A tribute to our mining heritage.
The town of Ironwood was founded because of mining. The town flourished because of mining. The land on which the proposed park system exists was once mining land. Since the closing of the last mine in 1966, Ironwood has experienced an economic and some would argue a psychic depression. Much of our mining history is captured within the walls of the Historical Society and within the display at the Memorial Building. However, a monument and self-guided walking tours on the land would provide hands-on education and display Ironwood’s identity as the center of the Gogebic Range mining operations. Mining heritage interpretive trails with points of interest, e.g., mine shafts, site of past mining disasters, “then & now” views of the landscape will create educational opportunities and keep the stories of our past from fading further into the recesses of the minds of local historians.
This is not a new idea. Our Downtown Comprehensive Plan of 1991 proposed a miners’ monument for the downtown district. The plan states, “The community’s identity needs to be established.” The City of Ironwood was encouraged to “take a comprehensive approach to protecting special vistas, scenic roads, entryways that give the area a special, unique sense of place and image.”
At one point in history Ironwood produced the most iron ore in the world. That ore fueled the industrial age and defended this country in two World Wars. Sadly it also produced the highest death rate in the world at that time! Over one thousand men died in the Gogebic Range mines. Many more died later from lung disease or were crippled for life. Mules were more valuable than miners because they cost more and were harder to get. I believe a memorial to these men is long over due. The grandeur of this Memorial should reflect the effort they put forward to give Ironwood it’s birth. What better way than a memorial park right where it all began? I know it will take a lot of work but that is the nature of all great endeavors. Remember, we accomplish in proportion to what we attempt.