Bessemer's earth science class explores Porkies mining

PORCUPINE MOUNTAINS - The A.D. Johnston High School's earth science class recently traveled from Bessemer to the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park for a copper mining field trip.

Students started at the visitor center and then traveled to the miners camp at the entrance to the Carp Lake mine.

Park interpreter Bob Wild of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources explained how the mine started in 1928 and stretches 1,400 feet into the escarpment where it forms a T, going 600 feet to the west, 400 feet to the east and an additional 200 feet forward. The mine was originally supposed to connect to other operations on top of the hill, but was shut down when the Great Depression hit.

Wild said he conducts a bat census every other year and that two years ago the number of hibernating bats numbered 20,000, making it the third largest hibernaculum in Michigan. When the census is conducted this year, Wild fears that due to white nosed syndrome, bat numbers might only number around 4,000 bats.

Farther up the hill the students learned about the challenges faced by the miners in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Near the old mine entrance, students saw a wheel and axle of an old tram car that had been used to move rock out of the mine.

At the bottom of the hill at Lake of the Clouds, the students saw the remnants of a Cornish gravity stamp mill that was used to crush the rock and free the copper so that it could be removed. The Cornish stamp was powered by a twin boiler that would drive a piston which powered the stamps. The trap rock in this area may have contained between 1 and 5 percent copper. After visiting the site of the stamping mill, students hiked to the top of the Carp Lake escarpment to enjoy the view.

"My favorite part of the trip was physically climbing up to cloud peak and seeing the breathtaking view," said senior Blayne Pellinen.

"I enjoyed learning about the communities built around the mines and the stamp mill and how much effort it took to process the copper," added senior Alyssa Alquist.

The hike wasn't always easy, but freshman, Jacobi Hill said he liked how his classmates encouraged each other to keep going up the steep hill.

Senior Eli Kalinovik summed the event up this way: "Field trips are important and good experiences because they translate lessons into real world situations and make them more interesting. The trip made our lessons feel like they mattered a whole lot more and seeing the applications of what we learn in the classroom out in the tangible world was an important experience."

Teacher Dave Rowe was pleased with the day and all its opportunities. "When we learn history at the same time we learn science and geography, we gain a deeper understanding of how these disciplines are interconnected and the students find it easier to draw meaningful connections."

The annual trip is made possible through a grant from the Friends of the Porkies group and the Keweenaw National Historical Park.