Iron Mountain History, Michigan

Iron Mountain is regarded as a great historical mining city in Michigan, USA. It is a gateway to Arcadia Valley. The City of Iron Mountain is known for its mines and historical monuments and got its name due to the local iron deposits. It was discovered by Dr. Nelson Powell Hulst and James John Hagerman in 1879. It was founded as a lumber town but the early settlers turned it into a mining town. German and Irish migrants were among the first settles in this area.

In 1879, people started to settle here after the discovery of Iron. Three big Iron Mountain's mines Millie, Hamilton and Champin employed more than 3300 people. In 1879, Captain John Wicks with some other men went in search of a place to setup a camp. The team did many unsuccessful attempts but Hagerman and Hulst tried one more shaft. The shaft was 90 feet deep and a successful hit.

The whole place was full of trees and the land was very swampy. Chapin Mine Pumping Engine was used to evacuate the water in this area. Chapin Mine Engine was also used in Cornwall in tin Mines.

In 1890, the chief engineer for the E.P designed the steam engine. It was a high pressure engine and its cylinder featured a 50 inch bore. The low pressure engine was 100 inches in diameter. It weighed 160 tons and the flywheel was 40 feet in diameter.

The flywheel had an average speed of 10 revolutions per minute. The overall estimated weight of the engine was 725 tons. The engine also featured pumping equipment which utilized reciprocating motion. There were eight pumps attached along the roads. Each of these pumps forced the water to the next pump and finally to the surface of the mine.

Initially the engine had a capacity of 300 gallons per stroke. 3,000 gallons of water poured out with a 28-inch pipe. After a few years of successful operations, the pumping facility was moved from Chapin Mine. The pump operated until 1932 when the Chapin Mine was permanently closed.

The pump remained opened to the visitors for many years. In 1982, Menominee Range Historical Foundation constructed a building around the pump. Today there is a great mining museum near that site.

The historical monuments and buildings in Iron Mountain like Menominee Range Historical Museum, Cornish Pump Engine and Minin Museum are still preserved and attract a large number of visitors from all over the United States.

By 1890, many capitalized operators bought mines.