• Monday-What'sUP February 4 - 06:06 pm

While Mary Drew is away on vacation, I've had a little help from our friends to try not to let things get out of hand. If you caught Saturday's Cam Notes, I labeled a mine shaft as being in Freda, and several pointed out that there were no mine shafts there, just the Mill. And I do know it was timbers from the trestle at Freda that eventually ended up at the Hut in Kearsarge (that must have been quite a job!). Well anyway, if anybody has another picture of that shaft house, you can help us put the matter to rest.

And of course in these aerials you won't find any traces of a mine, no matter how close the zoom. Neil's shot completes the decade set for Feb. 4th, and you can see and hear about all the others in the Archives in today's Pasty Cameo, which now appears on the main Cam page right by each date.

Wow. I'm either the early bird or the almost night owl. Neil's photos are always spectacular because they give a perspective of our favorite place that you can't see from a car, kayak or hiking trail.

Ok, still think the pictures look great. Kinda cold out there on superior though.

still remember as a kid riding through the mill on the way to Uncle Gordy's camp...which, I believe, is on the site of the old Freda park.

Right you are David. I remember it so well too. It always scared me driving down that hill. It was quite treacherous back then.

I've heard rumors that they're thinking of taking down the stack. Any truth to that? That would be awful I think.

My cousin's houses and old restaurant must be in there somewhere. Thanks for the awesome pictures.

I love seeing pictures of Freda! My great-grandparents (Charles and Sadie Alaniva) used to live there. When I saw these pictures, it prompted me to bring up my great-grandparents 50th anniversary/reunion picture taken about 1960 when there were about 40 people pictured at their house in Freda. I was only about 2 then, but it brings back a lot of memories of driving there on weekends along the "covered road" and hearing stories of how that road used to be a train track that my grandmother used to take to school. Nice pictures!

My Mom (Donna (Koivu) Pihlaja) was born in Freda in 1934. Last time I was UP nort' I made sure I got there (summer of '06) and walked down to the stamping site. That would be a shame to take the smokestack down, unless, of course, it's a safety hazard.

Fantastic pictures, Neil. This gives us a different perspective. In the third picture you can see the Superior View Restaurant on the right around the middle of the picture. Our home is the one to the left of the restaurant and just above it on the cliff. My husband Jim Morin is originally from Freda [I was from Beacon Hill--Barb Allen] and we retired "back from whence we came" as they say.

Wow, Barbm what a view you must have .

Barb, I'm admiring the pictures, remembering the restaurant, and wondering what the weather is like on the cliff, on the windward side of town. Having stomped through the old mill on a few occasions, I don't remember your house. Is it relatively new, or is my memory getting that old? Have a great day!

Barb, is or was, the Superior View for sale? I'm really going to miss the meals there.
Mr. Deb

Charlie,
As and you shall recieve

http://www.copperrange.org/discus/messages/1/83.html?1118958811

Champion No. 2, the Mill at Freda was the Champion mill, it process the rock for the mine, so thats where the confusion came from.

*A special thanks to Kevin, even though he has passed his website and his knowledge continues to be a helpful resource, to anyone interested in the history of the Copper Country.

Yes our view is astounding. There are many times I just look out of the windows at the waves, and clouds and now the ice. It sure changes from day to day. Last summer we had winds of 78 mph and during this last storm the winds were 56 mph. The house is brick so it doesn't move. Yes, I have a weather station. The house was built in the fall of 2001.
The Superior View Restaurant closed October 2006 and it is for sale. I sure do miss the great meals they had there.

With Kevin Musser passed on, who maintains the CopperRange website these days??? It sure would be a shame if no one is, or worse, if the page were to disappear altogether.

I think everything has been said about the Champion/Freda/Mine/Mill that can be discussed here. I miss the Superior View for the Friday fish fry they used to have. Nothing like cod and a Blue, yummie!!

I sure do envy you Barbara though; that has to be the best relaxation method to watch the big Lake and her changing moods out your front window......

There you go Capt. Paul, combination restaraunt and geology lab, plus relocating to the UP!

freda is one of my favorite places in the entire world. i love watching the sunsets there - they last forever. it's a great place to explore the past. wonderful pictures, neil.

Lol, if only we knew how to run a restaurant....

But I don't think we'd be good hosts..... "Define Bowen's reaction series, or it's bread and water!!" ;-)

Barb, My family comes from Freda too. My dad was born there I believe. He loves it there and so do I. My grandparents lived there and my grandmother ran the boarding house for the men who worked there. Clyde, who owned the Superior View, is my cousin. I was sad when he decided to close down. We only got there once a year, but I always loved the food. Freda or Redridge would be a great place to retire. A view of the lake every day would be fabulous. But I don't much care for the stamp sand, that's for sure. I like the sand you get out at Great Sand Bay.

Capt., doesn't Bowen's reaction series describes the temperature dependent formation of minerals as magma cools? I'll try the cod and Blue.

Exactly right!! Bowen's describes the idealized progression of minerals produced by cooling magma, thus, one can infer from the minerals present in a rock the relative conditions under which the material had formed.

It's actually a lot more complex than that and would take a lot more typing than I'm willing to do tonight, especially since I'm still fighting the sickness. If you want, I'll go into more detail on the geology thread if someone reminds me over there......

Freda is rich with past history. The Durochers, the Juntunens and others gave the town character.

There are two soft cover books available:

"Growing up in Freda" By Frieda Guilbault

"Freda, the End of the Road" By .......

Maybe Clyde has some copies left over from the restaurant stock, or contact 'Book World',906-482-8192 in Houghton.

Frieda is my aunt and she turns 100 in August. It's a good book, but I'm prejudiced. She talks a lot about my grandfather. I don't have the other book but will look into it.

I'm a little late to this discussion! I'll second that Frieda's book is great for anyone wanting more history of Freda. I'm always on the lookout for new pictures and stories (My great grandfather John Juntunen raised his family in Freda).

Thanks for the new pictures! Boy I sure do miss snow.