Quincy Mine Historic Landscape: Cultural Landscape Report and Environmental Assessment, Keweenaw National Historical Park, National Park Service

Quinn Evans Architects; Woolpert, Inc.; Keweenaw National Historical Park

The intent of this combined Cultural Landscape Report and Environmental Assessment (CLR/EA) is to guide treatment and use of the above-ground resources associated with the significant historic landscapes of the Quincy Unit at Keweenaw National Historical Park. A thorough investigation and evaluation of the historic landscapes has been conducted using National Park Service (NPS) and National Register of Historic Places guidelines. The documentation of historic significance and evaluation of integrity of the historic landscapes serves as a framework upon which treatment recommendations are developed. This report provides park managers with a comprehensive understanding of the physical evolution of the historic landscape and guidance for landscape management. The Quincy Unit of Keweenaw National Historical Park includes about 1,120 acres northeast of Hancock, Michigan, and is situated near the shoreline of Portage Lake. The unit includes the remnant structures and mines of the Quincy Mining Company and its associated historic landscape. The company was organized and initiated operations in the area in 1846; however, there is evidence that copper exploration and trade was occurring much earlier with the Ojibway tribes, and as far back as 7,800 years before present. Historic resources included in the unit are: seven Quincy mine shafts, associated mining and industrial surface works, features and ruins, several company housing locations, circulation routes and paths, and remnant administrative and service buildings and managers’ residences. Of these, the No. 2 shaft-rockhouse and the No. 2 hoist house are of particular significance. The No. 2 shaft-rockhouse is built over a shaft that extends 9,300 feet on the incline. The No. 2 hoist house contains the world’s largest steam hoisting engine. The Quincy smelter, located on Portage Lake, is the only remaining smelter associated with 19th century Michigan copper mining. The Quincy Mine is a Keweenaw Heritage Site, meaning it contains significant cultural and natural resources and offers unique contribution to the copper mining story. Embodying stories of hardship, ingenuity, struggle, and success, these sites allow exploration of the role mining played in people’s lives. Heritage sites operate independently of the National Park Service. Although the federal government has standard guidelines for the preparation of CLRs and EAs, there are no guidelines for preparing a combined report. The Midwest Regional Office of the National Park Service has recognized that combining the two documents increases the efficiency of the process by integrating the information generated through the CLR with the in-depth evaluation process inherent to the Environmental Assessment. Merging the documents can improve and validate the recommended treatment while reducing associated costs. Additionally, the combined report is needed to provide a comprehensive understanding of both historic development and future needs, which is a particularly critical perpective due to the composite character of land ownership/management within a partnership park like Keweenaw National Historical Park. This means that the National Park Service owns only small properties within the park boundary, and partnering organizations contribute resources to planning, management, and the overall experience of visitors. In contrast to traditional national parks, the majority of the land within the boundary of a partnership park like Keweenaw National Historical Park is owned and managed by private owners, public entities, non-profit and institutional organizations. The report has been prepared by a project team composed of the staff of Keweenaw National Historical Park, Quinn Evans Architects (QEA), and Woolpert, Inc., to fulfill a contract with the Midwest Regional Office of the National Park Service.

Quincy Mine Historic Landscape: Cultural Landscape Report and Environmental Assessment, Keweenaw National Historical Park, National Park Service

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