Near Bessemer in Gogebic County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Gogebic Iron Range
Photographed By Paul Fehrenbach, July 18, 2011
1. Gogebic Iron Range Marker
Inscription.
Gogebic Iron Range. . The Gogebic was the last of the three great iron ore fields opened in the Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin. Beginning in 1848 with Dr. A. Randall, federal and state geologists had mapped the ore formations almost perfectly long before any ore was mined. One geologist, Raphael Pumpelly, on the basis of his studies in 1871, picked out lands for purchase which years later became the sites of the wealthy Newport and Geneva mines. The first mine to go into production was the Colby. In 1884 it shipped 1,022 tons of iron ore in railroad flat cars to Milwaukee. By 1890 more than thirty mines had shipped ore from this range. Many quickly ran out of good ore and had to close. Others took their places as richer ore bodies were found. Virtually all mining here has been underground, as attested by many shafts and “cave-ins”. The soft hematite ores common on this range usually have been sent in ore cars to Ashland and Escanaba, there to be loaded in ore boats and taken to America’s steel mills.
The Gogebic was the last of the three great iron ore fields opened in the Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin. Beginning in 1848 with Dr. A. Randall, federal and state geologists had mapped the ore formations almost perfectly long before any ore was mined. One geologist, Raphael Pumpelly, on the basis of his studies in 1871, picked out lands for purchase which years later became the sites of the wealthy Newport and Geneva mines. The first mine to go into production was the Colby. In 1884 it shipped 1,022 tons of iron ore in railroad flat cars to Milwaukee. By 1890 more than thirty mines had shipped ore from this range. Many quickly ran out of good ore and had to close. Others took their places as richer ore bodies were found. Virtually all mining here has been underground, as attested by many shafts and “cave-ins”. The soft hematite ores common on this range usually have been sent in ore cars to Ashland and Escanaba, there to be loaded in ore boats and taken to America’s steel mills.
Erected 1958 by Michigan Historical Commission. (Marker Number S0083.)
46° 28.837′ N, 90° 1.59′ W. Marker is near Bessemer, Michigan, in Gogebic County. Marker is on U.S. 2, on the right when traveling west. Marker is in a rest area on the north side of U.S. Hwy 2, 2 miles east of Bessemer. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Bessemer MI 49911, United States of America. Touch for directions.
More about this marker. This marker is numbered No. 89 on its face, but is listed as No. S0083 in the Michigan DNR database.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker.
Photographed By Paul Fehrenbach, July 18, 2011
2. Gogebic Iron Range Marker
Photographed By Paul Fehrenbach, July 18, 2011
3. Gogebic Iron Range Marker
Close up of map on marker.
Photographed By Paul Fehrenbach, July 18, 2011
4. Gogebic Iron Range Marker
Looking east along US 2.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 13, 2021. It was originally submitted on July 25, 2011, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 865 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 25, 2011, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
