Fourth Thursday in History: A Summer's Eve at Cliff Mine

Date: July 21, 2008
Contact: Kathleen Harter, [phone]

(Image not found.)

Keweenaw NHP Archives

The Cliff Mine was the first successful copper mining venture on the Keweenaw Peninsula, but little remains to remind us of its heyday. Join historians Larry Molloy and Dr. Philip Mason on Thursday, July 24th, 2008 as they reveal the mine’s history in this special, two-part event.

The Cliff Mine began in 1844, and quickly gained a prominent reputation in the district. The first to mine mass copper profitably, it drew considerable attention to the Keweenaw’s developing district. Closed since 1931, the engine houses, smokestacks, warehouses, and other structures that once marked the mine site have crumbled over time, and are now obscured by thick forests. However, the site’s past is slowly being revealed by researchers like Molloy and Mason. Both have conducted extensive research into the mine’s ups and downs, as well as its social history. Come to see and hear what they have learned about this important but little known mine.

"A Summer’s Eve at Cliff" is a special two-part Fourth Thursday in History program. The first part of the evening will start at 5:30 p.m. with a walking tour of the mine site. Please meet at the marker on Cliff Drive. Parking is limited, so please plan accordingly. The terrain is rocky and uneven, and the trail crosses two small creeks; sturdy shoes are advised. The second part of the program starts at 7:00 p.m. at the former Church of the Assumption on US Highway 41 in Phoenix, a short drive north from the mine site. Please feel free to participate in one or both parts of the program.

The Fourth Thursday in History is a series of public presentations on a variety of aspects of Copper Country and regional history, including techniques for historic preservation. Presentations are scheduled in venues throughout the Keweenaw Peninsula. They are free and open to the public. Additional support for this event is being provided by the Keweenaw County Historical Society.

For further information, including specific directions to this event, contact Keweenaw National Historical Park at [phone].

 

Future Fourth Thursday in History Events

August 28th, 2008
A New Life in a New Land: The French-Canadians Come to the Keweenaw
Chassel Heritage Center

September 25th, 2008
The Role of the Nonesuch Mine in Michigan's Rich Copper Mining Heritage
Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park