Copper Harbor store ledgers

Collection — Box: 1-3

Identifier: MS-1018

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Copper Harbor, Michigan store ledgers, 1864-1878. The contents of this collection include nine (9) store ledgers documenting the purchase and account balances for merchandise purchased by mining companies at general and specialized stores in Copper Harbor, Michigan. Includes ledgers for the Star Mine, Clark Mine, and Copper Harbor Copper Company. Among the material are letters from Copper Harbor Copper Company Clerk, Charles M. Evans, to the company treasurer, account balances, voucher sheets, and expenditures; as well as accounts for purchases at the Clark Mine butcher shop.

Dates

1864-1878

Conditions Governing Access

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

Conditions Governing Use

Various copying restrictions apply. Guidelines are available from Michigan Technological University Archives & Copper Country Historical Collections.

Historical Note

The Boston and Lake Superior Mineral Land Company purchased large areas around Copper Harbor. The Clark, Star, Montreal, Silver Creek, Copper Creek, Hanover, Reliance and Girard Mining Company were all developed in ten years.

Clark Mine was incorporated in 1853 after the Pittsburgh and Boston Copper Harbor Mining Company abandoned their U.S. Mineral Agency Lease no. 4 for the area, selling to Boston and Lake Superior Mineral Land Company trustees, Joseph W. Clark, Aron W. Spencer, and Horatio Bigelow. The mine worked periodically until its closing 1901, though mining essentially ended in 1878.

Star Copper Company was organized in 1851 and began producing in 1855. Actual work began in 1852. Peak work was during the 1854/1855 period. Work at the mine was suspended from 1859 to 1864 with a closure again in 1865. The mine was reopened for a short period of time from 1872 to 1881, closing permanently in 1882.