The Making of a Mining District: Keweenaw Native Copper 1500-1870

Great Lakes Books Series

by David J. Krause

The Keweenaw Peninsula of northern Michigan is the only place on earth where large amounts of copper are found in the pure metallic "native" state. The Making of a Mining District is the first book to fully document how the value of these unique deposits came to be recognized, from the time Europeans first became aware of the native copper shortly after 1500 to the establishment of the region as one of the great copper mining districts of the world.
Krause focuses on the period from 1820 to 1865, when the district's true mining potential became clearer to many and when American science changed from a pleasant amateur diversion into a more rigorous professional discipline, a change clearly reflected in attitudes toward this unique region.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Geology

300 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Charlise Keck · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book paints a rich and unique portrait of early Michigan history. It was a great read that I couldn't put down. Krause manages to keep interest while providing a detailed historical account of the development of Michigan's critical copper mining industry. I would highly recommend the book to those looking to learn about a fascinating history of the richest mines ever discovered.