2,030 miles
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| ore dock in Marquette Harbor with springtime ice, by Greg Kretovic |
Apr 14 – Early
in its Euro-American history the Upper Peninsula was used for extractive
industries (fur trapping, mining, & lumber). Then settlers built towns & farms, but
those have not succeeded here, and the forest is retaking its territory.
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| mining equipment displayed on Iron Ore Heritage Trail |
Mining has
been a way of life for Yoopers for more than a century. But many mines have
been played out & closed down. What
happens when they are abandoned? Big
brick buildings dot the landscape and miles of railroad track crisscross
it. Near Marquette, a new use has been
found for these deserted sites. The Iron
Ore Heritage Trail is a 47-mile, year-round trail that follows several former
railroads, some dating back to the 1850s, built to carry the iron ore from the
mines to the Lake Superior harbor. Many
relics of mining can be seen: mine shafts, forges, furnaces and other
historical structures.
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| biking past relics |
The trail
has been designed for a multitude of users. People can walk, bike, run, inline skate, wander
off the path into wild places, ride a horse, cross-country ski, snowmobile, or
ride an ATV. Wherever possible and
allowed, parallel but separate trails are provided for motorized and
non-motorized traffic, for the safety and enjoyment of all trail users. Visitors, including school classes, can visit
different areas to learn about the history of local industry as well as the
natural and cultural history.
Interpretive displays show how Yooper ancestors dug the ore that helped
the North win the Civil War, helped the U.S. build weapons for WWI and WWII,
and spurred on the industrial revolution.
Dedicated &
cooperative citizens made this project a success.
ore dock
image by Greg Kretovic: http://michigannaturephotos.photoshelter.com/image/I0000mMuJpmUzD6E
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