Copper Country buildings focus of survey

The Copper Country is full of history, and the area’s buildings were the focus of a presentation Thursday night.

Buildings of the Copper Country was held at  NMU’s Beaumier Heritage Center as a way to highlight the region’s architecture.

Buildings were chosen from a of survey of historic resources done by the Keweenaw National Historic Park Advisory Commission.  Buildings were from Houghton, Keweenaw, Ontonagon and northwest Baraga Counties.

“Certain places (in the Copper Country) have gotten more attention that others,” Dr. Jane Busch said, who is a Historical Preservation Consultant.  “A lot is known about Calumet, a lot is known about Quincy, but the purpose of the survey was to get a little more information on other places.”

Dr. Busch said the Copper Country has so much history due to the mining industry, and many buildings are still standing.

“The Copper Country is nationally important,” Busch said.  “There’s a national park there, there’s two National Historic Landmark Districts.  From the beginning of copper mining in the 1840’s, it’s just a very historic area, and it’s a very well preserved area.”

“Many places have been lost, but there’s not a lot of new construction.”

The survey was done from 2009 to 2012, concentrating on buildings built prior to 1970.