quincy mine tour discount

Quincy and Delaware mine tours open full-time for summer tourism

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP and DELAWARE, Mich. (WLUC) - Now that warmer weather is here, tourist attractions around the Copper Country are opening their doors.

Starting Friday, the Quincy Mine will be opening full-time, offering tours throughout the week.

Tours are available for both the mine area and the Quincy smelter along the Portage Canal.

For those who want to see both, they have a special option.

“We are continuing to run the special we had last summer,” said Quincy Mine Manager Tom Wright. “For anybody that does the complete tour here at Quincy, the smelter tours are bundled in as a value-added package. So people can come to Quincy, and then can visit the smelter at any time.”

Wright said he encourages people to come out and discover the history and geology of the location.

“The importance of Quincy Mine and copper mining in the Keweenaw, in general, cannot be overstated,” continued Wright. “It is a pivotal part of our history in supplying what today we might call a strategic metal that was a pivotal part of the nation becoming industrialized. And it is a story that is largely forgotten about or unknown.”

And further north, in Keweenaw County, the Delaware Copper Mine is also open for tours weekly.

It is now in its 46th year of operation.

The tours are self-guided, allowing people to explore the area as they see fit.

“When you come here, we show you a short video to explain it,” said Delaware Mine Owner and Operator Tony Poynter. “Then you get to take your time and walk through the mine on your own, and it takes about 35 minutes to 45 minutes to do that. We also have some nice walking trails.”

Poynter said he also working on adding an addition to what can be viewed at the mine.

“We’re working on a small museum here that will be based on maritime shipwrecks, things like that, and some of my interests in steam engines, old engines, and trains,” added Poynter. “Hopefully, we’ll have some of this open by the end of the summer.”

Additionally, the Delaware Mine has a mascot, a skunk named Snickers, who visitors can interact with as they explore.

Both mines are Keweenaw Heritage Sites, a program that aims to preserve the history of the copper mining industry in the area.

They will be open full-time until mid-October.

To learn more about the Quincy Mine and its tours, click here .

For more about the Delaware Mine, you can check out it’s Facebook page here .

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Quincy Mine Tours

Review Highlights

“ I knew nothing about mining and I have a new respect for the hard work those men endured and what they created. ” in 8 reviews

“ ut. T he ho ist could pull a skip, loaded with 10 tons of copper ore, to the surface at a speed of 36 M ” in 6 reviews

“ You ride a tram down a hill outside where a adit (large man made opening) allows entrance into the mine. ” in 6 reviews

Location & Hours

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49750 US Hwy 41

Hancock, MI 49930

Serving Hancock Area

About the Business

Come and take a Historical Underground Copper Mining tour of the Quincy Mine. Ride on the Midwest's only cogwheel tram to explore underground where the Miners broke rock all day. Explore the 1918 hoist house with your guide and see the Worlds Largest Steam hoist used for Mining and hear about much more! …

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My husband and I were on our way to a different mine when we saw these abandoned torn down structures. I was taking photos when I noticed the sign. We turned back around and decided to go into the store. They had a very large gift shop filled with a lot of souvenirs. I asked the gentleman at the counter if they were still doing tours. Unfortunately, the tour was going to be in another hour and a half. However, he told us we are more than welcome to tour the grounds. We could not go below ground, as that was restricted for the tours. He gave us a map as well. You can go on the website to see the pricing. It is $35 for a full tour or $15 for above ground for adults. Children that are 6 and under are free. I think that it would be such an amazing experience to go under ground for the tour. We saw some hard hats when we walked into one of the buildings.

See all photos from Suzy J. for Quincy Mine Tours

Even if you don't love history this is interesting and so unique!! I thought it was fascinating. I knew nothing about mining and I have a new respect for the hard work those men endured and what they created. The scope and scale of this mine is hard to describe. You've got to see it. And I'm so glad the quincy mine hoist association saved it! The machinery is like nothing I've ever seen. The guides are so talented at explaining it all in an interesting way. We were all listening and engaged because it is so incredible how those men went down and brought out the copper and how the advances over time changed everything. Knowing how far they went down is just mind boggling. Go see it for yourself! The grounds are lovely too! The trail into the mine can be wet and muddy so wear good shoes! You won't be disappointed!

Excellent tour and guide. Guide was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the region and the mine. Highly recommend!

Super cool tour -- the tour itself of the mine was about 2 hours long. It's about 43 degrees in there so make sure to bring a jacket! Riding the tram up/down the hill was fun for the kids (and kids under 6 get in free!) The gift shop is large and VERY dangerous if you like to shop lol. Not only area books and semi precious gems but a huge jewelry section. All reasonably priced too.

We were up in the Keweenaw Peninsula after a trip to Isle Royale. I had read a little about the Quincy Mine as I was planning the trip. My travel partner was very enthusiastic when I told him about the mine as a place to visit during our day and a half in the Hancock area. I thought it might be interesting. I was wrong. It was extremely interesting. It hits so many areas of interest: American history, industrialization, workers rights, labor, innovation, mining, geology. It was a fascinating grounds to explore. Many of the buildings are nothing but ruins, which have their own beauty. It brings to life the transient nature of our puny existence. Truly, I became philosophical as I wandered around the grounds. The mine tour was was really interesting. Brian was our guide and he was very personable and easy to listen to, and had so much information. Not just the canned tour information but he was able to answer the many questions put forth by the tour members. My partner is one of those people who when on a tour and the guide asks "any questions before we move on?", everyone, including the guide, looks at him. I dont think there was a time on the 2 hour tour when Brian had to say "I dont know". If you are claustrophobic, no worries. This is not a tour akin to a cave tour. You ride a tram down a hill outside where a adit (large man made opening) allows entrance into the mine. There is no overwhelming feeling of claustrophobia or closeness or that feeling of knowing there are tons of earth above you. The tour is also very accessible. One of the men on the tour had a stand up walker. Another tour member was 88 years old. There was a walk into the mine, about 200 feet and many stops along the way as the guide would point out different formations or talk about mine related events. My 12 year old was engaged throughout the tour. It was a worthwhile afternoon. The other adult and I consul have spent several more hours wandering the grounds and reading all the different placards, but the 12 year old was done. The pre teen did enjoy the gift shop and we spent more money than I usually spend in gift shops. I've been home for only a few days but have talked up our time in the Keweenaw Peninsula, the Quincy Mine, and the National Historic Park. We also spent a couple hours in Ripley, Michigan at the Quincy Smelter. The Mine Tour includes both options. We did the Smelter one day and the Mine the next. The Smelter was also very interesting. The tour ws not well attended, which is a shame. I think it doesnt have the publicity as the mine but it was also very informative. Our guide at the Smelter was Brandon (perhaps Braden?) and he had a distracting tone and cadence when he talked in what my partner, son, and I called his "professional tour guide voice". But when he forgot to use the odd voice, the cadence and tone were normal and not distracting. It seems like an weird thing to comment on, but if you get him as a guide, you will definitely know what I mean.

Great tour. I have been on this tour previously and Clayton was the best tour guide by far. His interest is in history provided a good perspective of the hoist building and equipment and the ubderground tour. I highly recommend this tour, especially by Clayton to gain an understanding of why so many Europeans traveled here to work in the mines in the late 1800's and first part of the 1900's. I also recommend you take time to walk through and listen to the video presentation in the No. 2 Shaft Rock House. It closes the loop on how men were moved in and out of the mine workings, how the mine was dewatered, and how ore was hoisted and dumped into bins on the surface. Went on the Smelter Tour today. Brendan did a great job, he was very knowledgeable and seem to have the whole tour memorized. I am sorry to see no Yelp reference specially for this tour. This is an oversight by the tour management.

Confession: We didn't do the tour here because of time constraints but we did enjoy a really cool time exploring the grounds and snapping some pics of the buildings and mining structures. It was a gorgeous October morning and the colors of the sky and changing leaves juxtaposed with the industrial rubble and structures was such a memorable experience. If you want to learn more without a tour their website has a lot of great videos plus info such as: * Mining operations have been closed since 1945, but the site is preserved as a cooperating site of the Keweenaw National Historical Park * The Nordberg Steam Hoist is the largest steam-powered hoist engine ever built. ....and more! So if you can't get the full experience because of Covid, time, or whatever, you can find tons of info at quincymine.com to supplement your visit!

See all photos from Annette J. for Quincy Mine Tours

So interesting! Always great to get some history of what sustained a settlement. Makes you appreciate labor laws!

Such a great historical treasure. Really enjoyed the tour and our tour guide, Clayton, was very informative and engaging!

This was a really cool thing to do while up in the Keweenaw. I felt like I learned a lot about the region as a whole, not just about mining! There is a significant price discount with a student ID, so be sure to bring yours if you have one! Our tour guide was excellent, and it was so interesting to learn and see what life was like in the U.P. 100-150 years ago. We started in one of the buildings and saw the steam hoist engine, and then took a little train-type thing down to the mine. There are no stairs in this mine; you just walk right in. The mine is sort of built into a hill, so the further you walk in the more underground you get, even without any stairs. As others have mentioned, it is 43 degrees in the mine year-round so dress appropriately, and it was very muddy, so expect your shoes and even your pants to get quite dirty. I did not expect mud to splash up on my legs, or to sink into the mud and get the sides of my shoes very dirty! The ONLY reason this gets four stars instead of five is because we only went in or even talked about the one building. The tour was already like two hours long, but they should cut out about half of the one building's lecture and instead take us around to the other buildings, with just a brief introduction to each one. The tour inside the mine itself was a five-star experience, but I'm a little bummed that I still don't know much about the rest of the stuff on the property.

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Quincy Mine

49750 us highway 41 hancock, mi 49930.

The Quincy Mine closed in 1945, but has been preserved as part of the Keweenaw National Historic Park as a way to honor the Copper Country’s rich mining history. Visitors to the Quincy Mine can take a guided tour of the historic mine, explore the shaft house with the largest steam-powered hoist engine, go underground into the once operational mine, ride on the Midwest’s only cogwheel tram – all while taking in breathtaking views of the Portage Lake Lift Bridge. 

A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum of Michigan Tech

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum of Michigan Tech - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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The Fascinating Mine Tour In Michigan That Truly Stands Out Above The Rest

Sophie Boudreau

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Michigan is home to various mine tours, each of which offers visitors a unique look at our state’s past. No matter what your age, you’re sure to be amazed by the memorable experience of venturing deep into a mine to walk in the footsteps of early miners. When you’re ready for a truly unique mine experience, check out this unforgettable destination in the Great Lakes State.

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For more information about the Quincy Mine and its various tour options, click here . Have you embarked on a Quincy Mine tour in years past? Share your experiences with us in the comment section below!

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Quincy Mine Tour

UTR-Webmaster October 8, 2015 Episode 601

I was hankerin for some history,so we headed north over the Portage Lake Lift Bridge … through the historic town of Hancock … and up to the Quincy Mine for a trip down and into this area’s fascinating copper mining past.

Back in the day, this part of the Upper Peninsula was the copper mining capital of the world … It was known as “Copper Country” and we’re gonn find out why …

The Quincy Mine tour is one of the most fascinating things you’ll ever do in this part of Michigan. From the incredible towering shaft house …… built by the same company that made the Mackinac Bridge, to the worlds largest steam hoist still to this day … there’s as much history here above the ground, as there is below it. And to make sure we left no nugget unturned, we hooked up this Tom Wright.

After suiting up for our subterranean tour, we boarded the authentic Cog railway car … and let Tom’s incredible knowledge take us down and into the mine.

At the actual entrance of the mine, we all hopped off the cog railway and onto a steal wagon that transported us deep, deep into the earth. Now, bare with us … it gets pretty dark down here …

Tom painted such an interesting and detailed picture of this mines incredible history, that not once on the tour did you feel anything but fun and fascination. At the Quincy Mine tour they dig deep to make sure you have an absolute blast …

You know … I’m normally a little claustrophobic … but, I’ll be honest … the tour was so fascinating and it’s such a huge realm down there that it never even entered my mind. But I did find this copper nugget … Tommy gets a new pair of shoes.

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Quincy Mine

Virtual brochure and information for Quincy Mine, one of many online travel brochures for tourist information in Hancock, MI. Provided by your source for Mackinaw Information and Mackinac Information.

Virtual PDF brochure of Quincy Mine

Quincy Mine Hoist Association 49750 US-41 Hancock, MI 49930 Phone: 906-482-3101 Toll-free: 800-338-7982 Website: www.quincymine.com E-mail: [email protected]

Underground Mine Tours, Museum and Tram Ride

Quincy Mine National Historic Landmark District Keweenaw Heritage Site

The Copper Rush In 1843, six years before the California Gold Rush, one of the nation’s first mineral rushes occurred here. Prospectors came to the Keweenaw not for gold, but for copper. As the United States entered the Industrial Revolution, the demand for copper increased. The Keweenaw contained a wealth of pure elemental copper.

Mine workers pose in front of the old #2 Shafthouse

A Company Called Old Reliable Established in 1848, Quincy Mining Company was an early mine in the Portage Lake area. Quincy’s hope for wealth was a copper bearing rock called the Pewabic Lode. The Civil War increased the demand of copper for munitions and allowed the Quincy Mining Company to grow. Though ups and downs occurred in production and prices, Quincy had become the second largest mine in the Lake Superior region by the late 1880s. From 1862 to 1920, Quincy paid dividends to investors, earning the nickname "Old Reliable." Immigrants from across the world came for the jobs that copper mining provided. The city of Hancock grew to provide services for the miners. Labor unrest in 1913 and the rise of strip mining for copper in other locations started Quincy’s slow decline. After nearly 100 years, mining operations ceased in 1945.

Preserving the Past The Quincy Mine Hoist Association formed as a non-profit organization in 1961 to preserve the mining structures and technology and educate visitors about the site. Quincy Mine was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989 and in 1992 became a partner with Keweenaw National Historical Park. The Association manages a key component of the park’s Quincy Unit.

Ruins of the No. 7 Boiler house are preserved at the Quincy Mine.

Deep in the Earth At its maximum depth, Quincy’s No. 2 shaft reached 9,260 feet on the incline into the earth. Moving men, ore and water out of the mine required innovation and engineering. Today’s visitors explore a 2,400 foot section of the seventh level to see what life was like for mine workers and learn about the changes in mining processes through history. Since the mine stopped operating, all 85 levels below the seventh level have filled with water.

A guide shows how miners removed copper ore from the rock.

Pride of the Company To transport men into and ore out of the deepest levels of the mine, Quincy Mining Company commissioned construction of the Nordberg Steam Hoist in 1918. As the world’s largest steam hoist, it represented the success and power of the company to workers and investors. The hoist and its reinforced concrete building with brick veneer and Italian tiled walls, cost over $370,000 but was used for only eleven years.

The Nordberg Steam Hoist fills the cavernous space of the hoist house.

Quincy Mine Association Membership The Quincy Mine properties are owned and operated by the Quincy Mine Hoist Association, Inc., a not-for-profit, 501(C)(3) corporation. The association exists to educate the public and preserve the Quincy Mine Site. Memberships are available. Inquire at the Gift Shop or contact the association by phone or mail. Members receive significant discounts on mine tours and gift shop purchases.

Enjoying your visit Visitor Information - A Keweenaw National Historic Park information desk is located in the entrance to the Quincy Mine Gift Shop. Information is available on park activities and area attractions.

Season and Hours - Open: Friday through Sunday from the end of April to mid June and daily from mid June to late October. Hours 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Last tour leaves at 5:00 p.m.

Guided Tours and Fees Full Tour (Includes Underground Mine and Tram Ride) Surface Tour Only Group Rates are available in advance. Contact the Quincy Mine Hoist Association for more information.

Gift Shop - Features geology specimens, Copper Country gifts, books, videos and items related to the Northwoods.

Accessibility - The mine tour and several buildings are accessible to wheelchair users. See list to right.

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Tour Information

The Surface Tour includes a guided tour of the grounds, the museum, a video tour of the #2 Shaft-Rock House, built in 1908 and used until 1931, and the Hoist Engine Building that houses the Nordberg Steam-powered hoist engine.  Our knowledgeable tour guides will explain about copper mining and answer your questions about the mining operation of the Quincy Mining Company.

The Underground Tour includes all of the above and also takes you on the cog-rail tramcar for a ride down the hill to the entrance at the 7th level of the mine. A tractor-pulled wagon will enter a large opening in the hill and take you into the underground mine where there are exhibits of mining tools and equipment.

If you wish to ride the tram down the hill, take photographs, and not tour the underground mine, this can be added to the Surface Tour.

* * * * * * * * *

Surface and Underground Tours include the following:

 Quincy Shaft-Rock House #2 The #2 Shaft-Rock House will catch your eye as you drive towards Houghton and Hancock as it stands majestically on the top of the hill. Built in 1908, the mineshaft underneath the structure inclines into the earth for approximately 1.7 miles. Tour the shaft house through an interesting video presentation.

The Museum Located in the original 1894 #2 Hoist Building, the Museum contains many interesting exhibits and specimens on loan from the Seaman Mineralogical Museum. Be sure to see the 17-ton solid copper boulder recently recovered from Lake Superior.

Nordberg Steam Hoist The large Hoist Building houses the amazing Nordberg Steam Hoist, the world’s largest steam powered hoist engine. The building was one of the first very large reinforced concrete buildings with no interior supporting columns.

Cog Rail Tram Car

Quincy Mine Underground Tour When the tram arrives at the mine entrance, visitors will ride in a wagon pulled by a tractor about ½ mile straight into the side of the hill to Shaft #5 where you sill see early mine cars and learn how they worked. Your tour guide will explain how these miners extracted the copper from the rock walls.

2015 Ticket Prices

The Quincy Mining Company was a major copper producer in the late 1800's, ceased underground mining operations in 1945, and eventually stopped processing copper in 1967. There are no operating copper mines left in the Upper Peninsula so plan to stop and take a trip into the past when “Copper was King”. The mining complex once housed several copper mines and a variety of buildings.

Restoration Projects

The first phase of the restoration of the Historic Engine House for the Quincy and Torch Lake Railroad was completed in the fall of 2010. The building and the #2 maintenance pit have been restored. Hopefully all four service pits will be completed in the near future.

Locomotive #5 and Locomotive #1 (The Thomas Mason) of the Quincy & Torch Lake Railroad are on display behind the Hoist House. Locomotive #6 has recently been returned to the Quincy Mine and is waiting cosmetic restoration.

The Gift Shop and the grounds of the Quincy Mining Complex are open to visitors free of charge if you want to pick up a souvenir or walk abound the old mining complex. You will find a nice collection of items in the Gift Shop including mugs, jewelry, magnets, ornaments, plush animals, rocks & mineral samples, shirts, and videos. Books and maps are available to show how copper was mined and turned into ingots ready to ship to the lower Great Lakes.

For additional Information visit our website at www.quincymine.com Or call: 906-482-3101

Be sure to check out the newsletter page for updates on what’s happening at the Quincy Mine.

Keweenaw Peninsula Attractions Lodging & Businesses in Houghton & Hancock Guided Tours in the Upper Peninsula The Upper Peninsula Traveler Home Page

The Quincy Mine properties are owned and operated by the Quincy Mine Hoist Association, Inc. A not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation that operates for the education of the public and the preservation of the Mine Site.

Photos: quincy mine hoist association & exploring the north top photo: mary deloria, © 2011 by char simons, webmaster. all rights reserved. except as permitted under the copyright act of 1976, as amended, this web site may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any manner. unless authorized by the webmaster, reproduction of any picture, web page or pages on this website, www.exploringthenorth.com, for placement on the internet is a copyright infringement. all right, title and interest in and to the material on these web pages, the web site, in whole or in part, and in and to this url and the urls contained within, is the property of the webmaster. all website design, text, graphics, selection and arrangement thereof are the copyrighted works of char simons. made on a mac. 3/11.

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Quincy Mine

The Quincy Mine is located in Hancock in the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan’s Houghton County. It mined copper and was founded in 1846 and operated until 1945. At the time, the Quincy number 2 shaft was the world’s longest shaft at 1.75 miles (2.8 km) long. In the years that it operated this mine produced 424,000 tons of native copper. The Quincy Mining Company was the first to notice the limits of fissure mining and switch to the low mineral content rock, amygdaloid. The mine is now a popular tourist attraction of the Keweenaw National Historical Park . The Quincy Mine Hoist Association now owns and operates this decommissioned mine as a preserved museum where visitors can come and learn about the rich heritage and importance that mining had. They offer guided tours where visitors can visit the Number 2 Shaft House and museum, see the Nordberg Steam Hoist, the world’s largest steam powered hoist and even take a ride on a cog tram car to the mine’s entrance and then ride a wagon seven levels underground into the mine.

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Quincy mine the perfect setting for halloween haunted mine tour.

Graham Jaehnig/Daily Mining Gazette Just a few of the thousands of props used by Michigan Tech’s Visual and Performing Arts students to create the Haunted Mine Tours. Visual props are just one component of the project. To create the desired sound for the tours, more than 5,000 feet of audio cable are being used.

HANCOCK — To celebrate Halloween, the Quincy Mine Hoist Association and Michigan Tech Visual and Performing Arts students have partnered to present haunted mine tours. And what better place than in a copper mine that claimed the lives of more than 250 men in its 99-year operation.

The annual tour series, however is much more than an opportunity for the public to tour a mine in the prime of spooky season. Since it first began around a decade ago, it has become a college-credit course for Michigan Tech’s technical theater students.

Quincy Mine Hoist Association Director Tom Wright said on Tuesday that while the Haunted Mine Tours will be Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the Michigan Tech students have been working on the project since last summer.

Kent Cyr, associate professor of Visual and Performing Arts at Michigan Tech, said the haunted mine is set up by a couple of college classes. “This is one of our practical experiences that our students partake in, but we have that at three different levels.”

“Incoming students will be here, to help set things up and help figure it out. It’s one of their first experiences, but then we have advanced students, or Seniors, for who this is a final project and they are in an advanced role, whether it’s planning or management or design.”

Michigan Tech student Mattie Wentela, one of the two production managers for the project, said the managers are in charge all of the logistics, planning, scheduling, safety and ensuring that all goes as planned.

Fellow student, Isabella Capanda one of the two sound designers for the project, said there are a lot of concerns about sound design in a hard-rock mine.

“Usually less is more,” she said, “but you still have to have a lot in order to create that experience that everyone is looking for.”

Capanda said leading a sound design project like this will have distinct advantages for her future.

“Michigan Tech definitely does a really great job of giving us a lot of experiences,” she said, “and I just want to create the best experience for audiences and be able to share and create a beautiful place for everyone to experience and share with others.”

Cameron Whiteside, president of the Theme Park Engineering student organization at Michigan Tech, said his group is involved in helping out with some of the set decoration for the mine.

The Theme Park Engineering group is a relatively new student organization on campus, said Whiteside, that formed during the 2019-2020 school year. COVID seriously restricted the group’s ability to do much.

Wentela said the groups started loading equipment into the mine last Sunday, but work on the project actually began planning and set-building during the summer.

The Haunted Mine Tours began sometime between 2012 and 2013, said Wright, but have greatly evolved in that decade. Originally, the tours were just like any other tour offered by the mine, but Wright saw the opportunity to expand them into something much more.

“I started reaching out to Michigan Tech, originally to the Blue Key Honor Society,” he said. For Blue Key, community service is part of their function, and as the Hoist Assoication is a 501(c)(3), the Blue Key can help the mine and earn their community service credit.

“I ran into people who were in the Visual and Performing Arts Department and they said ‘This is really cool! Can our friends help with it?’ and before we knew it, the whole department started getting pulled in.”

It is a way for the students to get practical experience in an environment unlike any other, Wright said.

“I will disagree with Isabella a little bit here,” he added. “We’re not trying to create something beautiful here — anything but — you have drippy mines, you have water, you have mud; you have to figure out how you can hang stuff, because we don’t have pipes and stringers and hangers, we’ve got nothing but rock, basically.”

Cyr said until Wright showed up on Campus with the idea, nobody had thought of putting on a technical show in a mine.

“He came and talked to us about it,” said Cyr, “and we said alright, we’ll come see it and see what we think.”

Cyr said that was in 2016 and that the Theater department started putting on the event the following year.

Cyr is the technical director at Michigan Tech. He teaches courses in Technical Construction, Stagecraft, Rigging, Stage Mechanics, and Properties Artisanship. He is the director of the B.S. in Theatre and Entertainment Technology program.

The Haunted Mine Tour project is designed with a different theme each year. Last year, said Wright, it was not even set up in the mine, but for a twist, it was conducted in the Quincy’s smelter project on the waterfront in Ripley.

Wright said just one of the significant components of the project is that the Haunted Mine Tour is a community effort.

“It’s a chance for Quincy to host a community event, which is an exceptional haunted mine,” he said, “as well as to provide a learning space for Michigan Tech.”

Wright said it is fair to say that no other student in the United States gets this sort technical challenge.

This year’s theme is “Cryptid Menagerie.” Haunted Mine guests will take a tram down to the entrance of the mine, then continue on foot for a walking tour of about 500 feet.

Tours are self-guided; the tram will run from 6-10 p.m. on the nights of October 27, 28, and 29. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

The first tour starts at 6 p.m. on Thursday, said Wright, who strongly advises purchasing tickets online as soon as possible, because they sell out every year and they sell out quickly.

Wentela said that the haunted tour will get scarier as the night progresses and she suggest that young kids not take part in later runs of the tour, though that is up to the discretion of parents.

For more information and ticket price and purchase, please visit the Michigan Tech website at https://events.mtu.edu/event/michigantechtheatre_hauntedmine2022

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