Save a copper smelter...


jbaakko

jbaakko

Diesel Detail Freak
http://coppercountrypreservation.org/index.html

I found out about this plan to save the Quincy Smelter in Ripley (Hancock) MI a few months back, but never really thought twice about it. My dad worked there when he was younger, so we got to talking about it today, he said they got enough money to place a roof on s few of the buildings, to stop any future damage. They still need more money to preserve the site and turn it into a museum. From the site:
Why Is It Important?
The 1898 Quincy Smelting Works is the best remaining example of a turn of the 20th century copper smelter site in the United States, if not the world. The smelter complex is within the boundary of the Quincy Mining Company National Historic Landmark district and the Quincy Unit of the Keweenaw National Historical Park.

What Condition Is It In?
The smelter closed in 1971. The buildings and equipment have deteriorated since that time due to vandalism, theft, lack of maintenance, and an especially harsh winter climate; one of the site’s two smokestacks was demolished in June of 2008 due to structural damage that appeared during the previous winter. In addition, encroaching commercial and recreational development also threatens the integrity of the site. Time is running out to save this iconic complex.

Why Should We Act Now?
Today, the smelter site is especially poised for rehabilitation work due to the recent completion of minor structural stabilization and asbestos removal projects performed by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. By 2009, the EPA will complete the remediation of other contamination issues thus clearing the way for further site stabilization and preservation.
Click to expand...

If you're open to donating, they could use some money. I'm not involved, just a concerned preservationist...
http://coppercountrypreservation.org/donate.html
 
Josh, I sent off $20 - not much but it's the best I can do nowadays. It would really be nice to see this one preserved since so many have already been demolished. It's hard to tell from the photos posted at the site but it looks like there is a lot of serious work that needs to be done just to stabilize the existing structures.
 
The walls are sandstone, and the roof on all of them (there's 10+ ion the complex) needs to be replaced. They recently re-did an actual mine structure, owned by the same company (Quincy) just up the hill from this site, they removed the whole roof, shored up the walls with steel, then added a roof with steel structural support. Looks amazing from the outside because you cannot see the modernization.

The smaller wood outbuildings might not be saved on this site, but in any case, there's 4-5 sandstone block structures, and a nice steel viaduct on the opposite side.
 
Wow, those are some nice pictures on the last site you posted. It looks like quite a preservation job lies ahead. It's really interesting to see that picture of the smelter when it was in operation and how the fumes killed all the trees in the area. Here it is a little more than a century later and you'd never know that whole hillside used to be naked.
 
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