• Wednesday-What'sUP September 20 - 02:24 pm

Nathan Miller was at it again, recently, with his kite aerial photography. This flight had him high above the dredge and other mining ruins surrounding it, in Mason. It puts a different perspective on the site with the view of the water and surrounding grassy areas.

Note the kayaker approaching the dredge in the second photo, another neat way to explore the area. I've had the privilege of paddling my kayak inside the building there and it is quite the experience. With the tilt of the building around you, it feels like the water is going downhill. It is a unique optical illusion for sure.

Nathan's third shot shows the reclamation plant that is across the road from where the dredge is there. He said he thinks it is a bit more picturesque from his "kite's eye view". I would have to agree.

Then photo number four shows the old mining ruins with the smokestack still standing tall. Nathan said he had wanted to steer the kite over closer to the stack to check out what is up there, but the winds weren't really cooperating that day. It is also a great view looking north toward Hubbell and Lake Linden.

Thanks for taking us up above for a look, Nathan!

Very nice shots...makes me wish I had wings…the feathered kind, not the motorcycle.

Great views, Nathan!
I do wish the NPS would place a sign at the site describing what the dredge/buildings were used for and tell the story of an often forgotten yet important side of Copper Country mining history.

Makes me miss driving through Mason on the way "home". Great shots! Thanks!

Neat views once again, Nathan.

Great shots of the Dredge!

Great shots Nathan. I was wondering if you had gone into hibernation early.
Mary, speaking of optical illusions, you should stop at the Mystery Spot in St. Ignace if you haven't already.

Great shots nathan..love them aerial views.!!!

Does anyone remember the house ( yes, HOUSE ! ) which used to be near the same area as the dredge, and about the same level of submersion ? This would've been in the mid-to late 1970's Rumor was that it was being moved on the ice, got to a thin spot, and awww nuts.

Tom...I remember hearing something like that before. Perhaps this is the house???:

http://www.rockybarker.com/house.html

I LOVE LOVE the pics today. It is wonderful to get a
view from above!

I remember the area of these pictures well. While
attending TECH in the 1950's I worked as the night
watchman on weekend and made hourly trips through
all the buildings. Picture #2&#3- I worked on this
dredge some times and also on the one that sunk.#3
is not the "Reclamation Plant". It was located
about 1/2 mile south. The smoke stack was just on
the north side of the old boiler works where steam
was generated to operate the "Heads" in the Mill
and to run the very large steam engine that ran
the water pump. The water Pump house was just a
short distance north of the smoke stack. In this
picture note the straight line along the water
front. This was the old Coal dock where the big
boat docked to delivered coal for the #4 is a
picture of the ruins of the "OLd" Quincy mill.
Most of the building burned. The one story and
two story building you see was added after the
mill was built, thus made of bricks and mortar.
This was refereed to as the lower wash. It was add
when the new shaker table came into use. If you
look to the right of the lower wash there is a
small clearing in the forest. This is the remains
of the "New Mill". My uncle Harvey worked in the
old mill back in 1899 or 1900 when he was just 12
years old. He was a water boy who carried bucket
of drinking water around to give the worker a
drink thus they had little or no reason to leave
the work station during the day-just keep working!

Thanks for including that link, Alex - FASCINATING!
:O

Alex..... Nope, not the one I remember although about the same result. As I recall, the house could be seen from the road as I travelled from Ripley toward Lake Linden.. not easy to see, as it was pretty close to the shore but it was there sure enough. I always wondered, were they oh so close to making it all the way across or did the ice give way just after they started ?

I don't recall a house, but the first dredge that sank (and which the one pictured replaced) had it's roof showing in the middle of the lake for many years.