Mine: Adventure Mine, Greenland, MI

This mine was located just south of Greenland in Ontonagon County.

Old Adventure + Hilton + Knowlton → Adventure Mine → Production ceased (now tours).

Operated for 70 years.

From: 1850

Owned by: Adventure Mining Company until 1862, then purchased by Adventure Copper Company.

Produced: Copper Ore

Method: Underground mine shafts. 3 shafts and 1 adit.

Railroad connection: Copper Range railroad.

Stamp Mill/Smelter: Adventure Mill.

Until: 1920

Lifetime Production: The mine produced approx. 11 million lbs. of refined copper. [MINDAT]

Notes

5 shafts.

Production ceased in 1908 but restarted for a short time during World War I. Production finally halted in 1917 and the mine closed in 1920.

The Adventure Mill was located on Lake Superior in Edgemere, near Freda. Ore would have been transported on the Copper Range railroad after it was built in the early 1900's.

The mine is currently open as a tourist attraction, and tours are given underground during the summer months. Minerals that can be found here include copper, silver, and quartz.

Adventure Mine was opened in 1850 in Greenland in northern Ontonagon County. [MPN]

Sources: [CHBK]+other

Time Line

1850. The Adventure Mining Co. organized.

1858. The mine was purchased the Merchants Co. property.

1870. The company was sold and reorganized under the same name.

1898. The company was sold again and reorganized under the Adventure Consolidated Copper Co. This consolidation included the Adventure, Hilton, and Knowlton mines. [MINDAT]

1901. January 25. The Adventure mine has finally decided on a mill site just beyond the site where the ground is now being cleared for the new mill of the Trimountain and where the Champion mill will be erected later. The Copper Range railroad will start a survey for an extension of the branch line to the new mill site. [DFP-1901-0126]

1901. Shafts are sunk at a 45 degree angle. Of the seven lodes at least four can furnish good stamp-rock in large amounts. The mine is rich in solver and will be refined electrolytically to save the silver. The mineral will probably be melted by the Quincy company, which has the same general management in the east. [CHBK]

1901. The Adventure is well supplies with buildings for mine uses and dwellings for employees, also a very large hotel and boarding house for unmarried employees. A reservoir on the bluff distributes water through mains and affords fire protection. [CHBK]

1917. The company suspended all operation in October.