Its tourism is now the town’s primary industry and attracts adventurers from all over to try and conquer its mountain biking trails, enjoy a relaxing summer, or try to catch some fish to add to their repertoire. There is currently no public access to the lighthouse, but can be viewed from the Copper Harbor viewing deck.Īfter the copper mining had proven not as prosperous as anticipated, only a handful of families remained in the town. Due to Lake Superior’s storms and rocky reefs, Congress constructed the first lighthouse in 1848 - though it went into disrepair and was rebuild in 1866 and was automated in 1933. soldiers until it was permanently abandoned by the government in 1870.Īll travel to Copper Harbor was by boat, there were no roads to the town. Following the Civil War in 1867, the post was re-occupied by U.S. war with Mexico in 1846 required the garrison to be replaced and shipped to the warfront. government established Fort Wilkins in 1844 to oversee Copper Harbor’s Mineral Land Agency and maintain law and order. In an effort to protect its interests in this new-found copper boom, the U.S.
Houghton published his findings in 1840 and despite his appeal for caution, the land was soon rushed by opportunists for the copper-rich real estate. It was originally the “La Roche Verte”, or “Green Rock”, which had attracted earlier voyagers. With the well-known presence of copper in the region, Houghton made his way up the Keweenaw to the present day site of the Copper Harbor Lighthouse. He was then assigned to conduct a state geological survey. In 1837, Michigan was admitted into Statehood and Douglass Houghton was appointed as the first State Geologist. Ancient objects made of pure Keweenaw copper have been found all across the Americas and beyond. More than 7000 years ago, an ancient population began digging and ‘mining’ for copper using heavy stones to separate the copper from the rock. Related: Our Wedding In Copper Harbor & Travel Itinerary A Quick History on Copper HarborĬopper Harbor’s history begins long before the arrival of European explorers, traders, missionaries, and immigrants.
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