Station: Laurium, MI (formerly Calumet, MI)

Laurium is located adjacent to Calumet in northern Houghton County. The town was platted by the Laurium Mining Company in 1889 and called Calumet. It was renamed Laurium in 1895. Laurium was located on the southeast side of the massive C&H Mining Company facilities in the region and many mining employees lived here.

Photo Info: Shoveling snow on Hecla Street for the interurban in Laurium, in a postcard view.

Notes

Laurium is named for a city in ancient Greece where copper and silver were mined. [ED-1937-0808]

Time Line

1897. Within a few days Laurium can boast of being the largest city in Michigan without railroad facilities. The Mineral Range railroad runs there now, but it is being widened to standard gauge so that the DSS&A trains can run over it. When this improvement is completed the termination of the road will be at Calumet, instead of Laurium, and the abandonment of this portion of the road will leave Laurium out in the cold. [DFP-1897-0924]

1898. The Calumet and Hecla Mining company has recently built and equipped a model hospital containing 30 beds, and the medical staff of the company has made a proposition to the medical department of the University of Michigan to accept two of its graduates annually for a term of service of one year. The service will begin July 15. The appointments are to be made on the recommendation of the faculty. [OT-1898-0304]

1903. To compete with the arriving Copper Range railroad, the Mineral Range builds a branch from Calumet to Laurium. They also built a depot here near the corner of Florida and Third Streets. Passenger service from Calumet was extended to here however the service was unsuccessful and cut back to Calumet.

1911. The Buffalo Bill circus performs at the Laurium driving park. The Keweenaw Central railroad will operate special trains for spectators from towns in Keweenaw County. [KC-1912-0806] The Mineral Range railroad will also cover a special train from Gay for circus crowds. [CN-1912-0814]

1918. The DSS&A had an agent/operator at this location during the day. [TRT]