Near Copper Harbor in Keweenaw County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Wired for Light & Sound
Keweenaw copper transformed American industry and lifestyles
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 3, 2017
1. Wired for Light and Sound Marker
Take one rift valley enriched by the largest deposit of native copper on Earth. Add a handful of 19th-century American ingenuity and industry.Watch America light up as copper wire from Keweenaw mines powers the "electrical revolution" across the continent — and around the world.
By the time Keweenaw copper mining peaked around 1900, cities all over America were gearing up to provide electric power and telephone service. Within 30 years, 75 percent of American households would have electricity. Keweenaw copper changed our world forever.
Keweenaw mines produced enough copper to run a standard 110-volt household wire to the moon and back — 300 times!
Learn more Keweenaw Peninsula history and places by visiting Keweenaw National Historical Park
Erected by Copper Country Trail National Byway.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce.
Location. 47° 27.838′ N, 87° 58.172′ W. Marker is near Copper Harbor, Michigan, in Keweenaw County
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Corridor to the World (here, next to this marker); The Copper Country (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Connecting with Wilderness (approx. 2.2 miles away); Tracing the Story (approx. 3.4 miles away); Isle Royale National Park (approx. 3.8 miles away); Copper Harbor (approx. 3.8 miles away); Fort Wilkins State Park and Historic Complex (approx. 3.8 miles away); The Estivant Pines (approx. 3.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Copper Harbor.
Also see . . .
1. A Guide to Michigan's Keweenaw Copper District. The Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan was the most important site in the world for pure native copper. Mining operations began in 1845 and continued until 1968. During that time over 7 million tons of refined copper were recovered from the Keweenaw's native copper mines. From 1845 to 1865, the Keweenaw Peninsula mines accounted for three-fourths of America's copper production. (Submitted on July 31, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. Copper Country Trail National Byway. The Calumet
Courtesy Keweenaw National Historical Park Archive
2. Marker detail: Calumet Town Hall lit up
3. These 11 Photos Show Michigan’s Copper Mining History Like Never Before. Most Michiganders know that our state played a large role in the earliest days of the copper mining industry, but it’s easy to forget that we once sat at the very forefront of this booming business. Here are 11 incredible photos that will help you gain an entirely new appreciation for the Great Lakes State’s influence on the development of copper mining throughout the nation. (Submitted on July 31, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Courtesy Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections
3. Marker detail: Men unloading copper, 1915
Public Domain
4. Marker detail: Early Telephone Technology
5. Marker detail: Spine of the Keweenaw
The "Spine of the Keweenaw" — a ridge and valley system marking the peninsula's copper-rich fault line — runs the length of the peninsula, roughly paralleling U.S. Highway 41.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 3, 2017
6. Wired for Light & Sound Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on July 31, 2020. It was originally submitted on July 30, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 94 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on July 31, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
