Location: Houghton, MI - M. Van Orden Company Coal Dock

The Van Orden Coal Dock was located on Portage Lake, in front of the Copper Range Railroad roundhouse in Houghton. This dock was first observed in Sanborn Maps in 1911. The company had a coal shed (with hoisting platform), a cement warehouse, coal pile storage areas, and a long coal pocket dock (425' long) with 3 portable hoisting engines on top east of the roundhouse.

Notes

Early reference to this property may have included lime kilns and it may have been a cargo dock.

The 425' dock may have been purchased or leased to the Copper Range company in later years.

The Van Orden docks were served by the Copper Range railroad.

The Van Orden family was apparently involved in an insurance agency in Marquette and Calumet area in the late 1800's. Mathew Van Orden was also involved in the Baltic Mine.

Time Line

1891. Mathew Van Orden is elected to the board of directors of the Michigan Gold Company based in Marquette. [GRH-1891-0211]

1902. The Michigan Supply company, operator of a brick yard at L'Anse, has been absorbed by the M. Van Orden Company of Houghton.

1903. The L'Anse school board purchases coal from the M. Van Orden Company. [LAS-1903-0328]

1904. The company supplies paving brick to the contractor building Sheldon Street in Houghton. [LAS-1904-0514]

1909. A part of the new portion of the Van Orden Coal dock in West Houghton collapsed a couple of days ago, carrying with it a thousand tons of coal, which fell in the lake. The dock was built on sandy ground, and the weight of the coal piled upon it caused it to give way. [CN-1909-1112]

1914. October 2. The Copper Range railroad and the M. Van Orden company petitioned for the privilege of putting in Gamewell fire alarm boxes to connect with the village (of Houghton) system. [CN-1914-1002]

1917. The 427' dock is reported to be 40 feet high. The dock had its own single track locomotive house near the dock for a switch engine. [DBM-1917]