Quincy Mine

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The #2 Shafthouse (left) and the Hoist House (right)

The Quincy Mine is an extensive set of copper mines located near Hancock, Michigan. The mine was owned by the Quincy Mining Company and operated between 1846 and 1945, although some activities continued through the 1970s. The Quincy Mine was known as "Old Reliable," as the Quincy Mine Company paid a dividend to investors every year between 1867 and 1921.

The Quincy Mine was founded in 1846 with significant investment from Massachusetts (the town of Quincy, Massachusetts lent the mine its name). While many other copper mines were founded at the same time, the Quincy Mine quickly became the most successful, and was the country's leading copper producing mine from 1862-1882.^[1] The mine was the first such mine to switch from "fissure mining" (extracting large, mostly pure masses of copper) to "amygdaloid mining" (extracting large amounts of ore-bearing rock, which is processed separately to extract the metal). Amygdaloid mining is vastly more efficient, and the mining company produced profits for 54 consecutive years as a result. This helped the mine survive longer than any of the other Keweenaw copper mining companies.

The Quincy Mining Company closed operations (but did not dissolve) in 1931 due to low copper prices.^[2] During World War II, the mines re-opened due to increased copper demand. When the government stopped supporting copper prices after the war, the mines quickly closed for good.

The Quincy Number 2 Hoist House contains the largest steam hoist ever manufactured, used to raise and lower ore and men into the extremely deep (2.9 km) Number 2 Shaft. The Number 6 Shaft House (no longer standing) is often pictured in photographs as a picturesque example of shaft house architecture.

The Quincy Mine is now a popular Keweenaw tourist attraction. The Quincy Mine Hoist Association maintains the buildings and grounds, and provides guided tours of the Number 2 Shaft House and several of the mine tunnels during the summer. There are museum-style exhibits within many buildings. The mine and surrounding areas are part of the Keweenaw National Historical Park.