Marquette County Michigan

This is the best producing county in Michigan for gold.

Ishpeming

All regional stream gravels and glacial moraine debris contain placer gold. Around T48N R27W there were some old area prospect pits that contain placer gold. West by Northwest from Ishpeming by 3 to 5 miles on the north side of the Marquette Range, in the NW 1/4 section 29, is the location of the Ropes Mine. It was the only major gold producer in Michigan. About 2.5 miles west of the Ropes Mine, in section 35 T48N R28W, is the Michigan Gold Mine. It produced some of the finest museum specimens of native gold, ore so rich that "high graders" made a practice of stealing it during the peak production years of 1890. Just west of the Michigan Mine, is the Gold Lake Mine. It also produced some fine native gold specimens. In the NW 1/4 section 35, just east of the Michigan Mine, is the Superior Gold Mining Company Mine. It had little production, but some excellent specimens were produced. In the SW 1/4 section 25, is the Peninsula Mining Company Mine. It produced gold in Granite. The Grummett, Swains, Mocklers, Grayling and Giant Mines were all prominent during the 1890's. Two miles northeast of the Ropes Mine, in iron ore formations that are rust colored you can find some pannable gold. North 8 miles for Ishpeming, is the Dead River District in the Dead River Valley, which extends north to Lake Superior and for several miles west. In the south range, of this district, is many productive mines that have a by product of gold. In the north range, a few area prospects have gold showings. In section 35 T49N R27W, is the Fire Centre Mining Company Mines, which produced free milling gold.