Ancient native copper mines on Isle Royale named national landmark
Indigenous people mined copper 4,500 years ago on the Lake Superior island, using it for knives and spear tips. 2:00 pm, Feb. 5, 2021 ×
Rock rubble near sites on Isle Royale where Indigenous people mined for copper as far back as 4,500 years ago. The site has been named a national historic landmark. (Photo courtesy of National Park Service)
One of the oldest examples of Indigenous mining documented in North America, a series of small Isle Royale copper mines, has been designated an official National Historic Landmark.
Archaeological and historical evidence suggests copper mining activity by native groups at the Minong copper mine started at least 4,500 years ago and continued into the 1900s.