30 years ago

BERGLAND – Archaeologists excavating a historic copper mine in Ontonagon County this summer unearthed what they believe are the only two examples of an early Cornish mining device ever found in North America. Ottawa National Forest and Michigan Tech University archaeologists found two large wooden structures, called buddles, at the Norwich Mine, located 14 miles from Bergland. The devices were used to settle copper from flushed sediments. “This is distinctly a Cornish feature,” said MTU Industrial archaeology Professor David Landon. “They were used for a while very early in this [mining] district.” Rocks crushed in a steam-powered stamp mill were filtered through a series of troughs and screens to remove copper. At the end of the filtering apparatus were the 28-foot-diameter round buddles, which were sloped slightly downward from the center out. Sediment was poured into the center and flushed outward to expose copper. The Norwich Mine, which was owned by the American Mining Co., operated from 1850-58. Since 1985, archaeological excavations and mapping have found several connecting overgrown roads and foundations of over 40 buildings that were once houses, churches, stamp mills, sawmills, and blacksmith shops. Six wells, 43 mine shafts and exploratory pits, a small cemetery and four earthen dams were also found. “We’ve just started what turns out to be a long process that occurs after digging,” Landon said. Artifacts must be washed, sorted, counted and registered.

60 years ago

MARQUETTE – Northern Michigan University’s board of control yesterday approved budget requests totaling $12,215,601 for operations and capital outlay at Northern during the 1966-67 fiscal year. NMU President Edgar L. Harden said the budgets would provide $7,782,401 for operations and $4,433,200 for capital outlay. The operations budget includes major increases for salaries and wages, equipment, and educational supplies to meet the needs of growing enrollments. The capital outlay request includes $696,000 for remodeling and $3,737,200 for new construction. Proposed remodeling would take place in the Peter White Science Building and the John D. Pierce Laboratory School. Funds for new construction would provide for completion of the science building now under construction and for complete plans and start of construction of the learning resources center, basic instructional center, men’s physical education building and administrative services building.