• Saturday-What'sUP February 3 - 12:36 pm

Seeing Freda Shaft #2 as one of the slides in today's Pasty Cameo reminded me to mention about the Hut's planned reopening this Spring. If you're wondering what's the Freda connection with the Hut: timbers from Freda were used in the construction of this restaurant in Kearsarge. We miss the Hut not being open over the Winter, but it was more expedient to close during this period for 2 reasons: First, it got extremely busy back in the pasty kitchen with the holidays, January followup orders and now Valentine's rush. We put some of the waitresses and cooks from the Hut to work in this off-season for the Hut and on-season for the pasties. Second, there is a very substantial savings on heat, utilities, snow removal, etc. this time of year to let the restaurant have a rest. Stay tuned in the months ahead for the exact date of the Grand Re-opening.

By the way, we would value your opinion on your preference for the screen size of our new Pasty Cameos. Take a look at yesterday's Pasty Cameo on the main Pasty Cam page and compare it to today's larger format. We're still in the experimental stages with this multi-media addition, and appreciate your feedback as we make the trade-off between size and bandwidth. Of special interest would be observations of our visitors on dial-up.

The re-use of Freda timbers at the Hut only points out that the UP understood "re-cycling", long before it became trendy.

The seasonal re-opening of the Hut is yet another reason to "think spring".

Charlie, I'm really enjoying the "Pasty Cameos". Thanks for providing them. You've got a great voice for narration.
I much prefer the larger format. I am however on a high-speed cable line and I suppose that format would be awful slow for those still on dialup.

Another slide in today's Cameo, which appeared a few years back, is the building of the Quincy No. 2 shaft house. You can't see it in the presentation, but if you zoom in closely you can make out 4 workers walking high atop the structural beams.

Good morning, I have been visiting your site daily for more than a year, but never registered. I was prompted to do so after seeing the cameos yesterday and today. I was raised in the UP - living on the East end in the small town of Trout Lake as a child and then as a teen we lived in Marquette. I have lived out of the state for 30+ years now, but still get home to visit yearly. I have so enjoyed the Pasty cam and the history that you provide is wonderful! Thanks for all the work you put in to it, us displaced yoopers really enjoy it!!!

Charlie, I am also enjoying the "Pasty Cameos". I prefer the larger picture. I also have high speed wireless. Thanks to all who make this site what it is.

I prefer the larger format as well, and am on high speed cable.
Perhaps it would be possible to host both formats so everyone can have what they want :)

How much bandwidth is used per month by pasty cam ?

Again, a very good slide show. This is such a great idea.

Charlie, I prefer the larger form too. I swear that one of those miners looked just like my grandfather. I have to write my uncle and have him look. Do you know where these pictures were taken? The cute little lady looked like she could have been my grandmother too. I doubt it was, but she just reminded me of her. Thank you so much for this great video. It was great!

I added that to my favorites I enjoyed it so much!

Hey Deb, I though of your grandma, and my great grandma, right away myself when I saw that picture :)
maybe its the shoes. The scene was so reminiscent of their house and activities.
I really enjoyed visiting with them. Great people.

Hey Deb again...I think that is grandpa in that one picture...sitting right on top...was that who you thought ?

I know David. I'm waiting to hear from Uncle Gord to see if the one picture was my grandfather and your great-grandfather. Even my hubby thought it looked like him and he's only seen pictures. Page 12, right on top on the right.

What a great idea, Pasty Cameo. I love it. I like the larger format. I have been out of the U.P.(35 years)longer than I lived there (23 years), but I still call it home. Thank you so much for all the work you do.

I Agree,the larger format is Great. Thanks Charlie, some of those shot's reminds me of going down in the man car at the Iriquois

I don't know where this picture is from, but it ain't Freda. I think
they processed copper out there, not dug it up.

I vote for the larger format

My uncle says that Freda never had a shaft, but it was a stamp mill site. My dad says the same thing. So, if somebody could let us know for sure if this picture was really taken in Freda, I'd be grateful. Anyone????

that top picture sure looks a lot like Painesdale...but I suppose they all looked somewhat alike.

charlie, another great pasty cameo. i also prefer the larger format.

the champion stamp mill is in freda, but the actual mine shaft, is in painesdale, i THINK. don't quote me on that. i'm sure someone here knows for sure.

have a great weekend, all!

Freda was the site of the stamp mill, and home eventually of the Schacht Impact Crusher at the Freda Mill. There never was a shaft at Freda, though there may have been a shaft called that elsewhere.

The Schacht Impact Crusher was run with electricity, and was the only crushing operation in the Copper Country that broke the copper free from the rock without using the giant stamps like were used over by Mason and Dollar Bay (it has been 12 years since I was last there and I can't remember exactly where they were.)

Not to mention the 2 early 20th century mills at Redridge and a I have heard tell of a third one in between them and Freda. You can see something ancient along side the road between the two ghost towns (well almost ghost towns).

Here's some more folks that appear to be living on the edge, in this case it's Keweenaw Bay between Lanse and Baraga on my trip north this morning.

Charlie, I sure hope you will put all these cameos onto a DVD and sell it to us. I loved your penny whistle song..so appropriate for the ethnicity of the mining era!

I second LizB fantastic idea Put me down for 2 copies!!

Charlie
I have dial up and it took much longer for the 2nd cameo to load, but to be able to see the pictures better it was worth the wait. If you dont make them to long I vote for larger pictures

Yes, this looks a lot like one of the Champion shaft-rockhouses... which makes sense, since the Champion Mill was in Freda. Perhaps that's what the "Freda Shaft" meant?

Thanks for all the info people. My uncle and dad were right then. Never did I doubt it as my uncle said that 2 Durochers can't possibly be wrong. LOL

So, where for sure was that picture taken?

I, too, would like a DVD of all of the videos put together. It'd be a great gift.

Charlie;
Love the Pasty Cameo; that is neat. Also like the larger format best.

Yes to the DVD idea! Thanks Charlie and everyone else involved in
the Pasty Cameos.

Deb and Dave: I know what you mean about the miners. I keep
wondering if one of them could be my grandpa. Also the lady
putting the pasties in the oven has the same kind of shoes and
dress as my Auntie Lillian wore. Brings a tear to the eye and a
lump to the throat.

Seriously though, the one man in picture 12 looks darn near exactly like my grandfather did. It's uncanny and I've been going crazy wondering if it was truly him. And the cute little lady could so be my grandmother. How I wish I could visit with them again. I was so close to them. But I'm not ready to die to do it. LOL

I believe the top picture is the Champion Mining Company #2 shaft at Painsdale. The mined rock was then stamped at Freeda. #4 Shaft House remains at Painsdale hopefully to be preserved.

I agree with Dcclark, the photo looks a lot like Champion No.4 shaft-rockhouse in Painesdale. As others have pointed out, there were no mines is Freda, just the mill which processed ore primarily from Copper Range's Champion subsidiary.

Re: Don VanVliet (Stamp_sand_sam) message about other mills: There were two others that I know of between Redridge and Freda. One was the Trimountain Mill in Beacon Hill and the other was the Adventure Mill at the now non-existent town of Edgemere. Mother nature has pretty much reclaimed the remains of the structures.

Charlie, I'm greatful for the trips back in time, Thanks for the memories.

As for the Hut, would you have any past employment records (back in the fifties), my mother(Sarah Lehto)worked there and I would like to get copies of her records for my scrapbook.

By the way I perfer the larger format and if a CD is made, I would like it to.

The video was great. I like the larger format also. My Dad helped build that concrete thing the Quincy sign is painted on. It was just after he came to the CC from Croatia. He was about 14 at the time.

Thanks to all who have brought this site to us each day. It is great to have had a touch of home every day for all these years.

Charlie, these old pictures are great. I also liked the larger format on the pasty cameo. Liz is right, you will be able to sell the series when you are done. I wouldn't be surprised if the tourism people want some of this for advertising, not to mention the historical significance.

My mom's parents came over from Croatia (Sever), then met in Calumet. Grandpa worked in the mine near Phoenix, while grandma stayed at home to raise eleven kids. These pictures, although not my granparents, sure do look like the ones mom has in her albums! I guess people just wore what was available, and were not as worried about fashion as our generation was! I think it simply was not available...

This reminds me of that old mine up Red Jacket
way when I was on one of my fall rides. I should say it makes me think that's what that mine may have looked like in it's day....????

God Bless us in this freezin weather !!

Doug/Allen/DcClark-you guys are all right, and Allen you are right in the numbering, its Champion No. 2