What Were Pioneer DaysReally Like in the U.P.? The combination of mining, maritime and lumbering history created a culture in the U.P. that is unique to the Midwest. Discover true stories of the rough and dangerous times of the Upper Peninsula frontier that are as enjoyable as they are educational. You'll find no conventional romantic or whitewashed history here. Instead, you will be astonished by the true hardships and facets of trying to settle a frontier sandwiched among the three Great Lakes. These pages are populated by Native Americans and the European immigrants, looking for their personal promised land-whether to raise families, avoid the law, start a new life or just get rich... no matter what it took. Mineral hunters, outlaws, men of honor creating civilization out of wilderness and the women of strength that accompanied them, the Upper Peninsula called to all. Among the eye-opening stories, you'll findTrue Tales includes:
'This book is a gold mine of vacation possibilities, providing dozens of fascinating little-known facts about many of the innumerable attractions found in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. While most would agree that there exists no more interesting place to explore than Michigan's U.P., the way Mikel describes the individual points of interest exponentially enhances the qualities of each attraction. With the aid of a near countless parade of carefully selected historical images, Mikel paints a picture the reader will not ever forget.' -- Michael Carrier, author ofMurder on Sugar Island (Jack Handler mysteries) 'Romantic ideas of the pioneer days in Michigan's Upper Peninsula will fade quickly as these true tales of lawless, rugged, wild-weather, difficult times before about 1900 are perused. Laws were few, enforcement was scarce, violent events were often, and shipwrecks were many. However, opportunities to be a hero were as numerous and wonderful life-saving deeds of kindness and compassion are recorded in these pages as well. Classen does history an excellent service by revealing the truth. Sometimes we think humanity has advanced little. An attitude quickly challenged in these pages. Readers will feel gratitude for all they have today after finishing these tales.' --Carolyn Wilhelm, MA,Midwest Book Review 'Classen accomplished what he set out to do--provide readers with interesting and true tales about the U.P. He did not romanticize the history and told bold facts to enlighten the reader. The U.P. was uncharted territory with harsh beginnings. Captains battled terrible storms while sailing on Lake Superior. Corrupt entrepreneurs made money off the suffering of young women. Classen rang bells for unsung heroes. Much can be learned about Chase Osborn's efforts-the man who became the first governor of Michigan from the U.P. and Peter White, founder of Marquette. So much can be learned by reading Classen's book. It is highly recommended.' --Sharon Brunner,U.P. Book Review From Modern History Press
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Rock of Ages: The Tale of the Ontonagon Boulder
Fig. 1-1: On his expedition, Henry Schoolcraft made this drawing of the Ontonagon Boulder along the Ontonagon River. This size of the boulder is hugely out of proportion to the size of the men and canoes
Ever since Europeans heard of the giant piece of copper that the Native Americans worshipped as a gift from the Great Spirit, there was a fervor akin to gold fever to acquire it. The level of effort undertaken to remove the boulder only expresses the extreme to which men will go for greed. This is the beginning, the start of the “copper boom.”
First, before I get too deep into this subject, The Native Americans of the Ontonagon were well aware of copper and its uses. Prehistoric copper mines abound throughout the north-western Upper Peninsula. The Ojibwa used it for many things including arrowheads, spear points, jewelry, and trade. They have mined it for thousands of years. Many of the major mining operations we think about today were built on top of prehistoric mine locations. Millions of tons of copper were removed from Isle Royale, the Keweenaw Peninsula and the Ontonagon region long before recorded Europeans set foot on the continent.
The local Ojibwa believed that the rock had been sent to them by the morning star. It was very powerful in their eyes and was said to speak to them when they blew smoke from a calumet (ceremonial pipe) over the copper. The Natives believed that a voice “full of thunder” would speak to them and demand a human sacrifice. They would normally pick a prisoner of war and burn him at the base of the giant boulder. Sometimes, if the need was great, they would pick a woman.
The earliest written account of the boulder was made by Father Pierre Francois de Charlevoix on his expedition in 1721. He claimed to have witnessed one of these sacrifices:
“After having a lodge appointed for her use, attendants to meet her every wish, and her neck, arms, and ankles covered with bracelets of silver and copper, she was led to believe that she was to be the bride of the son of the head chief. The time appointed was the end of winter, and she felt rejoiced as the time rolled on, waiting for the season of her happiness. The day fixed upon for the sacrifice having dawned, she passed through all of the preparatory ceremonies and was dressed in her best attire, being covered with all the ornaments the settlement could command, after which she was placed in the midst of a circle of warriors, dressed in their war suits, who seemed to escort her for the purpose of showing their deference. Besides their usual arms, each one carried several pieces of wood, which he had received from the girl. She had carried wood to the rock on the preceding day which she had helped to gather in the forest. Believing that she was to be elevated to a high rank, her ideas being of the most pleasing character, the poor girl advanced to the altar with rapturous feelings of joy and timidity, which would be naturally raised in the bosom of a young female her age. As the procession proceeded, which occupied some time, savage music accompanied them, and chants, invoking that the Great Spirit would prosper their enterprise. Being excited by the music and dancing, the deceitful delusion under which she had been kept remained until the last moment.
“But as soon as they had reached the place of sacrifice, where nothing was to be seen but fires, torches and instruments of torture, her eyes were opened, her fate was revealed to her, and she became aware of her terrible destiny, as she had often heard of the mysterious sacrifices of the copper rock. Her cries resounded through the forest, but neither tears nor entreaties prevailed. She conjured the stern warriors who surrounded her to have pity on her youth and innocence, but all in vain, as the Indian priests coolly proceeded with the horrid ceremonies. Nothing could prevail against their superstition and the horrid demands of the copper monster, which called for a human sacrifice. She was tied with withes (willow branch) to the top of the rock. The fire was gradually applied to her with torches made of wood she had with her own hands distributed to the warriors. When exhausted with her cries and about expiring, her tormentors opened the circle that had surrounded her, and the great chief shot an arrow into her heart, which was followed by the spears and arrows of his followers, and the blood poured down the sides of the glistening rock in streams. Their weapons were sprinkled with her blood to make them invincible, and all retired to their cabins, cheered and encouraged with the hope of a glorious victory.”
Father Charlevoix would go on to explore much of the region, eventually reaching as far south as the mouth of the Mississippi. He kept a journal the entire trip, which is what the preceding was recorded in.
Alexander Henry arrived a few years later, in 1771. He landed at the mouth of the Ontonagon River at the Ojibwa village there. Henry and several other men had been sailing around Lake Superior looking for enough ore of something to make them rich. But stories had found their way to him and he was determined to find the great copper boulder of the Ontonagon River. He was able to hire a couple of Ojibwa men to take him up the river to see the legendary rock. Henry hoped that where there was copper, there might be silver.
Henry estimated that they went 20 miles upriver. His guides pointed out the massive piece of copper. Alexander Henry tells the story:
“I camped at the mouth of the Ontonagon River and took the opportunity of going up the river with Indian guides. The object which I expressly went to see, and to which I had the satisfaction of being led, was a mass of copper, which according to my estimate, weighed no less than five tons. Such was its pure and malleable state that with an axe I was able to cut off a portion weighing one hu
