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41-437: The life of Nonesuch was relatively short. It saw its first mining in 1867 and its last in 1912. The mine was opened and closed five different times, each under different ownership. The only time it made a profit was in the period 1879–1881. A US post office operated at Nonesuch from 1876 to 1887. Between 1881 and 1884 the town reached its peak with a population of about 300. The town included school with 30 students, as well as

82-400: A geological survey of Michigan. Dr. Douglass Houghton , who created and planned the survey, convinced legislators to approve its creation and funding. The bill, titled "An act to provide for a geological survey of the state", was signed into law by Governor Stevens T. Mason on February 23, commencing the state's first geological survey. Owing to his effort in creating the survey, Houghton

123-514: A 20-person crew was sent to Nonesuch to start mining, but shut down in less than a year. The mine never again reopened. Copper expert Horace Stevens commented in 1902: Total recorded production of the mine was 390 thousand pounds of copper. In 1955, the Copper Range Company opened the White Pine mine , solved the problems of mining and treating the ore, and successfully mined copper from

164-471: A boarding house, livery stable, markets, stage coach service, and a uniformed baseball team. The copper at the mine was found in a 4-foot-thick (1.2 m) bed of sandstone, and the underlying shale, also a few feet thick. These shales and sandstones were given the name Nonesuch shales and sandstones because they were rocks with very fine copper in them. This unusual (for the Copper Country ) form of copper

205-623: A single comprehensive report. His report included a general description of the state's geology and more detailed descriptions of some of its mineral resources of economic interest, including coal , gypsum , and salt in the Lower Peninsula , and iron in the Upper Peninsula . In 1863 the legislature did not approve further funding for the survey, as the state treasury was dedicated to funding the American Civil War . Official termination of

246-581: A waste product, which was often stored in large, unsecured piles near the coast. In the town of Gay, Michigan , stamp sands from a former mill have escaped into the lake and gradually moved South along the coast, burying the natural shoreline, creating new land, and obstructing piers and waterways. The Copper Country averages more snowfall than any part of the United States east of the Mississippi River , and more snowfall than any non-mountainous region of

287-545: Is an area in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the United States , including Keweenaw County, Michigan , Houghton , Baraga and Ontonagon counties as well as part of Marquette County . The area is so named as copper mining was prevalent there from 1845 until the late 1960s, with one mine (the White Pine mine) continuing through 1995. The region includes Copper Island , Copper Harbor and Isle Royale . In its heyday in

328-770: Is largely rural, and much of it has been designated as state parks or similar designations. These include McLain State Park , Porcupine Mountains State Park , and the Copper Country State Forest . The Keweenaw National Historical Park includes several important sites relating to the area's copper-mining history. Institutions of higher education include the former Finlandia University in Hancock, founded in 1896 as Suomi College (closed in 2023), and Michigan Technological University in Houghton, originally established in 1885 as

369-470: The Nonesuch Shale for the next 40 years. The townsite of Nonesuch is at an elevation of 928 feet (283 m) above mean sea level, at 46°45′19″N 089°37′11″W  /  46.75528°N 89.61972°W  / 46.75528; -89.61972 . 46°45′19″N 89°37′11″W  /  46.75528°N 89.61972°W  / 46.75528; -89.61972 Copper Country The Copper Country

410-669: The Old Copper complex , Native Americans mined copper from small pits as early as 3000 B.C. on this peninsula surrounded by the waters of Lake Superior . Douglass Houghton , the State Geologist of Michigan in the mid-1800s and later to become mayor of Detroit , reported on the copper deposits in 1841. The first successful copper mine, the Cliff mine , began operations in 1845, and spurred by venture capital from Boston and other East Coast investors, many other mines quickly followed. Mining of

451-537: The United States Geological Survey to assume responsibility for studies of paleontology and other non-economic scientific topics. The Board of 1891 to 1892 recommended to the legislature a number of changes. These included incorporating the office of Mineral Statistics with the survey, appropriating offices in Lansing, and hiring geologists who were independent of state universities and who could dedicate

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492-480: The Upper Peninsula . As established, the survey was expected to be completed in four years; however, it was soon realized that a proper survey of the entire state would take much longer. In March 1838, the survey was divided into four departments: geological and mineralogical, zoological, botanical, and topographical. Each department was headed by a specialist under the direction of the State Geologist. In 1840,

533-751: The Austrian Empire. Polish people also were attracted to this successful mining area. Thus the pattern in this boom period was first the Native Americans and people from the British Isles, French Canada and Western Europe, followed by people from the Nordic countries, and then by people from Southern and Eastern Europe. The Finns in particular stayed on and prospered even after the copper mines closed, while most moved on to other mining areas or homesteaded in other Midwestern states. The list of ethnic groups included

574-599: The Commissioner of Mineral Statistics, including preparing reports on the state's metallic and non-metallic minerals and conducting annual assessments of iron mines. The survey significantly reduced its activities during World War I due to a lack of funding and workers, but continued its topographical research, resulting in the relocation and marking of the Ohio -Michigan border. In 1919, Allen resigned and his assistant, Richard A. Smith, became State Geologist. In 1920, responsibility for

615-603: The Department of Conservation's Director, Eddy was reappointed State Geologist in 1964. In 1968, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources was created, to which the survey was transferred, retaining its name as the Geological Survey Division. Eddy was succeeded by Arthur E. Slaughter in 1971. R. Thomas Segall followed in 1981, serving until 1996. In 1995, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality

656-619: The Michigan School of Mines. Finlandia University was affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America , reflecting the spiritual heritage of the region's many Finnish immigrants. Michigan Tech was founded in response to the needs of the copper mines. Industrial pollution leftover from the former mining operations remains a significant problem in the region. Copper processing produced enormous quantities of stamp sand as

697-580: The Nonesuch mine was completely stripped of its machinery, which was brought to the dock in Union Bay to be shipped to other mines in the area. A few stayed in town after the mine shut down and logged or farmed to make a living. In 1906 The Calumet and Hecla Mining Company brought 200 tons of mining equipment to Nonesuch and explored the area. They eventually opened a mine in the Nonesuch shale at White Pine , three miles due east of Nonesuch. Four years later in 1912,

738-599: The State Board of Education. Unlike the previous two surveys, botanical and zoological investigations were not included. On April 24, Winchell was reappointed as State Geologist. This time Winchell's ideas for the direction of the survey were in conflict with those of the board. Winchell wanted to concentrate on a scholarly investigation of the Lower Peninsula, but the Board wanted the survey to focus on copper and iron resources in

779-463: The State library, and similar specimens shall be deposited in such literary and scientific institutions as the governor shall direct; and the governor is further authorized to appoint, from time to time, as the exigencies of the case may require, competent persons to act as assistants under the directions of the geologist. SECTION 2. A sum not exceeding $ 3,000 for the year 1837, a sum not exceeding $ 6,000 for

820-639: The Upper Peninsula. After Wright's death in March 1888, Marshman Edward Wadsworth was appointed as State Geologist. Under Wadsworth, the survey obtained its own offices at the Michigan Mining School , having previously relied on private offices or the homes of the various geologists. In order that the Michigan Geological Survey could concentrate on economic geology , Wadsworth arranged for

861-519: The Upper Peninsula. In response, the Board contracted independent surveys of the Marquette Iron Range and the Copper Country . As a result of frequent debates and political infighting, Winchell resigned in April 1871. Dr. Carl Rominger was named as Winchell's replacement. Rominger worked "practically alone" from 1872 through 1876, focusing primarily on investigating fossil corals and elucidating

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902-436: The advice and consent of the senate, to appoint a competent person, whose duty it shall be to make an accurate and complete geological survey of this State, which shall be accompanied with proper maps and diagrams, and furnish a full and scientific description of its rocks, soils, minerals, and of its botanical and geological productions, together with specimens of the same; which maps, diagrams, and specimens shall be deposited in

943-530: The aforementioned Nordic peoples , Chinese ; Cornish ; Croatians ; French Canadians ; Germans ; Irish ; Italians ; Native Americans ; Poles ; and Slovenes . Popular tourist destinations include the cities of Copper Harbor , Houghton , and the Porcupine Mountains with Lake of the Clouds. Snowmobiling is very popular in the winter, and snowmobile trails are found in most areas. The Copper Country

984-409: The botanical and zoological aspects of the survey were abolished by the legislature. They were perceived as offering the state little benefit, overriding Houghton's protests that they remain. In 1845, Houghton was out sailing on Lake Superior when a storm overturned his boat and he drowned. After this incident the survey was suspended, although Houghton's assistant and another surveyor continued to map

1025-406: The continental United States. 46°56′N 88°48′W  /  46.94°N 88.8°W  / 46.94; -88.8 State Geologist of Michigan The Michigan Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the U.S. state of Michigan . The survey is headed by the State Geologist of Michigan . The survey has been composed of three individual surveys: the first from 1837 through 1845,

1066-610: The copper deposits in the Upper Peninsula, salt and gypsum deposits, and petroleum resources in the Upper Peninsula, became noted reference tools for future geologists. During Hubbard's tenure the survey terminated its remaining connections with the Michigan Mining School and the University of Michigan, as the relationship was considered "beneficial to [the universities], but detrimental to the survey". Hubbard resigned in 1899, and Lane became State Geologist in April. Lane moved

1107-465: The geologic structure of the Michigan Basin in the Lower Peninsula. He also supported the independent contractors who were investigating economic resources in the Upper Peninsula. In May 1885, Charles E. Wright , who had previously been the state's Commissioner of Mineral Statistics, succeeded Rominger. He primarily engaged in the drawing of topographical maps and sketches of the geologic phenomena of

1148-418: The latter half of the 19th century and the early 20th century, the area was the world's greatest producer of copper. Copper Country is highly unusual among mining districts in that the copper mined was predominantly in its elemental (" native ") form, rather than in the form of compounds (mostly oxides and sulfides) that form the basis of the copper ore at almost every other copper-mining district. Supporting

1189-404: The legislature. SECTION 3. The geologist appointed under the provisions of this act shall make a report annually to the legislature, on the first Monday of January, in each year, setting forth generally the progress made in the survey hereby authorized. On January 26, 1837, Michigan was admitted as a state. On that same day, a bill was introduced and approved in the state legislature to conduct

1230-592: The mineralogical deposits on the south shore of Lake Superior. In the late 1850s, the Michigan Legislature received petitions from various interests to further investigate the state's salt resources, leading to the establishment of a second geological survey on February 15, 1859. Dr. Alexander Winchell of the University of Michigan was named State Geologist on March 9. Winchell spent much of his time from 1859 through 1862 conducting field work that culminated in

1271-533: The most productive deposit, the Calumet conglomerate, began in 1865. Mining took place along a belt that stretched about 100 miles southwest to northeast. While mining in Copper Country continues to this day, it is on a much smaller scale than before, with tourism and logging having taken over as the area's largest industries. Initially, Irish, Cornish, French-Canadian and German immigrants came to mine copper on

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1312-481: The peninsula. They were followed by large numbers of Finns , Swedes , Danes , Sámi and Norwegians who immigrated to the Upper Peninsula, especially the Keweenaw Peninsula , to work in the mines. The immigration of people from Finland peaked from 1899 to World War I. Slovenes, Croatians, and Italians emigrated from about 1880, the first two groups sometimes called Austrians as their homelands were then part of

1353-500: The second from 1859 through 1862, and the third from 1869 to present. During most of that time, the survey has been a department of the state government. Since 2011 however, the survey has been administered by the Department of Geosciences at Western Michigan University . SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Michigan, That the governor is hereby authorized and directed to nominate, and by and with

1394-569: The survey occurred on March 7, 1863, by a joint resolution of the state legislature. By 1869 there was widespread public support for resuming the geological survey, and legislation was passed in March. The survey was officially known as the Michigan Geological and Biological Survey. An ex officio Board of Geological Survey was created to oversee the department, consisting of the Governor, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and President of

1435-533: The survey was transferred to the newly created Michigan Department of Conservation . However, the topographical elements of the survey were transferred to other state departments. In 1946 Smith retired, after 26 years as the longest-serving State Geologist to date. Dr. Gerald E. Eddy succeeded Smith, and remained until 1951. He was followed by Franklin G. Pardee from 1951 through 1952. William L. Daoust succeeded him as Acting State Geologist through 1954 and as State Geologist through 1964. After twelve years as

1476-473: The survey's headquarters from Houghton to Lansing . During his tenure, the legislature reinstated funding for zoological and biological studies, and the first topographical survey was commenced. In 1909, Lane resigned to accept a professorship at Tufts College , and was succeeded by Roland C. Allen in September. Around the time that Allen became State Geologist, the survey took over the responsibilities of

1517-435: The whole of their time to the survey. In 1893, Wadsworth became aware of these intentions, and offered to resign from the Michigan Mining School if he were given a raise to $ 4,000 per year. His offer was rejected and Wadsworth resigned. Dr. Lucius Lee Hubbard was appointed State Geologist on July 1, 1893, with Dr. Alfred Church Lane as Assistant State Geologist. The research results published by these two men, documenting

1558-423: The year 1838, a sum not exceeding $ 8,000 for the year 1839, and a sum not exceeding $ 12,000 for the year 1840, is hereby appropriated to defray the expenses that may be incurred under this act, which sums shall be paid out of the treasury from any money not otherwise appropriated, at such times and in such sums as the governor may direct; and an account of all the expenditures of each year shall be annually reported to

1599-551: Was created, taking over the survey. In 1996, Harold R. Fitch became State Geologist. In 2002 and 2004, the survey was respectively renamed the Geological and Land Management Division and the Office of Geological Survey. In 2010, Fitch began discussions with Western Michigan University (WMU) to assume the non-regulatory functions of the survey. Funding cuts were restricting the survey's ability to perform any non-regulatory duties, so

1640-412: Was named the first State Geologist. Abram Sager was appointed as Houghton's assistant for the zoological and botanical aspects of the survey. The survey was appropriated $ 3000 for its first year. The motivational factor for establishing a geological survey was primarily to secure supplies of salt . Lesser reasons were to help dispel negative beliefs about the state and to investigate copper resources in

1681-420: Was ultimately the reason for the mine's repeated failures. It was very difficult to separate the fine copper from the surrounding rock. As was common practice in the Copper Country, the ore was crushed in a stamp mill and concentrated by gravity. However, the gravity separators of the time could not efficiently separate the fine copper particles, and much copper was lost in the waste tailings. By February 1887,

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