Quincy Mine & Smelter

The Quincy Mining Company was incorporated in 1846 and began producing copper from the Keweenaw Peninsula's native copper deposits the following year. Unlike the copper mines of the American Southwest, which extracted copper from ore, the Keweenaw deposits contained masses of nearly pure native copper — requiring different extraction methods but yielding exceptionally high-grade material. Quincy operated the No. 2 and later No. 7 shafts from the ridge above Hancock, with the mine eventually extending to a depth of 9,260 feet, making it the deepest copper mine in the world during its peak years.

Over 99 years of continuous operation, Quincy produced approximately 936 million pounds of copper, earning it the nickname 'Old Reliable' among investors for its consistent dividend payments throughout most of its operating life. The workforce was drawn largely from immigrant communities — Cornish miners from England (who brought hard-rock mining expertise), Finnish immigrants, and later communities from across Central Europe. By 1900 Quincy employed over 2,000 men.

The cost in lives was substantial. Mine records document 253 underground fatalities during Quincy's operational period, caused by falls, rock falls, blasting accidents, and equipment failures. The sheer depth of the workings — with temperatures rising significantly as miners descended — created hazards that surface or shallow mines did not face.

Quincy ceased copper production in 1945, when declining copper prices and the expense of maintaining the deepest workings made continued operation economically unsustainable. The surface plant, including the No. 2 shaft hoist house (a National Historic Landmark), the enginehouse, and the adjacent 1898 smelter on the Portage Waterway were preserved. The smelter — the only remaining copper smelter on Lake Superior — was incorporated into Keweenaw National Historical Park when Congress established the park in 1992.