Captains BLOG
06/20-21/2007
Copper Harbor Light House Tour, Fort Wilkins, Delaware Mine,
Odometer: 8218.2
This morning the sky was clear, blue and sunny. The winds were gone and the Lake was as smooth as glass. It was off to our next adventure that proved to be quite interesting.
Toured Fort Wilkins, built in 1844 to house the military that manned the fort to protect the first commercial copper mine on Keweenaw point against invasion by the Keweenaw Indians. There were no tourists 
when we arrived but there were those dressed in period costumes that portrayed the people of that era and spoke in the dialect of that era explaining what life was like during those hard times. The Fort has been meticulously maintained by the state of Michigan. Then it was on to our private boat tour
(no one else was there) to the Copper Harbor Lighthouse one of Michigan’s oldest lighthouses. Tourism was so slow that the Captain and owner of the boat was our tour guide.
He was well versed and very informative about the history of the lighthouse complex 
reviewed the discovery
of the very first copper mine found on that site in 1948 by Douglas Houghton. The mine proved to be a failure but did find its’ way into history. Mr. Houghton is a celebrity in this area and is promoted as the great adventurer of his time. Unfortunately he died in a boating accident during a storm on Lake Superior at age 33. The lighthouse is different then any we have seen before. Walking up to the light there is a second floor of living quarters right off the spiral staircase. There is a 3-person brick outhouse 
in the back and the contents were allowed to run down the hill behind the lighthouse (ugh!!). We walked down a very rocky path to get a look at a copper vein and to the boat for our rocky ride back. The Captain suggested we stop at a local restaurant for a dining experience like no other. Then it was off to the Delaware Mine 
for a self-guided tour of an old copper mine. The owner’s live in Copper Harbor six months of the year and Florida six months. They have two dogs, one is three-legged and a 4 year old skunk (yes a skunk) that thinks it is human. 
There is no electricity so everything is run on generator. No tour guides until July, so we donned our hardhats and trekked our way into the mine 1200 feet down
hoping the generators wouldn’t fail. Great experience but cold (42degrees) and damp. After spending time talking with the owner (everyone in the UP is extremely friendly and happy) it was off to our “dining experience” at the Harbor House Restaurant for some German Food. The food was excellent and plentiful. So much that we had enough left over for a second meal. It was a “dining experience” as the Captain had described. German sayings throughout on the walls, all dressed in German attire and we even got see a little dance performed by the waitresses on the deck welcoming back the Isle Royal Ferry. Then it was back to the campground for some rest and preparation for the next leg of the road trip.
06/20-21/2007
Copper Harbor Light House Tour, Fort Wilkins, Delaware Mine,
Odometer: 8218.2
This morning the sky was clear, blue and sunny. The winds were gone and the Lake was as smooth as glass. It was off to our next adventure that proved to be quite interesting.
Toured Fort Wilkins, built in 1844 to house the military that manned the fort to protect the first commercial copper mine on Keweenaw point against invasion by the Keweenaw Indians. There were no tourists 
when we arrived but there were those dressed in period costumes that portrayed the people of that era and spoke in the dialect of that era explaining what life was like during those hard times. The Fort has been meticulously maintained by the state of Michigan. Then it was on to our private boat tour
(no one else was there) to the Copper Harbor Lighthouse one of Michigan’s oldest lighthouses. Tourism was so slow that the Captain and owner of the boat was our tour guide.
He was well versed and very informative about the history of the lighthouse complex 
reviewed the discovery
of the very first copper mine found on that site in 1948 by Douglas Houghton. The mine proved to be a failure but did find its’ way into history. Mr. Houghton is a celebrity in this area and is promoted as the great adventurer of his time. Unfortunately he died in a boating accident during a storm on Lake Superior at age 33. The lighthouse is different then any we have seen before. Walking up to the light there is a second floor of living quarters right off the spiral staircase. There is a 3-person brick outhouse 
in the back and the contents were allowed to run down the hill behind the lighthouse (ugh!!). We walked down a very rocky path to get a look at a copper vein and to the boat for our rocky ride back. The Captain suggested we stop at a local restaurant for a dining experience like no other. Then it was off to the Delaware Mine 
for a self-guided tour of an old copper mine. The owner’s live in Copper Harbor six months of the year and Florida six months. They have two dogs, one is three-legged and a 4 year old skunk (yes a skunk) that thinks it is human. 
There is no electricity so everything is run on generator. No tour guides until July, so we donned our hardhats and trekked our way into the mine 1200 feet down
hoping the generators wouldn’t fail. Great experience but cold (42degrees) and damp. After spending time talking with the owner (everyone in the UP is extremely friendly and happy) it was off to our “dining experience” at the Harbor House Restaurant for some German Food. The food was excellent and plentiful. So much that we had enough left over for a second meal. It was a “dining experience” as the Captain had described. German sayings throughout on the walls, all dressed in German attire and we even got see a little dance performed by the waitresses on the deck welcoming back the Isle Royal Ferry. Then it was back to the campground for some rest and preparation for the next leg of the road trip.
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