Winter Carnival highlights new Quincy tour
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FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP -- Tours of the Quincy Mine have been going on for years, but a new type of tour is being highlighted during Michigan Technological University's Winter Carnival, according to Tom Wright.
Wright, who is a tour guide for the Quincy Mine Hoist Association said Tech will be a partner for the tours, which will not only point out geologic features of the mine, but will also focus on the heritage of the copper-mining era.
"This is a very special tour," he said.
The Winter Carnival Quincy Mine Adventure Tours will be conducted by Wright and Erika Vye, Tech Geoheritage Education coordinator.
"We're going to concentrate on what makes (the mine) special," he said.
The tours will take place at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Feb. 10 and 11, Wright said. They will include the shaft house, the hoist house and the mine.
Wright said the goal is to make the Quincy Mine an international geoheritage site.
Although during the summer and autumn tours a tram is used to take people to the mine entrance, or adit, Wright said participants in the geoheritage tours will take a van from the gift shop on U.S. 41 down to Mason Street, then walk to the adit and take the mine's electric trolley into the mine.
"People get to spend time going into geology," he said.
Wright said said at one time, the copper from the Copper Country supplied about 90 percent of the mineral used in the United States.
"The copper from this district helped make this country what it is," he said. "Copper runs the world."
The cost for the tours is $35 per person, Wright said, and space is limited. The Quincy Mine is located at 49750 U.S. 41 north of Hancock. For more information, call 482-5569.