On
a rugged and rocky peninsula cradled by the frigid waters of Lake Superior
lie the pieces of a story told, not in words, but in the landscape itself,
in artifacts and buildings left from a mining past, in the remnants
of a great transportation system, and the lives of the people here.
The Copper Country Trail tells the story of a society that rose up out
of the rock and forest as people of different cultures came together
for a shared purpose. Make a trip to Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula and
experience the story for yourself.
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Historic
Tamarack Miners (MI) [2]
"Go
West, young man, go forth into the country!" Horace Greeley may
have had the Keweenaw Peninsula in mind when he made this famous statement.
He had visited the peninsula in 1831, and those that followed his call
and came to the Copper Country found boomtowns, the largest pure copper
deposits in the world, and a new start in America. Thousands of Irish,
German, English, Scandinavian, and Italian immigrants came to work in
the rapidly growing mining operations, making the Lake Superior Region
a center for cultural diversity as well as industry. By the end of the
1840s the 'Copper Boom' had begun.
Get
a sense of what it was like to be amongst the energy of the industrial
complexes as you explore mineshaft buildings or historic lighthouses
that served bustling ports transporting people and copper. The Keweenaw
National Historical Park and its cooperating sites put the "story"
back in history with sites, structures, and artifacts ranging from the
Upper Peninsula Fire Fighter's Memorial Museum in the Calumet Unit of
Keweenaw National Historical Park to the Laurium Manor Inn, a Victorian
bed and breakfast. Descend deep into the earth on a tour of the Delaware
Copper Mine and see pure veins of copper still exposed in the walls
of the mine, or learn what army life was really like through the living
history programs at Fort Wilkins State Park.
History
buffs aren't the only ones that will enjoy a trip to the Keweenaw. Michigan's
Upper Peninsula has long been a destination for those seeking adventure,
relaxation, and an escape from the increasing pressures of urban life.
Driving along the Copper Country Trail and its side trip routes, you'll
catch glimpses of both picturesque wilderness and geological wonders.
Feast your eyes on a ridge of ancient lava flows and the 1.6 billion-year-old
bedrock arching out into the largest body of fresh water in the world.
Or take time to enjoy the one of the nation's best mineral collections
on display at the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum.
Come
away with a diversified experience rich in natural wonders and history
when you travel the Copper Country Trail. Whether you have a week or
only a weekend, you can find plenty to learn and do! Come to the Keweenaw;
there's a story waiting for you here.
"The
National Scenic Byways Program recognizes highways that are outstanding
examples of our nation's beauty, history, culture, and recreational
experience by designating them as All-American Roads and National Scenic
Byways. The roads being featured were designated by the Secretary of
Transportation from nominations submitted by the states and federal
land management agencies. These designations provide a compass for people
from all over the world to explore America's treasured open roads."
www.byways.org
