M-26 Hancock to Lake Linden

Now tilting into the lake, this rusting old dredger dug up stamp sand dumped in Torch Lake after 90% of the copper had been extracted. New techniques after World War II for separating copper made this copper-rich sand more valuable than the 1% copper rocks mined deep underground.

This interesting stretch of highway heads east out of Hancock through Ripley then doglegs north at Dollar Bay up along the slender southern edge of Torch Lake, that odd tooth that widens as it approaches Lake Linden then heads to another slender waterway that provides access to Keweenaw Bay and Lake Superior. It was a curiously convulted yet crucial waterway for the big copper companies.This passageway allowed them to rail the dark rocks from the mines a few miles up on Keweenaw's spine down to the shoreline and ship them to the nation.

But the water provided another essential function. These chunks of basalt carted from above only contained 1-2% copper. They had to be crushed into dark sand before the copper could be estracted.

To produce the all-important pure copper ingot that could be profitably shipped, lots of water was needed to sift out the tiny portion in these rocks. Hence the location of these big copper plants along the lakeshore.

Along M-26 from Hancock to Lake Linden there were myriad processing plants—Lake Linden's were especially enormous. Passing Mason one gets an especially well-preserved view of the humble homes of those who worked at the end-point of the copper-mining process.

But along this stretch of M-26 you also get to see the scattered remnants of these copper-processing plants, none stranger, perhaps, than the remnants of the stamping plant pictured above. Perhaps even stranger is the complete disappearance of the enormous copper processing plants around the city of Lake Linden. It's hard to imagine that gargantuan factories ever existed here.

But they were here, and they did a lot. So much residerual "stamp sand" accumulated that they say 20% of sizable Torch Lake was filled.

Now what you see along the northern stretch is a long expanse of chain-link fence ending in Lake Linden park. The EPA designated this stretch as a Superfund Site.

Return to Hancock

HANCOCK
POINTS OF INTEREST

Quincy Mine. The U.P.'s best all-around mine tour combines geology, a gee-whiz tram ride, social history, monumental engineering technology, and an optional underground experience at one of Copper Country's two richest mines. ... more

Distant Drum. A delightful custom clothing shop inspired by trips abroad, her Ramsay roots, and annual trips to the Southwest ... more

M-26 Hancock to Lake Linden. A fascinating drive through the old copper processing region ... more

McLain State Park. Two miles of beautiful Lake Superior beach, a lighthouse pier, and 443 diverse acres provide wonderful beach and woodland walks, good birding, and stunning sunset views for campers and day visitors alike. ... more

North on US-41 Hancock to Copper Harbor. Past historic copper mining villages and ruins, majestic rock bluffs, a shady tunnel trees, this is one of Michigan's best known scenic drives ... more

Portage Waterway. The 21-mile stretch of water results from an ancient fracture of Keweenaw's spine of hard rock ... more

Temple Jacob. A jewell-like temple is perched prettily on a Hancock hillside, still in good shape decades after most of its congregation has moved elsewhere ... more

Downtown Hancock. Unlike many downtowns, Hancock's remains a one-stop business center with many useful shops, a department store, resale stores, arty specialty stores and galleries, a toy store, gun shop, home-owned bank, and bookstore with specialties in regional, the environment, and Scandinavia. ... more

Finlandia University/Finnish-American Heritage Center. Finlandia University (the U.P.'s only private college) and the associated Finnish-American Heritage Center form the U.S. epicenter of Finnish culture. They offer exhibits and lectures. ... more

Finlandia University Portage Campus. Hancock's big old hospital is now a hub of college activityk, including yoga, fitess, meditation studios and a cafe with a nice view of the waterway. ... more

Deja vu & Daily Brew Antiques and Collectibles. An imposing, fanciful Victorian house features Depression-era and cut glass as well as a coffee shop with wi-fi ... more

Keweenaw Co-op Natural Foods & Groceries. A great place to stop for picnic and camping provisions, with a tasty deli section, gourmet and international fare, unusual sauces and bulk foods, and an impressive selection of wines ... more

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