Railroad: Houghton County Traction Company

The Houghton County Traction Company served the Keweenaw peninsula as an electric interurban railroad. It purchased the Houghton County Street railway in 1900 (East Houghton to Allouez), and in 1908 built north through Ahmeek to Mohawk. The railroad also had branches to Lake Linden, wolverine Mine, and around Red Jacket and Calumet. The line was abandoned in 1932. [MRL]

Houghton County Street Railway → Houghton County Traction → Ended operation

Built: 1900 as the HCSR.

Became: Houghton County Traction in 1908.

Operated for 24 years.

Ended operations in 1932.

References: [MRRC][HCSC]

Photo Info: A Houghton County Traction car on a curve leading onto Sheldon Avenue in Houghton in 1932. [Mark Worrall collection]

Notes

The Houghton County Traction Company was a successor to the Houghton County Street Railway, which had been built from Houghton, via Hancock to Laurium and Calumet. The line also had branches from Lake Linden Junction (Laurium) to Lake Linden and Hubbell on Torch Lake, and from Lake Linden Junction north to Mohawk. A short branch connected from Albion Station (just north of Laurium) to Red Jacket/Calumet.

The Traction Company also operated a resort known as Electric Park, which was located on their line north of Boston Mine.

The electric line occasionally had problems in the summer. Heat expanded the rails (including steam roads on the level below) and it was not possible to close the bridge. The fire department would pour cool lake water on the rails to contract them enough to close the bridge. [CRR]

The electric railway had wooden trestles over the Mineral Range at the following locations: Mesard, St. Mary's, Tecumseh or LaSalle, Osceola, Laurium, Albion (COPR) Wolverine and Mohawk. [CRR]

Time Line

1908. The Houghton County Traction Company, capitalized at $2,850,000 has been organized by Stone and Webster for the purpose of taking over the Houghton County Street Railway company and build the Wolverine to Mohawk and other extensions. [DFP-1908-0821]

1908. The company has 138 employees. 23 closed passenger cars were operated along with 6 snowplows. The road had 60# rail. [CRR]

1932. The Traction Company discontinued operations in May, 1932.

For additional information about this railroad, see:

• Houghton County's Streetcars and Electric Park, by Clarence J. Monette, Greenlee Printing Co., © 2001.