Deb Simons shares a moving collection of photos from the memorial site of Ruth Ann Miller, a seven year old girl who tragically lost her life when she fell into Tamarack #4 Mine Shaft and despite heroic efforts from local folks, recovery was impossible. This memorial to Ruth Ann’s memory is at the site where this tragic lesson for the Copper Country occurred 57 years ago.

The placard provided by the family reads as follows:

“Tamarack #4 Mine Shaft
This is the location of one of the area's most tragic lessons.
Tamarack Number Four is a vertical shaft with a depth of 4,400 feet (almost a mile) and approximately 12 feet by 18 feet wide. Mining operations here ceased in 1931. In 1936 a concrete plug was installed at 1100 feet below the surface and a concrete slab placed over the entrance. It was estimated that 200 feet of water had accumulated above the lower plug at the time of the tragedy.
On July 16, 1966 seven-year-old Ruth Ann Miller slipped into the shaft due to erosion around the cap. In the early stages of the rescue effort, the concrete slab capping the shaft broke loose as it was being lifted. It fell into the shaft.
Hour after hour men descended in a cage suspended by a crane, removing the built-up debris blocking their passage. After an intense and hazardous three-day rescue operation involving many devoted Calumet and Hecla personnel, the rescue attempt was abandoned when it was realized that the concrete slab had lodged at 500 feet creating an impenetrable blockage.
Recovery was impossible.
The incident was a motivator for tighter regulations and actions required when abandoning mine sites, and the location has become a memorial to the little girl who paid the lesson's price.
In 1988 Ruth Ann's mother was granted her wish to be with her daughter when her ashes were interred on this site.”

I can't pull up the video, but this memorial
is heartbreaking. I think about this little
girl every time I head to the Waterworks or
McLain. My granddaughter was UP here for a
visit and, when I told her about it, she
wanted to see where it happened. It's just
the saddest thing, and I don't think I'll
ever forget that day

What a tragedy. Nice that they keep the place up
like they do. They will need the next generation to
continue.

Holy Smokes how horrible!! I can't imagine her
family at the time and what they all went through!!

Reminds me of the fictional Jimmy Dean song, Big Bad
John!!

Unimaginable…I hope she didn’t suffer in the darkness.
UC: I wish all the best for you and your in-laws.
Aging parents can be a handful, but they took care of us and now
it’s our turn to take care of them.
And at the end of the day when all is said and done , we should feel
content knowing we did our best for them.

I was thinking the same thing Alex. Certainly they knew fairly quickly she couldn't survive, but still they tried for days to bring her back to her family. It had to be traumatic for everyone involved. Thanks for remembering her, Deb.

I was finally able to get the video. I
really hope that somebody will step up to
take care of this grave when the step father
no longer can.