Pt. Mills Junction

A copper mine had three main components: the mine itself, the stamp mill, and the smelter. Due to their unique and often divergent geographical requirements these components were often located miles apart. In a time before automobiles it was the job of railroads to bridge these gaps and move the copper from mine to mill and smelter. While some mines built their own dedicated railroads to accomplish this, others relied instead on one of the Keweenaw’s independent carriers to provide this service.

When the Arcadian Mine set up shop atop Arcadian Hill at the turn of the century, the Mineral Range railroad constructed over five miles of new rail line to serve it. This new line connected the mine to its massive stamp mill along Portage Lake at Grosse Point. Along the way the new Mineral Range route had to cross paths with its competitor – the Hancock & Calumet RR – in an area known at Pt. Mills Junction. This crossing was provided by an elevated trestle which sent the line over the top of both the H&C RR and the county road next door. On the west end this trestle rested atop a short cliff lining the road, while on the east side a massive concrete abutment and earth approach was built to support it.

NOTES: Today all that remains of the old trestle is that massive concrete abutment on its eastern end, which currently serves as the home to an old advertisement to the now defunct Arcadian Mine Tour. The structure sits right up along a snowmobile trail and can also be easily seen from the road.

DIRECTIONS: The old trestle remains sit along M26 just north of Dollar Bay. From Hancock follow M26 for about five miles – abutment will be visible on the right.

FOR MORE INFO: A more detailed look at the ruins at Pt. Mills Junction can be found at Copper Country Explorer.