Mine: Atlantic Mill, Houghton, MI (Original)

Began → Atlantic Mill → Closed

From: Early 1870's.

Owned by: Atlantic Mining Company

Produced: Copper Ore

Method: 

Railroad connection: Atlantic & Lake Superior

Until: 1895

Lifetime Production: 

Notes

Served the Atlantic Mine south of Houghton.

This is the original Atlantic (Mine) Mill located on Portage Lake, west of Houghton and was operated from 1895 (possibly until 1911) when operations were moved to the Redridge area along Lake Superior.

The mill was closed and moved to Redridge when authorities became concerned about the stamp sand encroaching on the Portage Canal. 

The Copper Range Railroad crossed this 400 foot long, 75 foot high timber trestle on their route to the Old Atlantic Stamp Mill, south of Houghton.

Photo info: This is a 1915 map of Houghton and the Portage Lake canal. The railroad along the shore is the Copper Range. The winding railroad entering the location from the south is the Atlantic & Lake Superior railroad which was owned by the Atlantic mine. The original Atlantic Mill was below this track where the stamp sands are protruding into the canal. By 1915, the mill was gone, replaced by another mill in Redridge. [USGS-1915]

Time Line

Early 1870's. This mill is established on Portage Lake, west of Houghton.

1895. The new Atlantic Mill is opened at Redridge on Lake Superior. It is reached by a new line built by the Atlantic & Lake Superior railroad.

Early 1960s. Old stamp sand from the former Cole's Creek mill is transported to the Copper Range mill in Freda for reprocessing.

1963. The Copper Range Co. begins reclaiming stamp sands from the original mill. The COPR brings the sand to Freda for reprocessing. [MIS-2024-1]