Subseries V: St. Mary's Canal Mineral Land Company Records, 1853 - 1947
Scope and Contents
The records of the St. Mary's Canal Mineral Land Company include extensive land records, correspondence, and financial records. The company's early records are surprisingly complete and provide a unique look at the development of the Copper Country, beginning in the 1860s.
Records from companies connected with the St. Mary's Canal Mineral Land Company are also included, notably the St. Mary's Falls Ship Canal Company, St. Mary's Mineral Land Company, Douglass Copper Company, and Houghton Copper Company.
Dates
- 1853 - 1947
Language of Material
English, except for a very small number of files in French, Finnish, or German.
Access
Available for use in the Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections.
Note that most folders in the collection do not have titles written on them. Please refer to the collection inventory for the titles.
Biographical / Historical
In 1853, the St. Mary's Falls Ship Canal Company was organized to build the St. Mary's Falls Canal (now better known as the Soo Locks). When the canal was completed in 1855, the company was rewarded with 750,000 acres of federal land in Michigan.
In 1858, the St. Mary's Canal Mineral Land Company was organized to buy from the St. Mary's Falls Ship Canal Company their copper and iron lands in the Upper Peninsula. This amounted to 180,000 acres, mostly in Houghton, Ontonagon, and Keweenaw counties.
In its early years, the company did some exploration to prove the value of its lands. It subsequently adopted the policy of selling lands for cash and stock in new mining companies. Some of these, such as the Calumet and Hecla Mining Companies and the various South Range mining companies, were very successful. Others were not.
In order to raise additional capital, the St. Mary’s Mineral Land Company was formed in 1901 as the parent of the St. Mary's Canal Mineral Land Company. The additional capital was primarily needed for the development of the Champion Mine (jointly owned by St. Mary's and the Copper Range Company), but also allowed for the company to engage in additional exploratory work.
L. L. Hubbard, formerly General Manager of the Champion Copper Company, oversaw a series of mining efforts at St. Mary's properties. This included the Challenge Mine (1904-1909), the King Philip Copper Company (1905-1911), and the Houghton Copper Company (1910-1918). King Philip was sold to the Winona Copper Company in 1911, and the Houghton Copper Company was dissolved in 1934.
At the end of 1931, the Copper Range Company merged with the St. Mary's Mineral Land Company. As a result, the St. Mary's Canal Mineral Land Company became a Copper Range Company subsidiary. Along with those of the Champion Copper Company, all St. Mary's assets were sold to the Copper Range Company in 1931. The now-defunct company continued to exist until it was merged with the Copper Range Company in 1977 as part of the Louisiana Land & Exploration Company's acquisition of the Copper Range Company.
For a listing of directors and officers of the St. Mary's Canal Mineral Land Company, see the Appendix.
Extent
From the Collection: 590.25 Cubic Feet (434 boxes, 49 drawers, 447 volumes)
Arrangement
Records arranged into three subseries:
Subseries I: Douglass Copper Company Records
Subseries II: General Files
Subseries III: Resident Agent's Office Records
Creator
- From the Collection: Copper Range Company (Organization)
Repository Details
Part of the Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections Repository