Douglass Copper Mine, Ripley, Houghton Co., Michigan, USA

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An underground copper mine consisting of four shafts located near Ripley. The Douglass Mining Company was organized in 1863 and sunk four shafts the same year on the Isle Royal Lode. Known lodes crossing the property included the Isle Royal, Portage, and a conglomerate that was rich in copper as well. Work went on for five years until 1868 when the mine was abandoned for unknown reasons. In its five years, the Douglass recovered approximately 170,000 pounds of copper. The mine would stay dormant until 1898 when the Arcadian Copper Company absorbed the mine lands. Arcadian opened two of the shafts and conducted extensive drifting and stoping. The shafts were renamed the A and B shafts, but were always known as the “Douglass Shafts”. It is said that good copper, datolite, and copper wires can be found on the one remaining pile that is accessible.

References

IRVING, R.D. (1883), USGS, MONOGRAPH 5, MAP XVII.

The Copper Country Rock & Mineral Club, 2001, Red Gold and Tarnished Silver, 2nd Ed., 44 pp.

Kaminski-Hamka, T., 2011, Copper Mines of Houghton County, Michigan. Copperlady Press, 120 pp.

DeGood, L., 2011, Michigan Copper Mining Stocks and Bonds. 401 pp.

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