by DAR » April 23, 2017, 5:01 pm
The modern iron mining industry in the USA started in Negaunee, Michigan in the 1840’s and 50’s. This industry along with the Copper Industry is why the Soo Locks were built. The mining region was remote and inaccessible to the rest of the country except by water.
There were three iron ranges in Michigan. They were: The Marquette Range (running from just east and south of Negaunee to Michigamme MI in Marquette County); The Gogebic Range (running from Wakefield, MI to Montreal WI, Gogebic County, MI and Iron County, WI); The Menominee Range (running from east of Norway, MI to Iron River, MI, Dickinson and Iron Counties, Michigan) There were all totaled, hundreds of mines. Most were underground. Many failed shortly after opening. Those that remained were taken over by the (big guns) like CCI, J&L, USS, National, and P&M until all high grade ore was played out or when it became too expensive to bring ore to the surface. Those that remained, and there were few, set up to process low grade ore into Taconite Pellets. Pellets have helped make the switch from high grade ore to low because they have many benefits. Raw ore is very dirty and messy, it is of non-uniform size and it hangs up in the handling machinery. It sticks to everything especially when wet. It would hang up on the conveyors, in ore cars, in the ore dock pockets and in ore boats. Pellets on the other hand load fast and easy unless they are wet in subzero weather. Today the only mine left is the open pit Tilden Mine, located south of Ishpeming. Groveland was in Dickinson County and was the last Menominee Range mine. It closed in the 1980’s. The Groveland is the only mine of the range that could re-open and have rail service as all other rails are gone in that range. The mines of Gogebic range all closed in the early 1960’s with one exception and it closed in the early 1970. All Gogebic mines were underground except one and it closed in the 60’s. All rail service to Gogebic County is pretty much gone also. The ore from this range was hauled by rail to Ashland, WI where went through the C&NW dock.
Pellet plants were set up at Groveland, North of Iron Mountain. The other active mines were in Marquette County. There were plants at Empire, Tilden, and Republic. The Pioneer Plant served several mines in the area. Pioneer’s life ended when the Mather B mine was closed. Mather B was the last underground iron mine in the USA. It was thousands of feet deep and had over 30 levels. Today the property is the home of Negaunee High School
The current ore dock in Escanaba served from the early 1970’s to present. It was the only “modern” style conveyor dock in the area. There have been ore docks in Escanaba for well over 100 years. They were the pocket/gravity type all made of wood. The ore from the Menominee range and from Empire Mine in at Marquette range were loaded at Escanaba. This dock used to be C&NW
The LS &I dock in Marquette has had its 100th anniversary. It is the fastest iron ore loading dock on the lakes. When all is going well some of the smaller vessels can load in 4-5 hours. If you haven’t watched an ore boat load, come to Marquette and watch. It’s the only place on the lakes where you can be so close to a loading boat, legally. Marquette also had a dock in the Lower Harbor (down town) area. It is still there but all rail approaches to it are gone.
To see what Michigan’s iron mines looked like check out the following site:
http://www.miningartifacts.org/Michigan-Iron-Mines.html
These mines provided a hard working bunch of people with good (but dirty) jobs.
Lots of the mining communities in the 1880’s had lots of paved streets, city water & sewer, electricity, and central heat. These were the people who helped win the civil war and WWI with their hard work of getting the iron ore out of the ground and on to the mills “down the lakes”.
The modern iron mining industry in the USA started in Negaunee, Michigan in the 1840’s and 50’s. This industry along with the Copper Industry is why the Soo Locks were built. The mining region was remote and inaccessible to the rest of the country except by water.
There were three iron ranges in Michigan. They were: The Marquette Range (running from just east and south of Negaunee to Michigamme MI in Marquette County); The Gogebic Range (running from Wakefield, MI to Montreal WI, Gogebic County, MI and Iron County, WI); The Menominee Range (running from east of Norway, MI to Iron River, MI, Dickinson and Iron Counties, Michigan) There were all totaled, hundreds of mines. Most were underground. Many failed shortly after opening. Those that remained were taken over by the (big guns) like CCI, J&L, USS, National, and P&M until all high grade ore was played out or when it became too expensive to bring ore to the surface. Those that remained, and there were few, set up to process low grade ore into Taconite Pellets. Pellets have helped make the switch from high grade ore to low because they have many benefits. Raw ore is very dirty and messy, it is of non-uniform size and it hangs up in the handling machinery. It sticks to everything especially when wet. It would hang up on the conveyors, in ore cars, in the ore dock pockets and in ore boats. Pellets on the other hand load fast and easy unless they are wet in subzero weather. Today the only mine left is the open pit Tilden Mine, located south of Ishpeming. Groveland was in Dickinson County and was the last Menominee Range mine. It closed in the 1980’s. The Groveland is the only mine of the range that could re-open and have rail service as all other rails are gone in that range. The mines of Gogebic range all closed in the early 1960’s with one exception and it closed in the early 1970. All Gogebic mines were underground except one and it closed in the 60’s. All rail service to Gogebic County is pretty much gone also. The ore from this range was hauled by rail to Ashland, WI where went through the C&NW dock.
Pellet plants were set up at Groveland, North of Iron Mountain. The other active mines were in Marquette County. There were plants at Empire, Tilden, and Republic. The Pioneer Plant served several mines in the area. Pioneer’s life ended when the Mather B mine was closed. Mather B was the last underground iron mine in the USA. It was thousands of feet deep and had over 30 levels. Today the property is the home of Negaunee High School
The current ore dock in Escanaba served from the early 1970’s to present. It was the only “modern” style conveyor dock in the area. There have been ore docks in Escanaba for well over 100 years. They were the pocket/gravity type all made of wood. The ore from the Menominee range and from Empire Mine in at Marquette range were loaded at Escanaba. This dock used to be C&NW
The LS &I dock in Marquette has had its 100th anniversary. It is the fastest iron ore loading dock on the lakes. When all is going well some of the smaller vessels can load in 4-5 hours. If you haven’t watched an ore boat load, come to Marquette and watch. It’s the only place on the lakes where you can be so close to a loading boat, legally. Marquette also had a dock in the Lower Harbor (down town) area. It is still there but all rail approaches to it are gone.
To see what Michigan’s iron mines looked like check out the following site:
http://www.miningartifacts.org/Michigan-Iron-Mines.html
These mines provided a hard working bunch of people with good (but dirty) jobs.
Lots of the mining communities in the 1880’s had lots of paved streets, city water & sewer, electricity, and central heat. These were the people who helped win the civil war and WWI with their hard work of getting the iron ore out of the ground and on to the mills “down the lakes”.