The Deserted Mineral Range Depot in Calumet: 1908-1968

Another one of the Keweenaw Peninsula’s deserted spots is the Mineral Range depot in Calumet, a true relic of the past.

In 1872, construction of the Mineral Range Railroad began in the Keweenaw Peninsula, the heart of Michigan's copper country. By October 1873, the first passenger train made its run.

According to This Building Matters, Calumet was originally known as Red Jacket, and it boasted three depots. With the booming copper mining and three depots, the population grew to tremendous proportions: up to 32, 845 residents between 1870 and 1910.

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With such an incredible population, especially in this part of the Upper Peninsula, a new depot became necessary to replace one of the old wooden ones. Thus was born the Mineral Range depot, construction being completed in 1908.

And what an impressive one it was! The first floor had men's and women's waiting rooms (why they were separate seems a little odd), ticket offices, and bathrooms. The upper floor contained offices for the railroad bosses and other personnel. It was this depot where most of the transported immigrants set foot in the region.

By 1929, the name ‘Red Jacket’ was switched to ‘Calumet’.

When the 1930s hit, the Mineral Range Railroad was going broke. The copper boom was over; but even so, plenty of mining was still going strong. By 1937, the railroad company was going bankrupt.

Fast forward to March 1968: a passenger train made its last departure from the Mineral Range depot. From then on, it was empty. The tracks were ripped up in the 1970s and converted into a snowmobile and ATV trail.

In 1999, there was talk of turning the old Mineral Range depot into a combination restaurant, bed & breakfast, and gift shop.
It never happened.

Below are images of the old Mineral Range depot of Calumet.