Kingston Mine

The end of the Korean War in 1953 sounded the death knell for the Copper Country. For with the war ended the increased demand for copper as well as the lucrative government contracts and grants mining companies had enjoyed. In truth the industry had been dying since the Great Depression but the subsequent wars and the increased demand for copper had kept it afloat – barely. Now the price of copper dropped, contracts expired, and mine after mine closed up for good. By the 1960′s only the great C&H had managed to stay alive, but even they could see the end was near. Desperately C&H looked for new sources of copper – the great mother load that they thought still existed somewhere along the Keweenaw. It was 1964 when they thought they had found it.

The Kingston Mine was C&H’s last hope. Opened on a conglomerate lode of the same name, this would be the last shaft driven by C&H. It was hoped to be the life-extended C&H desperately hoped for, but unfortunately never had the chance to prove itself. In 1969, only 5 years since it opened, the Kingston closed for good and with it the great C&H ceased to exist. An entire region mourned its passing, and forever this area would be changed.

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