The small town of Mansfield sits near the center of the Upper Peninsula. Not much remains of the town today after a devastating mine collapse killed several miners. An old log cabin style church still stands and has been restored by local historians. Behind the church are the ruins of some old cabins. I can only assume they were abandoned shortly after the mine collapse. You can see my post about the church HERE

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This massive crumbling building stands along M-26 north of Hancock. It is the remains of the Quincy Stamping Mill No. 1. Built in 1890 it was used to pulverize ore to extract the copper from it. The mills production peaked during World War I. After the war the demand for copper diminished and the mine’s production slowed. The mine closed in the 30s when the Great Depression hit. The mine reopened for a short time during World War II but closed for a final time shortly after the war ended. The ruins stand along the road as a reminder of the booming copper industry in the Keweenaw.

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The remnants of the old Halliwell mine can be found in the Porcupine Mountains. South of the visitor’s center on S. Boundry Road is where the mine once stood after it was constructed in 1895. The mine sunk two vertical shafts but it never made a profit and closed in 1908.

After the mine closed is when it gets a little interesting. Two brothers, George and Gus Biggie live at the mine. They were born in the Porkies in the 1890s. They attended school at the nearby ghost town of Nonesuch where their father ran a general store. They lived in the old office of the mine and raised chickens, grew a garden and guided hunters and tourists to make a living. When the Michigan took over the land to create the state park they were given special permission to live at the old mine. After they had both passed away in the 1970s the mine structures were removed. Only a few remnants of the mine remain along with a fenced off hole where the shaft was sunk into the earth.

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In the old town section of Negaunee is a large hole covered with old iron fencing. This opening in the side of a cliff was part of the Jackson Mine. The mine was the first iron ore mine in the Lake Superior region. In 1844 surveyor William Burt noticed some strange fluctuations  on his compass and upon further investigations he noticed iron ore deposits. Soon afterwards the first mine was dug.

The mine was closed in the 1950s and is now a historic site. In 2003 the area was converted into a park by the city of Negaunee and has mining artifacts on display. The area of the mine is known as Old Town Negaunee and has foundations and stairs from the houses and buildings that once stood on the land. You can read more about it on my post HERE. 

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