Mine: Arcadian Mine, Hancock, MI

Vaerious (see list) → Arcadian Mine → Became

Operated for 10 years.

From: 1898

Former mines: Arcadian, Edwards, Douglass, Concord, Highland and Srt. Mary's. 4,000 acres. Neighbors are the Franklin Junior (north), Oneco (east), Portage Lake (south) and Quincy (west). This company owns frontage on Portage Lake.

Owned by: Arcadian Copper Company

Produced: Copper Ore

Method: Underground.

Railroad connection: Mineral Range/DSS&A on Arcadian branch to Woodside and Point Mills.

Stamp Mill/Smelter: At Grosse Point Mills on Portage Lake.

Until: 1908.

Lifetime Production: 

Notes

Old and new mines. Standard Oil directors had a financial interest.

Tourist destination from the 1950's to the 1970's.

Arcadian Mine was located above Hancock not far from the Boston Mine. It was first started about 1899 and had a total of seven shafts. Copper ore was shipped for processing at the Arcadian Mill which was located on the shore of Portage Lake (on the "island"). Operated by the Arcadian Copper Company.

Time Line

1901. Shafts 1, 2, 3 and 4 are fitted wity duplicate plants, and hoist with six-ton skips. The hoists are duplex Nordbergs, with cylinders 32x72 and 48" stroke, carring 1 3/8 inch steel cable and with drums and power calculated to hoist six-ton loads from a maximum of 6,000 feet. The engine houses are of stone and steel, and boiler houses of the same materials, fitted with the very best boilers, largely Stirling water-tube type, carrying 200 pounds steam pressure to the square inch. The shaft houses are uniform, 44x64 feet on the ground and 86 feet high to the head sheave. The rock houses at each are fitted with duplicate sets of jaw crushers, with openings 17'x24' and 13'x20', also steam hammers for handling masses, the machinery in each rock house being driven by 10x24 Corlis engines.

The heaviest machinery is at No. 4 shat where there is a stone engine house 67x156 feet in size, one of the largest and finest in the district. The big 70-drill compressor is located at this point. It is a triple-expansion three-stage machine with tubular air coolers between air cylinders, and has proven highly efficient and economical in its work. At No. 5 there is a 35-drill compressor and a compound two-stage compressor of slightly smaller capacity at No. 2 engine house; also an 18-drill compressor at No. 1 and a small 3-drill compressor used for exploratory work.

Water is obtained from the old Boston dam and is brought to the mine for a distance of two miles through a 9" main by gravity. There is a 110,000-gallon reservoir at No. 3 shaft, from which water is distributed by 6" mains to the various buildings.

The Mineral Range railroad runs to the mine, reaching all of the principal shafts and mine buildings. The shaft houses are built with large bins, and rock cars of the largest size run underneath. A branch line was built by this road in 1899, connecting the Arcadian and Franklin Junior mines with their mills which are at Grosse Point, Portage Lake, the Arcadian mill being distance from the mines about 6 miles by rail, with a down-grade haul for the entire distance. [CHBK]

1907. The DSS&A had a water tower at the Old Arcadian Mine at milepost 1.5. They also had a wye here. [DSSM]

1928. The Arcadian branch was removed. [DSSM]