The Rosy Mound Mine, Grand Haven: Demolished & Buried in the Sand

The Rosy Mound Silica Mine was/is near Grand Haven, Michigan, located off of Lakeshore Avenue.

It began operations in 1924 as the Kinney Sand Company but not long afterward was changed to the Standard Sand Company. Taking advantage of the Lake Michigan sand dunes, the sand was mined and mostly sold to railroads and factories.

At its peak, the mine produced 650,000 tons of sand annually with a total of only six employees.

The sand mine's downslide came about when the Grand Haven – and surrounding – residents began worrying about the depletion of the dunes. Preserving them became a priority. This interest started in the 1960s when a group of school children sent a signed petition to a Michigan senator asking to help save the dunes.

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It was a long, drawn-out wait, as it took over twenty years for something to get done. In 1989, the Ottawa County Parks and Recreation Commission bought up the Rosy Mound property with the co-operation of the Standard Sand Company. Not long afterward, the mine was abandoned and sat deserted for many years, leaving it wide open for curiosity-seekers, vandals, and transients.

In 2019, arsonists set fire to many of the buildings, burning most of it to the ground. This set the wheels in motion to completely demolish the entire site. By April 2021, it was completely gone.

Fortunately, there was footage shot shortly before demolition took place. Take a look at the photos below and see the last vestiges of this old 1924 Michigan mine...