A Successful Season

 Another successful season for the Quincy Smelter Association.  Every month we had many visitors for each tour day.  

The major event for the association was the change in ownership from the Franklin Township to the Advisory Commission affliliated with the Keweenaw National Historical Park.  The Advisory Commission is the current owner.  When a number of details are cleared up, the smelter will be transferred to the Park Service.   

In the mean time we have an agreement with the Advisory Commission to continue running the tours for the foreseeable future.

We enjoy giving these tours.  Visitors at times can bring information from their past connections with the smelter.  Sometimes former employees.  Sometimes relatives of those employees.  And there are a lot of knowledgeable people who add to our information about the smelter.

We will re-open in June, 2015.  Our schedule has not been set for 2015.  When it is, we will post it here and on our facebook page.  

We hope you enjoy the holidays and the winter snow.  

We look forward to seeing you again next year.

OCTOBER SMELTER TOUR

Photo's By Don Roy

Its come again!  The last tour of the season at the Quincy Smelter.  

Date: October 11, 2014
Time: 11 AM to 3 PM
Cost: $5.00 per person, children under 10 free

Not only do you get to see the last intact copper smelter from America's industrial age, you'll be out near the middle of the Portage Canal, looking up and down the mountains surrounding us at what promises to be the beautiful fall colors of the Keweenaw.

Directions: Go over the bridge between Houghton and Hancock, turn right on to M-26 for 1/4 mile and turn at the sign.

A note about the photographer:
Don Roy was born in Hancock Mi., taking photos for over 50 years around the 
Copper Country. He loves the texture of old abandoned farms and barns, 
bringing his technical skills to bear through finessing colors and creative
composition of his objects.  His life long interest in photography started with a 
four year stint in the U.S. Navy as an aerial photographer.  If you enjoyed this 
photo, contact him at ddonaldjr@att.net.

The Quincy Smelting Works is a former industrial site. While the furnaces no longer produce copper, the buildings and grounds still contain numerous physical hazards. In order to ensure that safest tour possible, we provide hard hats and safety glasses on all tours. We also require that visitors wear closed shoes and follow all tour guide instructions.

The Quincy Smelting Works is owned by the Keweenaw National Historical Park Advisory Commission. The Quincy Smelter Association, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, provides tours to the public through an agreement with the Advisory Commission.

September Smelter Tour

NPS Photo, Dan Johnson

Get a different view of our smelter.  Take a tour in September

TOUR INFORMATION

September 6th, 2014
11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
$5/person, children under 10 free, AAA discount


The Quincy Smelter Association hosts tours monthly so visitors such as yourself can see the only intact copper smelter from the American Industrial Revolution around the turn of the 20th Century. See much of the original machinery used to turn ore into copper ingots. Not only can you see the original equipment from the smelter's construction in 1898. But our guides will point out the major changes in the Great Expansion of 1920. We look forward to showing this and much more.


Since much of the tour is spent in the buildings, this is a great event even on rainy days.


Directions: Turn right after crossing the bridge on to M-26, go 1/4 mile to the sign on the right.


The smelter is a former industrial site. We recommend wearing closed shoes for your safety.


For a full listing of our tour dates for 2014, see the previous post for June at http://quincysmelterassociation.blogspot.com/

AUGUST SMELTER TOUR

THE OTHER CANAL RUN

Here is an undated photo of Michigan Tech campus and the Quincy Smelter. 

Can you tell when this was taken?

Make a run to the other side of the Portage Canal to see the Quincy Smelter. 

You'll love it!

Date: August 9th, 2014
When: 11:00 AM  to 3:00 PM
Cost: $5/person, children under 10 free
Tours start on the hour
Where: Go over the bridge towards Hancock, turn right on to M-26 for 1/4 mile to the sign

On August 9th Quincy Smelter Association sponsors its tour of our facility from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM during Alumni Weekend.  We invite the public and all alumni to partake of this activity during the height of the summer season. 

Not only do you get to see the smelter, you also get a great view of the campus.

NEWS FLASH!!!!
Blacksmithing demonstration by Michigan Tech students. 

Since much of the tour is spent in the buildings, this is a great event on rainy days.

For a full listing of our tour dates for 2014, see a previous post on this site.The smelter is a former industrial site.  We recommend wearing closed shoes for your safety. 

The Quincy Smelter Association is a non-profit organization authorized to give tours by the owner,  Franklin Township.

JULY 19TH TOUR

These guys are waiting to show you their stuff
(Courtesy of Michigan Technological University Archives)

We're ready to guide you through our next tour day at the smelter.  

July 19th, 2014
11:00 AM to 3:00 PM

The Quincy Smelter Association hosts tours monthly so visitors such as yourself can see the only intact copper smelter from the American Industrial Revolution around the turn of the 20th Century.  See much of the original machinery used to turn ore into copper ingots.  Not only can you see the original equipment from the smelter's construction in 1898. But our guides will point out the major changes  in the Great Expansion of 1920.  We look forward to showing this and much more.

Since much of the tour is spent in the buildings, this is a great event even on rainy days.

Directions: Turn right after crossing the bridge on to M-26, go 1/4 mile to the sign on the right.

The smelter is a former industrial site.  We recommend wearing closed shoes for your safety.

For a full listing of our tour dates for 2014, see the previous post on this site.

The Quincy Smelter Association is a non-profit organization authorized to give tours by the owner,  Franklin Township.

2014 TOUR SCHEDULE

Its Spring!

The Quincy Smelter Association is happy to announce its tour schedule for this year.  

We look forward to showing visitors such as yourself a prominent part of the heritage of Keweenaw's copper industry.  

See an intact copper smelter with our guides taking you through many of the buildings that makes up this facility.  See the huge furnace where 50,000 pounds of copper ore was melted.  A large circular casting machine.  Pumps and more pumps!  And much more.

June 21, 2014

July 19, 2014

August 9, 2014

September 6, 2014

October 11, 2014

Unless otherwise noted, tours are from 11 AM to 3 PM on the designated Saturdays.

We recommend visitors wear closed shoes and avoid sandals or other open and loose fitting foot wear.

Our tours are approximately one hour long.

As part of our fundraising efforts, we have high quality T-shirts for sale.  One is a sharp dark blue with white lettering with the neat Quincy Smelter logo.  The other shirt is a light tan with a vintage photo of the smelter plus lettering.  Come on a tour and leave well dressed!

Quincy Smelter Association is a private, non-profit organization.  The Quincy Smelter is owned by Franklin Township.  The township has given the QSA permission to conduct tours.  QSA has no affiliation with any governmental organization.

Quincy Smelter Association can conduct tours for private groups provided we have sufficient notice and volunteers available.

SYMPOSIUMS OF THE KEWEENAW 2014