• Thursday-What'sUP June 21 - 11:34 pm

E. Neil Harri has done it again, supplied us with an unusual sighting in his travels across the sky. I'm wondering how many of you knew what or where this was upon first glance? Even though it has appeared on these pages before, I still had to take a second look to figure out this was a relic from the Keweenaw mining days, the smokestack in Gay. Sure is a neat perspective looking down the eye of that towering structure.

There are a number of ground-level shots of the Gay Smokestack in the Guest Gallery, one of my favorite being from Dennis Kemper. I'm not sure whether this one appeared as the shot of the day at one time:

Wish I was there right now eatting a cheeseburger and listening to the stories at the bar, then a short 9 mile ride to Little Betsy, oh well, next month! Im counting the days!

By the way, Great Pic's Neil, thanks,

Kind of reminds me of the "Great Pumpkin Shooter" from Livingston County that shoots pumpkins great distances!

Charlie, Why don't you have an Pastynet antenna up there?

There aren't many of those smoke stacks if any left around anymore. I guess this will relate to the subject of the picture but I'd like to know what you think of having the Quincy land in Ripley cleaned up for future use for MAYBE development of condos like the one near the Houghton Hancock bridge? I personally would like to see the old scrap metal on the ground removed but leave the buildings there for part of our history heritage. I think that condo near the bridge takes away from the beautiful view of the lake. But that's my opion. Guess that's progress!!!!What's yours?

How does he do it? I can't walk and take a picture without tripping.

progress isn't always progressive.

It used to make me laugh kind of when I stayed at the Best Western Franklin Square. They always ask if you want lake or street room, and charge more for the lakeside...but , unfortunately, you're looking at that big Quincy junk pile. It does need to be cleaned up. I think some nice condos would look better than the way it looks now...HOWEVER...the right thing to do is to clean it up, do a bit of rebuilding, and make it an historical site.

Its a real bummer for someone like myself to go back home, and all is changed. Lake Linden area is probably one of the biggest changes around with all the big buildings now gone. Maybe they were an eyesore, but it was what made the area be there at all, for the most part.

Suppose it is good to turn it back natural at least..not to build more buildings

There are many things that take away from the beautiful views of the lake. All of that scrap metal needs to be cleaned up all over the area UP there. It's quite the eyesore. The thing that bothers me the most is that they don't trim the trees around the lakes and there really just isn't the nice view that we used to have as kids. They still draw people in with the circle tours, but really, you just don't have the beautiful views of the lake anymore. I think something needs to be done about that. I know of quite a few people who've done the circle tours who've been quite disappointed after reading of the beauty of it all, only to have trees, trees, and more trees covering it up. Again, that's only my opinion.

And David, Lake Linden probably has had the biggest changes made UP there, but they needed it. It was so dirty looking. Now it's beginning to look nice. I wish they'd fix up the rest of the C & H buildings that are left so they're not such eyesores and make them into museums or something. There's a lot of history UP there if we could find somebody to take the time to clean it up and make it into something, without taking away all the history.

The smokestacks in Gay and Freda are great!

I agree, cleaning up the junk, trimming of the trees and being able to see the beauty of the lakes once again!!!

Eyesores to some, memories to others.......

Where would the fundings come from that it would take to clean up these trees and eye sores?

I tend to agree with previous comments about the Quincy Smelter. Cleaning the area and some restoration would be nice. Destruction I do not support. It always surprises me here in the States at how older buildings are often considered disposable. I don't think history and heritage should be so scorned.

I had a student from Spain in my class some years ago and he told me what he liked in the US was the new building. In his opinion Europe is full of "old stones." Interesting view.

It's amazing what we humans put value on. Whatever the sight might be, it may not please the view.

"Its a real bummer for someone like myself to go back home, and all is changed. Lake Linden area is probably one of the biggest changes around with all the big buildings now gone. Maybe they were an eyesore, but it was what made the area be there at all, for the most part."

The buildings are gone?!! Crud! When I was a kid, I'd look at those buildings as we headed out of Lake Linden and wonder what they were used for and how old they were. Now that I'm older and have been able to find out what went on in those buildings and how much history is there, I wanted to go back and get a better look at them. I've not been UP there since 1993 or so and it never occured to me they would knock them down. I've been digging through the guest photos looking for pictures of the old mine sites between LL and Houghton. I've found several, which I've shared with my parents, and have been able to peice together several memories from the photos. Thanks to those who have posted them.

I would be very much against tearing down the Quincy buildings since my Father work there for years and the site holds many good memories for me. I agree that some clean up is necesary and cutting or trimming some trees that obstruct the lake view would be great. Quincy is a big part of the history of the Copper Country and should be preserved.

I wish I had a time machine and an airplane to take some pictures of the mining industry as I remember it, while it was still working. The best I ever saw was Jack Foster's collection, which I believe is now owned by the KNHP. There are a lot of undeveloped roles of film from the 30's until closure of general operations. I was offered a chance to buy the collection but in the end it went to the right place . I hope to see some of those photos available for public veiwing soon.

Check this link for new way of dealing with pesty deer flies.
http://ufinsect.ifas.ufl.edu/deerfly_trap.htm

As always, I love Neil Harri's view of the world. And thank you for the deerfly link, I can't wait to see if it works.

I just like the idea of riding around on my lawn mower with an upside down beer cup on my head... My wife will think I've flipped!

Good morning from West Jordan, Utah. Last week I was in the U.P. visitng Baraga where I lived and went to high school for many years. I had not been back for 18 years and I still miss it so much. Was sad to see the level of the lake so I sure hope you all get some rain (not hail) soon. We need it also as we are sitting at 100 degrees today, tomorrow, yesterday and it seems never ending! Living those years in the U.P. will always be my most treasured memories. By the way, the cinnamon rolls at the Hilltop are delicious. :)

Don't forget the smokestack in Trimountain. Many do not even know about it, because to be truthful, how many people really hang out in Trimountain. There's a great old powder house near it too!

Greetings:

One on the major items that Mr. Harri's photo shows is the deterioration of the stack's concrete. Water and ice are just doing their job.

Sometime in the future the stack will have to be knocked down to prevent an accident or death.

Do the kids in Gay still have the ocassional tire fire in the stack?

JT

MARY DREW!!!!!! Keep that Gay smokestack STANDING! (Smirk).

Don't forget the stacks at Freda and Senter location.

There's a smokestack between Mass City and Greenland, too, on the Ridge Road.

the kids in Mason are thinking about causing smoke to appear from their stack, also

I'll bet the people who have looked at the stack the most times are the fishermen..of past before GPS...who relied on visual guidance to tell them where they were.

The tough shot Neil would be at high noon when the sun is directly overhead and the light makes it to the bottom.....but since the plane would be between the sun and the stack, I guess that one won't happen.

See you on the 4th of July......got my Laurium Inn reservation and da plane full of avgas.........

Your pictures are sooooo wonderful Neil, thank you ever so much for always sharing with us.

About the Quincy ..... keep it. It is a part of your history. New people come in and want to change everything....Like Mr Big shot in Novi,(NO.6 stage coach stop NO VI)....had the Old Coach Stop torn down.....ever been to Novi....what a mess and nothing of the past is around. History should be preserved......you people up here need to appreciate this area. I have been here 12 years now and I am still blown away by your history. Was at the Dee yesterday looking at all the pictures.....oh my gosh......Atlantic Mine was a booming spot at one time.....just to mention one of many places.....go look for yourself. Preserve what is left......Re: Lake Linden...our latest disaster is Lindells being closed down. What a mess one person can make of years of history, atmosphere and pleasure for all of us.

Anyway....those are my feelings...you all take care and God Bless

PS wish our 2 stacks were still here in Hubbell

Lindell's is closed!!?

Will the "true facts" please stand up?

Click ® Lindell Chocolate Shoppe - Press Release

Mr. Dave Taylor closed Lindell's some time ago.

yes, it was closed last year towards the end of the summer. Interesting that there are no signs saying they are opening.....Allot of people in L.L. are really angry about the closing. My understanding is when a place is closed for over 6 months it has to be reinspected and brought up to code. Haven't seen any work being done. Candy has her own place now and it is great. They put in new computers's in Lindells....now that's keeping it true to the era eh ?? From what I have heard in the grocery store things changed so much, waitresses were being corrected in front of customers....I don't know "The Facts" but if you've lived in this area usually what you hear is pretty much right on......

Sure would like to walk in and see ole Fran again!!!

L.L. has new/old looking lights on main street now....wait til you see them....

Correct me if I am wrong, but the Press Release appears to be from when the new owners took over...?????.....It talks about 2005/2006....I am confused....is it opening in July...??? or is the article talking about last July....????

Maybe it's time for bed.....I'll reread it tomorrow.....nite LOL

I grew up in Gay. One of our lessons at the school was to go over to the smokestack and measure its shadow. My Dad was a commercial fisherman out of Big Traverse and used the smokestack as a landmark from the Lake for many years. As a child I wondered if it would fall across the field and land on our house. I hope it stands forever!

Great comment, Bonnie. I liked the lesson in measurement
especially.