Mine: Winona Mine, Winona, MI

The Winona Mine was located in Houghton County near the southern border with Ontonagon County. This was a long forgotten mine which was taken over by the Winona Mining company about 1880. William Paine and John Stanton were prominent investors in this property. [CRR]

When the Copper Range railroad was built north from McKeever to Houghton around 1899, the Winona Mine's own railroad connected the mine with the Copper Range line. For information about the Winona Mining Company railroad, click here.

King Philip Copper Mine → Winona Mine → Closed

Operated for 55 years.

From: 1865

Owned by: Winona Mining Company, then Winona Copper Co. in 1898.

Produced: Copper ore

Method: Shaft mining.

Railroad connection: Copper Range railroad branch.

Until: 1920

Lifetime Production: 17.6 million lbs. of refined copper.

Notes

Winona Mine was located on the west edge of Houghton County near Ontonagon County. The mine was established by the Winona Mining Company around 1865 and was reached by a branch line off the Copper Range railroad after 1900.

An underground copper mine consisting of four shafts located in the town of Winona, south of Houghton. The Winona Mining Co. was organized in 1864. The company reorganized as the Winona Copper Co. in 1898. In 1911, the company absorbed the King Philip Mining Co., located adjacent to the Winona Mine. In 1920, the mine closed permanently. The mine produced approx. 17.6 million lbs. of refined copper. Copper, silver, and datolite can be found in the mine piles. [WINDAT]

Time Line

1898. Matthew Van Orden is involved in exploration of the "Valley" property, a short distance north of the Winona mine which carries the continuation of the Winona lode. The property may be added to the Winona. [DFP-1898-1203]

1910. August 30. Shipping rock for streets. The Winona Mine will ship trap rock to the village of Crystal Falls for the purpose of building streets there. The rock will be loaded in Copper Range railroad cars which will be transferred to the Milwaukee Road for delivery to Crystal Falls. Over 5,000 yards of rock will be transported. [CN-1910-0830]

1920. The Winona Mine and railroad were closed. [CRR]

Winona Mining Company Railroad

This short railroad was owned by the Winona Mining Company and was built in 1902. It was not believed to be a common-carrier railroad, but rather to serve only the interests of the mining company. The line was a 3,600 foot spur from the mine to the Copper Range railroad at their Winona station. The company railroad motive power was a 600 volt, two-truck steeple cab electric locomotive with overhead catenary. 

Both railroads began transporting copper rock from the mine to the Atlantic Mill at Redridge. Rock cars were interchanged by the COPR at Atlantic, and then by the A&LS railroad to Redridge. Additonal spurs were constructed as new mining shafts were sunk. Later, rock was transported to the Adventure Mill at Edgemere.

A new, on-site stamp mill was constructed at the mine in 1911 allowing the mine to stamp product on site, saving transportation costs. The railroad also built a new roundhouse in the same year. A tram railroad was used to distribute stamp sands from this mill. The mine and railroad ceased to operate in 1920. [CRR]