Calumet

Description: Calumet was founded in 1864. The town grew rapidly due to the numerous, very productive copper mines. Around 1900, more than 25,000 people lived in the region. When the demand for copper fell again in the 1920s, thousands of residents left the town. Many moved to Detroit, where the car industry was booming. During the Great Depression, almost all the mines were closed. As a result, many miners and their families moved away. In 1950, the population of Calumet was only 1256 people. Nowadays, the small town lives mainly from tourism. The Calumet Downtown Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
This lump of native copper ( on the right), found in 1970 and weighing 9392lbs, was buried under glacial silt for a long time. It was torn out of the rock by glacial activity and carried long distances by the ice sheet together with other raw materials. The churning and grinding action of the glacier rounded and smoothed the copper mass, creating the shape seen here. The long time that has passed since the end of glacial activity is responsible for the oxidation of the copper surface. Pieces similar to this one were often found on the Keweenaw Peninsula and on Isle Royale.

Our rating: Calumet is like a living museum. There are still numerous buildings that tell the story of the time when copper was mined here. If you are interested in the history of the region, Calumet is a must-see. We liked the small, pretty town.