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Redridge Dam Records (ADDED TO MS-080)

 Collection
Identifier: MS-762

Collection Scope and Content Summary

Records, circa 1951-circa 1979, concerning the disposition of the Redridge dam and emergency repair efforts. Includes correspondence, documents from both the Copper Range Company and Stanton Township and photographs.

Dates

  • N/A

Creator

Access

Available for use in the Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections.

Biography

In 1894, the Atlantic Mining Company built a timber crib dam across the Salmon Trout River in Redridge, Houghton County, Michigan. The dam created a reservoir which supplied water to the Atlantic stamp mill which extracted copper from ore-bearing rock. With the growth of the Atlantic stamp mill and the construction of the Baltic Mining Company mill nearby, this reservoir proved to be insufficient, and in 1901 a steel gravity dam was built, submerging the wooden dam. In 1979 the Copper Range Company cut holes in the steel dam to eliminate flood danger as the need for the dam had ended with the closing of the Baltic Mine in 1931. The wooden dam was above water again and ownership was transferred to Stanton Township in 1992; however, by 2001 the Department of Environmental Quality considered the dam a significant hazard, forcing Stanton Township to consider renovating the dam. Unable to afford complete renovation, restoration or repair the township settled on a short term solution by removing the upper 13 feet of the structure, relieving some of the pressure. Although a more permanent repair is still needed, a recent study by a team of students from Michigan Technological University determined that both dams are likely to remain safe for the foreseeable future.

Extent

0.001 Cubic Feet (N/A)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Records, circa 1951-circa 1979, concerning the disposition of the Redridge dam and emergency repair efforts. Includes correspondence, documents from both the Copper Range Company and Stanton Township and photographs.

General Physical Description note

0.18 cubic feet1/2 manuscript box (letter size)

Processing History

Elizabeth Russell,3/26/2010

Creator

Title
Redridge Dam Records
Author
Finding aid prepared by Elizabeth Russell
Date
3/26/2010
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Description is in English

Repository Details

Part of the Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections Repository

Contact:
1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton 49931 U.S.A. US