Month: June 2013

Last Chance for Free Tours of Archaeological Digs at the Cliff Mine, Clifton

Tim Scarlett with Mine Visitors 2013
Tim Scarlett with Mine Visitors 2013

This weekend offers the last chance this summer for free guided walking tours of the archaeological dig at the historic Cliff Mine and Clifton town site.

The tours are led by faculty and students in Michigan Tech’s industrial archaeology program. The Saturday and Sunday tours leave from the east end of Cliff Drive, about one mile from the small town of Phoenix, near the junction with US-41. Tours start at 10 a.m. and begin about every 30 minutes. The last one begins Sunday at 3:30 p.m.

Read more at Tech Today, by Marcia Goodrich.

Nancy Langston on Mining in Northern Climes

Northern MiningMining in Northern Climes: Whose Decision is it?

A Michigan Technological University researcher is looking at the Sápmi region of Scandinavia and the possible impacts of new iron mines on the human and reindeer populations, in addition to ecological concerns. – See more at: http://www.mtu.edu/news/stories/2013/june/story92219.html#sthash.c2TWvP6l.dpuf

“Local communities feel that they need more input into the decisions about the mining and the reindeer,” says Nancy Langston, a social sciences professor just ending her nine-month stint in northern Sweden. “Whether it is the Sámi (the indigenous people of northern Scandinavia who often make their living as reindeer herders), commercial fishermen or people living along the local rivers, they feel that they should have a voice in land use decisions.”

Read more at Michigan Tech News, by Dennis Walikainen.

Cliff Mine Summer 2013

Cliff Mine Blog 2013

Excellent Keweenaw Summer

Final Open House Weekend for 2013

Prepared for your visit to the Cliff?

Rainy Friday

Remaining public tours scheduled for 2013

FIeld School, Week 3: Getting Started in Clifton

In the Trenches, Part II

Working in the Trenches!

Field School Week 3: Where to Dig? And Why?

June 17, 2013: Sunday’s Open House

June 16th: Father’s Day Open House

June 15, 2013: Rainy Open House Morning

Field School Week 2: Mapping and Context

Tours Announced: MTU story

Field School Week 1: Geology and Snow in the Woods!

Fieldwork is underway!

Visit the Cliff Mine Archeology Project Blog

Larry Lankton at Italian Hall Ceremony

Larry Lankton Italian HallCeremony conducted at Italian Hall site

Giving the historical perspective for the tragedy was Larry Lankton, professor emeritus of 19th century industrial history at Michigan Technological University.

Lankton said at the time of the 1913-14 copper strike, Finns were the largest foreign-born ethnic group in Houghton County and the fourth largest ethnic group working the copper mines in Calumet. Many mine bosses didn’t like the Finns, which often made life difficult for them.

“I think you would have found things less inviting,” he said.

At the time of the strike, Lankton said the copper coming out of the Calumet & Hecla mines in and around Calumet was the lowest grade in the United States and it brought the lowest price per pound in the U.S.

Read more at the Mining Gazette, by Kurt Hauglie.

Videos, photos: Italian Hall Ceremony in Calumet

A large crowd gathered at the site of the 1913 Italian Hall disaster in Calumet on June 20, 2013, for a ceremony honoring the 73 victims, mostly children, who who were crushed to death in the stairwell of the Italian Hall when someone yelled “Fire” — a false alarm — during a Dec. 24, 1913, Christmas Party for the children of striking miners.

Read more and watch video at Keweenaw Now, by Michele Bordieu.

Lankton Guides Tour for FinnFest 2013

Jacobsville Sandstone
Jacobsville Sandstone

Professor Emeritus Larry Lankton was one of the tour guides for Historic Jacobsville by Boat & Bus on Monday, June 17, 2013. The tour visited the sandstone quarry village Jacobsville on a combination boat/bus tour. The tour also included the Suomi Synod Lutheran chapel (including a short hymn sing), stops at the historic cemetery, sandstone quarries and lighthouse.

Tour guides were author Larry Lankton, Frank Fiala, retired Superintendent of Keweenaw National Historical Park, and Jeremiah Mason, Archivist/Historian at Keweenaw National Historical Park, as well as Jacobsville community members.

Learn more about FinnFest 2013 and the event schedule.

The Finns Are Here and Tech is Key

We’ve heard about it for three years–FinnFest in the Keweenaw–and it’s finally arrived. Michigan Tech is one of the main venues, and everybody has been pitching in to help, according to Mike Abbott, director of GLRC operations.

Some other interesting events include a combination boat trip/history tour to Jacobsville with Professor Emeritus Larry Lankton (SS). There will also be a business forum to attract businesses to the Keweenaw and an education forum.

Read more at Tech Today.

National Park Service at FinnFest

The National Park Service at Keweenaw National Historical Park will be busy during FinnFest USA 2013 welcoming visitors at the Calumet Visitor Center as well as the Tori at the Student Development Complex on the campus of Michigan Tech.

The Italian Hall Ceremony will commence at 2 p.m. with a brief talk by noted author and historian Dr. Larry Lankton.

Read more at the Mining Gazette.

Alumni Here for Cliff Mine Tours

Cliff Mine Tours
Tim Scarlett explains the history of the Cliff to visitors.

A successful Seafood Fest
Venerable event survives weather

Despite low temperatures and rain, thousands of people came to the Houghton waterfront for their annual taste of lobster, mussels and more at the Houghton Rotary’s Seafood Fest.

The 27th annual festival took place Friday and Saturday at the Ray Kestner Waterfront Park.

Chris and Sarah Fraley were at Seafood Fest for the first time. Chris, a Michigan Technological University graduate, was up here for a project at the Cliff Mine.

“We saw the Seafood Fest sign where you drive in, and we said ‘Okay,'” Sarah said.

Read more at the Mining Gazette, by Garrett Neese.

Cliff Mine Tours Start This Weekend

Cliff Mine 2013Tech archaeologists hosting free tours of Cliff Mine site

The free tours start this weekend, beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, with the last tour starting at 3:30 p.m. both days. Tours, which leave from the east end of Cliff Drive, about a mile from the town of Phoenix, near the junction of U.S. 41, will also be held June 22-23 and 29-30, the final two weekends of the seven-week field school program.

People are welcome to stop by and ask questions between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday as well while the teams work on the site.

“It’s critical to us that the public be involved in this. We’re not doing this just for ourselves,” said Sam Sweitz, Michigan Tech associate professor and co-principal investigator and instructor at the site, along with Tim Scarlett. “Yes, we want to train students so they can go on and be good archeologists, but that idea of sharing this site and sharing the knowledge that we gain from this site with the public is critical to what we’re doing here.”

Read more at the Mining Gazette, by Stephen Anderson.

Visit the Cliff Mine Blog

Tech archaeologists hosting free tours of Cliff Mine site

The Michigan Technological University Industrial Archaeology Field School is in its fourth year excavating sites near the Cliff Mine – the first profitable copper mine in the Keweenaw – and students in the program are once again preparing to guide the public on tours of the historic site.

The project has continuity through the leadership of Sweitz and Scarlett, and through several graduate students who have pursued theses and dissertations based off work at the site. Lee Pressley, a Ph.D. student in Tech’s industrial heritage and archaeology program – the only such program in the country – for example, is in her second year studying food systems, local farming and consumption patterns at the site.

Read more at the Mining Journal, by Stephen Anderson.

Tour Mine Waste Remediation with Carol MacLennan

Agassiz TourCopper Country Youth Invited to Ride the Waves on Michigan Tech’s Agassiz

Copper Country school students in grades 4-12 are being invited to participate in guided explorations of Lake Superior and its tributaries this summer, on Michigan Tech’s research vessel Agassiz. The program, called “Ride the Waves with GM,” is sponsored by General Motors and Tech’s Great Lakes Research Center.

Among the tour leaders is Carol MacLennan, who will join with Noel Urban to lead the exploration “Mine Waste Remediation Tour and Torch Lake Restoration” on June 19, July 3, and July 12, 2013.

Read more at Tech Today.

Susan Martin Tours with Tech Choir

Susan Martin Concert Choir 2013The former area of Yugoslavia conjures up images of war and civil unrest for many people, but for some members of the Michigan Tech Concert Choir, the Eastern European region is where many great memories were recently made.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen clear evidence in Bosnia of the conflict after the break-up of Yugoslavia,” said Susan Martin, Tech professor and choir member for about 20 years. “There are cemeteries that are crammed full of people that all died during the same month and same year.”

Read more at the Mining Gazette, by Stephen Anderson.

Archaeology Tours at the Cliff Mine, Clifton

Berg Will Cliff Mine 2013The public is welcome to free tours of the 2013 archaeological dig at the historic Cliff Mine and Clifton town site on the weekends of June 15-16, 22-23 and 29-30.

The tours are led by faculty and students in Michigan Technological University’s industrial archaeology program. The tours leave from the east end of Cliff Drive, about one mile from the small town of Phoenix, near the junction with US-41. Tours start at 10 a.m. and begin about every 30 minutes. The last one will begin at 3:30 p.m.

The team will provide maps with self-guided trails for people who wish to explore on their own. “We’re cutting new paths through the woods this week and will put historic photos and maps around to help people see the site,” said project co-director Sam Sweitz.

“We’d like to be able to look at the map of rose bushes, for example, and see how the different plants overlap with residential buildings,” said project co-director Timothy Scarlett.

Read more at Michigan Tech News, by Marcia Goodrich.

The Cliff Mine Archeology Project Blog