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Some other links of recent interest to Pasty Cam watchers:
• Ancestors 2007  • New Arrivals 2007
• The Hut Inn Re-opens  • Kevin's Story
Eight years ago on the Pasty Cam: 02/27/99^{Printed on Recycled Internet}

From the Pasty Cam archives today comes this gentleman who stopped to watch the deer herd in Eagle River (Mich.). It is a serene scene, but some describe the Eagle River of 150 years ago as raucous. Despite the lack of a harbor, the town served as a jumping-off point to a number of mines, including the Keweenaw's first profitable copper mine.

Today, the deer like the food in Eagle River and so do the humans -- Fitzgerald's is a popular dining establishment, year-round.

Mornin'

Good morning!

Good Morning!

I don't suppose that snowmobile would get lost in a storm with that color of green.

Good foggy morning...

So what was the Keweenaw's first profitable copper mine??

Good morning! Another 30 degree day here but we're expecting more snow tomorrow, Thursday and Friday.

It was called "Penny's".

The "Capt" said "profitable".

Good Morning, really wishing I was up there today.

Oops, you're right FJL.

The Lake Superior Mining Company susposedly received the #1 lease, but it was anything but profitable. Located just SW of Copper Harbor you can still see the water filled shafts and the circle of a horse whim.

Certainly the largest profit maker was the Cliff, but was it the first to show a profit ???

I don't have acces to the books to check, but I think the Cliff was the first profitable mine. It was so easy it actually delayed smart mining for a time. People looked for masses of copper like at the cliff, not realizing the real money lay in the amygdaloidal and comglomerate copper in mines like the Quincy and Hecla.

Don't forget, the definition of a mine is a hole in the ground where you pour large sums of money!

I guess it would be pretty boring to ride your horse on a whim!

Not finished with winter yet? It sounds like you're in luck. An article in tonight's Daily Mining Gazette says that an even bigger storm for Copper Country is due in this weekend, with more wind & snow, & this stuff will stick around for awhile. Do you have enough snow for your mini SnoGo, Dean? :-) The article mentions that at least this year, March is coming in like a Lion.

Now, I wish I could find something that tells us what to expect for the weekend here in Troll Land.

Oops--minor correction, here. That should read, "Do you have enough GAS for your mini SnoGo, Dean?" :-)

Guess who seems to have snow on the brain?

In 1843, the Lake Superior Copper Mining Company and the Pittsburg and Boston Mining Company were the first "serious" mining ventures in the Keweenaw. The shafts located at Ft. Wilkins worked a vein of copper oxide, or tenorite. Ore worth about $4,000 was mined from these shafts, however, it cost $25,000 to mine it!! Both of these ventures went bankrupt around 1845 for obvious reasons....

The Cliff Mine was started in 1844 (some say 1845) and began mining a copper fissure where large masses of copper were found in veins cutting the basalts. Some of these masses weighed as much as 50 tons, so the work involved in cutting these pieces up was immense. Despite all this hard work, by 1849 the Cliff paid its first dividend, about $60,000 which made it the first mine in the Copper Country (and I believe the Western Hemisphere?) to make a profit. About the same time, another rich vein of copper was discovered at Cliff that produced masses as much as 100 tons. After the Civil War, copper prices began to fall, production slowed, and the Cliff Mine ceased operations in the 1890's.

The Dr. and I love going to Cliff to walk around the old foundations and look for chisel chips in the piles, knowing that those chips are a part of mining history (not to mention they are neat to find ;-) I can only imagine Cliff will be one of our stops this summer when we are up there....

Thanks Capt. Paul, that was very interesting, you took a lode off my mind. That was very gneiss of you to take the time from your rocky schedule.

Really, it was very interesting, thank you!

ROMANTIC arts from SOPHIA;

http://sophiart.blogspot.com/

Capt Paul, your description somewhat reminds me of an oil wellanalogy, that of the old drilling a dry hole, or then sinking good money after bad? :-) Sorry, I just had to say it, especially since you are down there in Texas oil, the black gold, country.

Seriously, I love all of your historical and scientific inputs. Thank you, both Capt Paul & Dr Nat, et al. We are never too old to learn.

Dat Captain is just sooooo down to earth!