once a two-way street! Does anyone know when it switched to one-way?

Share your answers—and any other memories of downtown Houghton—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).

We are at the mid-point of the semester, where the weather can’t decide if it’s winter or spring. Sunny days of melting snow lead into March snowstorms, so we must be ready for all contingencies. But that doesn’t stop the fun! This photo from March 8, 1914, from the Archives’ Brockway Photograph Collection, shows a family who took the time to snowshoe and have a snowy picnic with their dog on one of those unpredictable spring-or-winter days.

As you reflect on your favorite winter and spring outdoor activities from your time as a Husky, we’d love to hear your stories in the comments! And as campus transitions into a new season, consider helping today’s students make their own unforgettable memories. Michigan Tech’s 24-hour giving challenge, Give Back to the Pack, is coming up on April 8-9—join us in supporting the next generation of Huskies!

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).

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).

As we prepare for Winter Carnival, we’re excited to share a preview of the upcoming University Archives display that will be featured during the Alumni Social + Winter Carnival Exhibit on Saturday, February 8, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event, hosted by Michigan Tech’s Office of Alumni Engagement, with staff from the University Archives and current student members of the Blue Key Honor Society, will feature a special limited-time exhibit.

Titled Memories Aglow in Ice and Snow, this special exhibit will showcase vintage photos, yearbooks, memorabilia, and pictorials—especially those keepsakes that celebrate the iconic snow statues and outdoor fun from Winter Carnivals gone by.

The image below comes from the Michigan Tech Centennial book—a sneak peek of the upcoming exhibit and a wonderful example of snowy craftsmanship that we think Goldilocks would agree is just right. Do you recognize the year this statue was created, or have a favorite Winter Carnival memory to share? 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).

From late-night study sessions to finishing that final paper, we all remember when a little extra help made all the difference. For many Tech students over the past 50 years, that help came from the Michigan Tech Writing Center.

Founded in 1975 as the Language Skills Lab, the Writing Center has evolved in various ways since opening. Currently located in 107 Walker, the Writing Center is host to Michigan Tech’s Student Newspaper The Lode and the Creative Writing Club. It serves hundreds of visitors each year and employs student coaches from 13 different majors.

Nancy Grimm, Professor Emerita and former Writing Center director, played a key role in raising the center to national recognition. Reflecting on its mission, she once said, “Our goal has always been to help students find their voice and gain confidence in their writing.”

Today, we’re inviting alumni to share their Writing Center experiences. Did you have a favorite coach or a memorable experience that shaped your writing journey? We’d love to hear your stories!

Please share your memories in the comments below or email the Writing Center at writingcenter@mtu.edu.