The Strength of Iron

Earlier this month I was privileged to have been asked to present on the first day of a healthcare leadership conference in two different Michigan locations. The first was in the Upper Peninsula (UP to Michiganders!) in the small town of Ishpeming at their beautiful county medical care facility. Whenever I travel for work, if time permits, I like explore the area if I have not done so before. This time there was an entire day, and I chose to explore the iron mining history of this beautiful area of the world.

My husband came with me on this trip, and we decided to go to the  Cliffs Shaft Mining Museum located near downtown Ishpeming. The museum honors the hard-working crews of iron miners who were a huge part of the economy in upper Michigan for many years.

There is an area of the town where homes were built for miners in the heyday of operations.  These houses are called “shaft houses” and can be seen from the museum. People still live in these attractive dwellings today.

In 1998 a not-for-profit organization called the Marquette Range Iron Mining Heritage Theme Park, Inc. (MRIMHTP) was founded with the mission and vision of preserving the artifacts of the bygone era of iron mining including the buildings and relics within.

The Cleveland-Cliffs Mining Company donated the property and artifacts. Then the MRIMHTP took possession and a small army of volunteers, many of which had some relationship with the mine and spent untold hours creating this very special museum for rock hounds, tourists and those who love history. The community labored together to make this museum a reality.

Inside the museum is an area dedicated to displaying the various types of rocks, minerals and crystals native to the area. There is a walking tour that takes you quite a way into the mine while knowledgeable docents explain the history, industrial and construction contributions of the mine and all its working parts. There is an active forge and blacksmith on site demonstrating the types of parts and equipment repairs they made for the mining team. Other docents are evident in the display rooms and are eager to point out and explain what was used in the mine and why. Many of those who volunteer to work in the museum are former miners and proud to share their history with visitors.

The stories of the miners, their hard work, their contribution to the building of our country are shared with great honor by all those at the museum. There was even consideration given to the mules and horses whose life outdoors ended when they began to pull the carts down into the mine, load up with iron and return to unload multiple times a day. They never went outside after they were initially put to work. This got me teared up!

From previous blogs, you know that I firmly believe travel and the learning that accompanies it are healthy and healing, and this experience was no exception. This is a place and subject that is outside of my normal lane, but so incredibly enlightening that I loved every minute of it. I highly recommend visiting the area and the museum.  By the time you leave the mine, you will have a newfound respect and appreciation for all who worked there, their sacrifices and contributions to our culture today. 

We begin this month with the honoring of laborers of the USA, past and present. Think about the hard work and determination that individuals like these miners expended to provide materials for the infrastructure we take for granted. I, for one, am more mindful having had this exposure and incredibly grateful for all those who labor on behalf of us all.

Contact the Cliffs-Shaft Mine Museum at https://www.cliffsshaftminemuseum.com/   On Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cliffsshaft.  Visit them here: Cliffs Shaft Mine Museum, 501 W. Euclid Street, Ishpeming, MI 49849. You can call them at 906-485-1882.

If you are in their neighborhood, do visit! Along with the museum, there is a great little gift shop to take home a chunk of iron, tee shirt or other tourist treasure.

As always, here’s to your wellbeing!

Sandra L. Place

sandy@asandyplace.com