Michigan Tech Archives

05/08/2026

Today's Flashback Friday takes us to this week in 1971 when flood waters ravaged The Northern Motel near Eagle River. The text is courtesy of the Daily Mining Gazette. "A Keweenaw County resident braves the rushing waters of flooded Jacob's Creek late Wednesday afternoon, standing on an impromptu "safety island" in the center of what once was a 1,000 foot stretch of Highway M-26, about three miles north of Eagle River. A couple of hours later almost half of the motel at left broke off and was swept away in the flow. The flash flood, believed caused by the bursting of a series of beaver dams, uprooted huge trees and boulders, leaving giant mounds of debris in its wake." Image courtesy of the Daily Mining Gazette Photograph Collection, May 6, 1971.

05/07/2026

The Michigan Tech Archives is still accepting applications for our 2026 Travel Grant program. Applications are due on May 15. Please check out our website for more information! https://www.mtu.edu/library/archives/programs-and-services/travel-grants/

04/14/2026

Our recent Travel Grant talk is now available on the Library's YouTube page. Feel free to share with anyone who might be interested!

The Michigan Tech Archives are proud to partner with the Friends of the Michigan Tech Library to host the next presentation in our longstanding Travel Grant ...

04/03/2026

Today is Walk to Work Day!

Walk to work – Copper Country style!

Today is Walk to Work Day, and in the Keweenaw’s mining era, walking to work wasn’t a once-a-year occasion. It was everyday life.

For many workers at mines like the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company, the day began with a walk through whatever weather the Copper Country delivered. In early April, that could mean snow, slush, and cold winds off Lake Superior. Many miners lived near work in company housing, making the trip possible on foot.

For some workers, the commute didn’t end above ground. Miners still had to travel deep underground to reach their work areas. This journey, taken on their own time, could involve man cars, man engines, or even long ladderways. At the deepest levels, temperatures could climb into the 90s (°F). After hours of work in the heat, men sometimes emerged soaked with sweat, only to step back into the cold where their clothes could freeze stiff on the walk to the dryhouse, where they would change into a dry outfit. Then it was time for the trip home… and the routine began again the next day.

Today, many people commute by car, bus, or even from home with an internet connection. What does your daily commute look like?

Photo courtesy of Michigan Tech Archives & Copper Country Historical Collections

03/31/2026

Give Back to the Pack returns at noon on Tuesday, April 7. Save the date for Michigan Tech’s 24-hour giving challenge and get ready to celebrate your Husky spirit by supporting projects that help preserve and share the history of the university.

This year, we are accepting donations to support a wide variety of projects, especially collections care. Alumni and friends may sponsor a collection, including the papers of Professor Emeritus William (Bill) Rose. Dr. Rose donated his research collection to the Archives before he passed last July. Archivists are currently processing the material to make it available to researchers and a small gift will help us defray the cost of expensive archival supplies and acid-free storage. If you have questions about supporting a specific collection, please reach out to Lindsay Hiltunen, University Archivist, at [email protected].

Give Back to the Pack to help keep our university stories and memories alive! Early giving is also open, just follow the link to our gift page! https://give.mtu.edu/project/41813/donate?des_id=640554

03/30/2026

The Michigan Tech Archives are proud to partner with the Friends of the Michigan Tech Library to host the next presentation in our longstanding Travel Grant Speaker Series. Eric Gollannek, PhD from the Saugatuck-Douglas History Center, will join us to share his research related to rural life in the Copper Country during the Depression Era. The title of the presentation is, “Great Depression Era Agricultural Buildings and the Transformation of Rural Life in the Keweenaw Region in the 1930s and 1940s.”

Please join us for a free online presentation on Zoom on Tuesday, April 7 at 4:00 p.m. For more information please reach out to Lindsay Hiltunen, University Archivist at [email protected].
The Zoom link for the event is provided here: https://michigantech.zoom.us/j/83351785824

03/20/2026

Calling all local researchers! The Michigan Tech Archives is currently updating our list of local researchers for hire. This list is compiled as a service to our patrons unable to conduct their own research in the Archives. Please share with anyone who might be interested!

The Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections is updating its list of local historical researchers for hire. We are seeking individuals interested in providing unaffiliated fee-based research services to patrons unable to undertake their own research projec...

02/07/2026

Happy Winter Carnival! The fun continues today!

02/07/2026

It's a beautiful day to get the crew in the sled and walk around campus for Winter Carnival! Run, don't walk to the Alumni and Archives Winter Carnival social until 1 p.m. in the Opie Reading Room in the Michigan Tech Van Pelt and Opie Library! The donuts are going fast! Stop in for a warm up!