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Copper Connections Introduction

Closeup photo of a gentle stream of crystal clear water flowing over pebbles including a piece of float copper with a light green patina.
Copper like this has been found in streams for thousands of years in Michigan's Copper Country.

NPS photo

Sepia-toned map of the Lake Superior Region including Western and Central Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Isle Royale. The map includes counties (colored to delineate them), early mines and settlements.
Colton’s 1869 Lake Superior Map

David Rumsey Map Collection, David Rumsey Map Center, Stanford Libraries Copyright and Permissions (Cropped Image)

Isle Royale and the Keweenaw Peninsula may appear unrelated, two distinct landmasses separated by the great expanse of Lake Superior. Yet this fresh, cold water connects them across the distance, while obscuring another way the two places are connected: a distinctive copper-rich geology, and the people who have mined the metal over time. Archaeology helps us understand the connections and people who have occupied this region for thousands of years.

Part of a series of articles titled Copper Connections.

Next: Why Copper?

Tags

Isle Royale National Park, Keweenaw National Historical Park

Last updated: March 8, 2024