Michigan Tech Archives

Michigan Tech Archives Open for research to all by appointment.

The Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections preserves documents related to the history of Michigan Tech and to the western Upper Peninsula.

The Archives crew is on Quincy Hill today to celebrate Heritage Site Day with all of our fellow Keweenaw Heritage Sites....
06/18/2026

The Archives crew is on Quincy Hill today to celebrate Heritage Site Day with all of our fellow Keweenaw Heritage Sites. Stop by and say hi, grab some candy, and answer a trivia question to win some Michigan Tech swag! 🖤💛

Happy Flashback Friday and happy Bridgefest Weekend! This photo from the Daily Mining Gazette Photograph Collection can ...
06/12/2026

Happy Flashback Friday and happy Bridgefest Weekend! This photo from the Daily Mining Gazette Photograph Collection can no longer be snapped. It shows the old Ranger house which was constructed to be the protective enclosure for the once opulent car of the Copper Range Railroad. It was removed at some point to make way for utility enclosures. This image also features an amazing view of the Portage Lake Lift Bridge during the construction stage.

Where Legends Pass: Stories from Under the Bridge! 🌉The Portage Lake Lift Bridge has been a Copper Country icon since it...
06/12/2026

Where Legends Pass: Stories from Under the Bridge! 🌉

The Portage Lake Lift Bridge has been a Copper Country icon since it opened in 1959, connecting Houghton and Hancock and welcoming everything from paddleboards to mighty freighters.

This photo from November 1965 captures the Henry Steinbrenner (2) passing under the bridge—a stunning glimpse of the past! Do you have a memory of traveling under the bridge or a favorite vessel that did? Share your story below!

📸 courtesy of the Ben Chynoweth Collection, Michigan Tech Archives.

Beach days are back in the Keweenaw Peninsula! Captured in the mid-1900s, this photo from the Tech Archives Harold Putn...
06/12/2026

Beach days are back in the Keweenaw Peninsula! Captured in the mid-1900s, this photo from the Tech Archives Harold Putnam Collection shows a calm summer day on the shore. Do you recognize the location?

Drop your answer in the comments, and while you're there, tell us your favorite Keweenaw beach and activity, too!

Who else remembers when class registration meant in-person enrollment, long lines, and plenty of competition?With midter...
06/12/2026

Who else remembers when class registration meant in-person enrollment, long lines, and plenty of competition?

With midterms behind us and finals on the horizon, today’s photo flashes back to October 1994, when students crowded the enrollment area to lock in their next trimester’s schedule. Rumors of line trades, bribes, and class swaps still echo in the University Archives!

In honor of scheduling week, we’d love to hear your favorite scheduling story in the comments—and don’t forget to let us know which class was worth all the effort to get into when you were a student!

📸: Courtesy of Michigan Tech Archives

Snow sports and recreation are in full swing in Houghton! As winter carries on, Huskies have been lucky that there is pl...
06/12/2026

Snow sports and recreation are in full swing in Houghton! As winter carries on, Huskies have been lucky that there is plenty to do outside with the lakes and ponds frozen over—including ice fishing! 🎣

This image from the Daily Mining Gazette Photograph Collection from February '66 shows ice fishing on L'Anse Bay on Lake Superior. Did you ever go fishing when you were at Tech? What was your most memorable catch? Let us know in the comments!

Summer is (almost) here in the Keweenaw! Take a look at summers past with Michigan Tech Archives. The above photos...
06/12/2026

Summer is (almost) here in the Keweenaw! Take a look at summers past with Michigan Tech Archives.

The above photos are available courtesy of the Michigan Tech Archives and Copper Country Historical Images.

To celebrate 10 years as University archivist for the Michigan Tech Archives, Lindsay Hiltunen '03 (BS Social Sciences),...
06/12/2026

To celebrate 10 years as University archivist for the Michigan Tech Archives, Lindsay Hiltunen '03 (BS Social Sciences), a current Humanities PhD student, is sharing one of her favorite images for this month’s historical feature—a picture of a young boy named David with his deer on the beach. Titled "Our Boy with the Deer," the image dates back to 1958!

Do you have a favorite four-legged friend to frolic on the beach with? Let us know in the comments! And if this Keweenaw location looks familiar, tell us where you think the photo was taken.

📸 credit: Michigan Tech Archives

Happy Flashback Friday! Here is a neat photograph from our collections, an advertising billboard created by the Creative...
06/05/2026

Happy Flashback Friday! Here is a neat photograph from our collections, an advertising billboard created by the Creative Arts Workshop of Tapiola, MI. It was one of 36 of the first 24-sheet billboard signs introduced in the Upper Peninsula with the silk screen process of printing. To draw tourists to the Copper Country the Arcadian Copper Mine placed signs such as this along the main highways in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and in strategic spots in Michigan. Does anyone remember touring Arcadian Mine? Let us know in the comments! (Originally published in the Daily Mining Gazette - June 16, 1959.)

When you come back north to visit the Copper Country, where do you like to soak up the best views?Brockway Mountain Driv...
05/12/2026

When you come back north to visit the Copper Country, where do you like to soak up the best views?

Brockway Mountain Drive is temporarily closed for spring cleanup following this season’s storms, according to the Keweenaw County Road Commission. So while this classic view from atop Brockway Mountain, courtesy of the Michigan Tech Archives Oversize Postcard Collection, will have to wait a little longer, there are still plenty of scenic vistas to enjoy across the Keweenaw.

Share your favorite spots in the comments!

Address

1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton, MI
49930

Opening Hours

Monday 1pm - 5pm
Tuesday 1pm - 5pm
Wednesday 1pm - 5pm
Thursday 1pm - 5pm

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+19064872505

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