Panoramic View of the Keweenaw Peninsula, The Great Copper Country of Northern Michigan

Documenting the rise and fall of copper mining in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

This spectacular aerial perspective shows a largely stylized view of the Keweenaw Peninsula, the northernmost tip of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The rugged and heavily forested terrain is largely obfuscated, offering a tranquil view of rolling hills and calm waters, with the expanse of Lake Superior in the background.

The cities of Houghton, Hancock, and Calumet are represented by dense clusters of buildings and impressive skylines, dominated by smokestacks. Numerous industrial firms and businesses are named, especially mills, mines, and foundries. Other locations of interest include golf courses, the Michigan College of Mines, and the ‘poor farm and sanitarium.’ A handful of smaller towns are also noted, connected by a modest network of roads and railways.

Copper mining held immense significance for the development of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. For thousands of years, indigenous populations utilized the landscape’s unique copper deposits, crafting tools and ornaments highly prized in trade networks. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, large-scale mining commenced, propelling the region to become the nation’s leading copper producer for decades. This industry not only fueled economic growth in the region but also played a crucial role in the development of various American industries, including telegraphy and electricity, by supplying essential copper resources.

The view was drawn by H. Wellge and published in Houghton, MI by Albert Kennedy Cox, a bookshop owner, in 1913. The same year as publication, a huge miner’s strike halter operations across the peninsula – an ill omen for future operations. By the late 1960s, copper production in Keweenaw had ceased entirely. The print is scarce and known in only 4 examples – 2 in institutions (Library of Congress and Central Michigan University) and 2 in private collections.

Sources: OCLC: 7732006; Timeline of Michigan Copper Mining;