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62-539: The peninsula is bisected by the Keweenaw Waterway , a partly natural, partly artificial waterway serving as a canal. The north side of the canal is known locally as Copper Island . The cities of Houghton , the peninsula's largest population center, and Hancock , are located along the shores of the Keweenaw Waterway. Houghton is home to Michigan Technological University . The Keweenaw Peninsula

124-543: A No. 13 rating on College Census' 25 Best Colleges for Skiing and Snowboarding list. Michigan Tech Trails In 2001, Michigan Tech implemented a plan to develop the trails as a way to secure funding for the Michigan Tech Varsity Nordic skiing program and to create facility to attract outdoor-loving students. The Michigan Tech College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science proposed that revenue could be generated from timber harvesting to support

186-801: A bluff overlooking Portage Lake . The campus consists of 36 buildings, the first of which was built in 1908. Michigan Tech's athletic teams are nicknamed the Huskies and compete primarily in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). The men's hockey team competes in Division I as a member of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA), and has won three national championships . The women's basketball team

248-492: A college to a university, changing its name a final time to Michigan Technological University . The change from the Michigan College of Mining and Technology was necessary for two reasons, according to Van Pelt. First, the college had expanded too greatly and the current name was no longer an accurate title. Also, including "mining" in the name of the college was misleading. The name "Michigan Technological University"

310-589: A degree. The first woman to receive a degree from the Michigan College of Mines was Margaret R. Holley, who was born in Lake Linden and who had received a liberal arts degree at a different university outside of the Upper Peninsula. She then moved back to Houghton to work on a chemistry degree, which she received in 1933. Two years later, she also received a master's degree in chemistry from the Michigan College of Mines. The first woman faculty member of

372-509: A depth of 25 feet (7.6 m), deeper in some locations. As the waterway connects Lake Superior to itself, there are no locks needed. The local mines' stamp mills dumped large quantities of stamp sand (containing traces of copper and chemical leaching agents) into the waterway, causing significant environmental damage near the sand dumps. Stamp mills on the waterway included the Old Atlantic , old Quincy , Pewabic , old Franklin, and

434-617: A need for educated mining professionals and directly led in 1885 to the founding of the Michigan Mining School (now Michigan Technological University ) in Houghton . Although MTU discontinued its undergraduate mining engineering program in 2006, the university continues to offer engineering degrees in a variety of other disciplines. (In 2012 mining engineering was restarted in the re-formed Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences.) Running concurrently with

496-540: A resource for functional tooling achieved popularity around 3000 B.C., during the Middle Archaic Stage. The focus of copper working seems to have gradually shifted from functional tools to ornamental objects by the Late Archaic Stage c. 1200 B.C. Native Americans would build a fire to heat the rock around and over a copper mass and, after heating, pour on cold water to crack the rock. The copper

558-605: A shuttle) around and through the Keweenaw Peninsula for canoes and sea kayaks. It was established in 1995 and has been designated “A Superior Sports Port” by National Geographic Adventure Magazine . It is said the trail "exemplifies the Keweenaw Peninsula in the most literal sense." The Lake Superior coast line is craggy and varied, claimed to be comparable to Isle Royale , but without the ferry. Uninhabited wilderness, occasional nature preserves and parks, are interspersed with sheltered harbors that offer weary paddlers

620-670: A wide range of several activities to participate in, whether or not they are living in the residence halls , of which there are four. In addition to the various small interest groups which form throughout the year, students participate in Greek Life , Student Organizations, Senior Design, and the Enterprise Program; many organize and attend campus traditions, such as K-Day, the Parade of Nations, Design Expo, Career Fair, and Winter Carnival (which also attracts alumni from across

682-617: Is a public research university in Houghton, Michigan , United States, founded in 1885 as the Michigan Mining School , the first post-secondary institution in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan . Michigan Tech is classified among " R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity ". There are 12 research areas including Space Sciences, Electronics, Ecosystems, Energy, Health, Ocean Sciences, and Robotics. There are 18 research centers on and off campus including

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744-612: Is a partly natural, partly artificial waterway which cuts across the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan ; it separates Copper Island from the mainland. Parts of the waterway are variously known as the Keweenaw Waterway, Portage Canal , Portage Lake Canal , Portage River , Lily Pond , Torch Lake , and Portage Lake . The waterway connects to Lake Superior at its north and south entries (upper and lower portage entry lighthouses), with sections known as Portage Lake and Torch Lake in between. The primary tributary to Portage Lake

806-720: Is considered "selective" by U.S. News & World Report . For the Class of 2025 (enrolling Fall 2021), Michigan Tech received 8,041 applications and accepted 6,895 (85.7%), with 1,479 enrolling. The middle 50% range of SAT scores for enrolling freshmen was 1138–1320. The middle 50% ACT composite score range was 25–31. The average overall ACT scores for incoming students is 27.2 in fall 2017, compared to 21.2 nationally. Michigan Tech offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering, natural and physical sciences , computing, business and economics, technology, environmental studies, arts, humanities, and social sciences. Home to

868-552: Is currently host to twelve fraternities , including three international and three local fraternities. Additionally, there are seven sororities on campus, including three local sororities. As the school mascot is the husky (specifically, Blizzard T. Husky ), the school's sports teams are known as the Huskies. Michigan Tech competes primarily in the NCAA 's Division II Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), while

930-651: Is found as a solid mass. Copper ore may occur within conglomerate or breccia as void or interclast fillings. The conglomerate layers occur as interbedded units within the volcanic pile. The Keweenaw Peninsula and Isle Royale , formed by the Midcontinent Rift System, are the only sites in the United States with evidence of prehistoric aboriginal mining of copper. Artifacts made from this copper by these ancient indigenous people were traded as far south as present-day Alabama . These areas are also

992-601: Is often recognized as one of the best bands in NCAA Division 1 hockey because of their sheer power and energy, and their firm roots in tradition. The band was formed in the fall of 1928 as the Michigan Tech ROTC Band, under the baton of E. E. Melville. They are known for performing traditional songs such as " In Heaven There Is No Beer " and " The Engineers " along with a variety of selections in popular music. Some cheers and songs have been around since

1054-402: Is politically divided primarily between Houghton and Keweenaw counties, both of which occupy the Houghton micropolitan area . A small portion of the southeast of the peninsula is part of Baraga County . The peninsula measures about 150 miles (240 km) in length and about 50 miles (80 km) in width at its base. The ancient lava flows of the Keweenaw Peninsula were produced during

1116-542: Is the Sturgeon River . The waterway was dredged in the 1860s, extending a small river previously used by natives for transportation and fishing. The effort was a joint venture between the United States government and several mining corporations. Legislation for construction of the canal was passed in 1861. This legislation created the Portage Lake & Lake Superior Canal Co. The company began construction of

1178-706: The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) ranked over 248 schools and surveyed a total of 55,102 students, with Michigan Technological University achieving the top ranking for academic freedom and viewpoint tolerance. Michigan Tech ranked 172nd of 600 US colleges and universities in research and development expenditures in 2007. Research expenditures exceeded $ 81 million in the 2021–22 school year. The university has 16 research centers and institutes and 271,962 square feet of research space and labs. Students attending Michigan Technological University have

1240-633: The Isle Royale mills. The area north of the waterway is known locally as Copper Island , because the waterway separates the northern part of the Keweenaw Peninsula from the mainland. The only land route across the waterway is US 41 / M-26 across the Portage Lake Lift Bridge . The Keweenaw Waterway is part of the Keweenaw Water Trail, a designated loop route (eliminating the need to spot two vehicles or obtain

1302-617: The Mesoproterozoic Era as a part of the Midcontinent Rift between 1.096 and 1.087 billion years ago. This volcanic activity produced the only strata on Earth where large-scale economically recoverable 97 percent pure native copper is found. Much of the native copper found in the Keweenaw comes in either the form of cavity fillings on lava flow surfaces, which has a ”lacy” consistency, or as "float" copper, which

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1364-786: The Michigan Tech Research Institute . The university is governed by an eight-member board of trustees whose members are appointed by the governor of Michigan and confirmed by the Michigan Senate . The university comprises five colleges and schools: the College of Engineering, the College of Computing, the College of Sciences and Arts, the College of Business, and the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science. They offer more than 140 degree programs to nearly 7,000 graduate and undergraduate students. Its main campus sits on 925 acres (374 ha) on

1426-586: The men's hockey team competes in Division I as a member of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). The men's hockey team has won three national championships and the women's basketball team were national runners-up in the 2010–11 season . Michigan Tech owns a downhill skiing / snowboarding hill, Mont Ripley , just across Portage Lake from campus, and maintains extensive cross-country skiing trails (used for mountain biking in summer). Michigan Tech has both an official fight song and an official Alma Mater. At most sporting events, however, both

1488-618: The " Engineer's Song " and " In Heaven There Is No Beer " are played by the Huskies Pep Band , and many students consider these to be the unofficial school songs. The "Blue Skirt Waltz" is played at home ice hockey games and is called the "Copper Country Anthem." During the song, the fans join arms and swing back and forth to the music. The Huskies Pep Band is the university's scramble band . The Huskies Pep Band performs at all home football, basketball, volleyball, and ice hockey games, as well as parades and other local events. The band

1550-465: The 1900s) in the snowiest city in the Midwest. It is also university-owned, so Michigan Tech students ski or snowboard for free. Mont Ripley has twenty-two trails, a terrain park, a tubing park, sits on 112 acres, and has a scenic overlook of the Keweenaw Waterway. It is about two miles from campus; the hill is viewable from most campus buildings. In 2019, Michigan Tech's Mont Ripley earned the university

1612-434: The 1930s and '40s, such as the "Blue Skirt Waltz" in which the pep band (along with the audience) would link arms and sway back and forth. This tradition began during Winter Carnival in 1948 after Frankie Yankovic had recently performed there and has been since dubbed "The Copper Country Anthem." Some of the antics of the band are considered Monty Python -esque, often performing songs from the sketches themselves and shouting

1674-648: The 50th anniversary of graduation for Patricia Anthony, the first woman to graduate from the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department in 1967. Patricia went to Michigan Technological University in 1963 after graduating from high school in Grandville, Michigan. While attending MTU, she was the vice president of the Lambda Beta sorority, a DJ at the Wadsworth Hall radio station, and was a member of

1736-570: The College of Engineering. Michigan Tech offers a broad range of programs beyond engineering, with 149 undergraduate programs and 103 graduate programs offered. Women began to attend classes at the Michigan College of Mines around 1890. The early female students were mostly daughters of professors or wealthy businessmen of the Houghton and Hancock area. They were allowed to take classes and were given special student status, which meant that they could be enrolled in courses, but were not able to receive

1798-552: The Ford Center to Michigan Tech in the 1950s. It is a historical village that once owned and operated as a sawmill by Henry Ford located 40 miles south of Michigan Tech's main campus in Alberta, Michigan. Since 1954, the Ford Center has been an outdoor and environmental education center utilized by Michigan Tech students enrolled in forestry, ecology, wildlife ecology, and natural resource management. Referred to as "Fall Camp" by

1860-527: The Girl Scouts. The first woman varsity athlete was Nada J. Fenton, who was a member of the rifle team during the 1950s. She was a graduate of Houghton High school and entered MTU in 1952. Nada holds the record of being the first woman to ever fire on a varsity rifle team in the world. Today Michigan Tech has seven women's varsity sports including basketball , cross country , Nordic skiing , tennis , track and field , volleyball , and soccer . As of

1922-620: The Michigan College of Mines was Ella Wood, who was hired as an assistant professor for the Humanities department in 1927. She was made an associate professor by 1928, a full professor by 1935, and the head of geography and languages by 1937. Professor Wood was hired by the university five years before women were allowed to pursue degrees. She also worked in the library and taught meteorology to assist with pilot training sessions to students during WWII. Her presence encouraged many young ladies to apply for special student status and take classes at

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1984-664: The U.S. Army ROTC auxiliary, the Silver Stars. She graduated in 1967 from Michigan Tech with the degree Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. Following her graduation, Patricia took a position with IBM, where she spent the majority of her career. She became well known within IBM as a skilled systems engineer working in data communications. Throughout her professional career, she found time for community service activities such as Junior Achievement, United Way, and

2046-480: The addition of another nine holes in 1969. In 1984, the new clubhouse was constructed. In 1996, a sprinkler system was installed to modernize the course and keep it playable. The Portage Lake Golf Course is located two miles (3 km) southeast of campus. With 18 holes on 160 acres, it offers two nines of distinctly different flavors and challenges. Mont Ripley is the oldest ski area in Michigan (established in

2108-472: The base of the peninsula in Hancock, Michigan , where the annual snowfall average is about 220 in (560 cm). Farther north, in a community called Delaware , an unofficial average of about 240 in (610 cm) is maintained. At Delaware, the record snowfall for one season was 390 in (990 cm) in 1979. Averages over 250 in (640 cm) certainly occur in the higher elevations closer to

2170-519: The canal in September 1868. The canal starts at the mouth of Boston Creek and continues on to Lake Superior . The expanded canal allowed freighters to haul copper from the rich copper mines of the Keweenaw Peninsula out through Lake Superior to larger cities. It also enabled supply boats and freighters to reach the cities of Houghton and Hancock , which supplied goods to most of Michigan's copper region. The expanded canal and shipping lane has

2232-639: The cities of Houghton (named for Douglass Houghton ) on the south side and Hancock on the north. A Keweenaw Water Trail has been established around Copper Island. The Water Trail stretches approximately 125 miles (200 km) and can be paddled in five to ten days, depending on weather and water conditions. The Keweenaw Fault runs fairly lengthwise through both Keweenaw and neighboring Houghton counties. This ancient geological slip has given rise to cliffs. U.S. Highway 41 (US 41) and Brockway Mountain Drive , north of Calumet , were constructed along

2294-433: The cliff line. Lake Superior significantly controls the climate of the Keweenaw Peninsula, keeping winters milder than those in surrounding areas. Spring is cool and brief, transitioning into a summer with highs near 70 °F (21 °C). Fall begins in September, with winter beginning in mid-November. The peninsula receives copious amounts of lake-effect snow from Lake Superior. Official records are maintained close to

2356-499: The country); furthermore, there are motivational drives to raise student activity levels and involvement in the school community, typically for those without membership in a student organization. In the 2023-2024 academic year, 68% of Michigan Technological University students were from the state of Michigan, 22% were from other states in the US, and 10% were from other countries. The first to second year retention rate for first-time students

2418-491: The fall semester in 2021, the total enrollment at Michigan Technological University is 6,977. Of those students, 2,054 of them were women (an all-time high), which means female students make up about 29% of the enrollment at Michigan Tech. The main Michigan Tech campus is mainly situated on US-41 in Houghton. The main part of campus can be traversed in about 10 minutes. The Lakeshore Center in downtown Houghton houses

2480-800: The first college of computing in the state of Michigan, the university is divided into five colleges: Business; Computing; Engineering; Forest Resources and Environmental Science; and Sciences and Arts. Michigan Tech's Enterprise Program provides students with real-world design, engineering, and entrepreneurial experiences. Enterprises develop engineering skills by allowing students to work in businesslike environments on real-world projects while completing their education. Enterprises include Open Source Technologies, Nanotechnology Innovations, Hybrid Transportation, Aerospace, Blue Marble Security, Husky Game Development, Boardsports Technologies, and Wireless Communications Enterprises. Its most popular undergraduate majors, by 2021–22 graduates, were: In their 2024 rankings,

2542-650: The geological formations of the region are also detailed. From 1964 to 1971, the University of Michigan and Michigan Technological University cooperated with NASA and the U.S. Navy to run the Keweenaw Rocket launch site . A partial list of towns in the Keweenaw Peninsula: 47°12′00″N 88°25′30″W  /  47.20000°N 88.42500°W  / 47.20000; -88.42500 Keweenaw Waterway The Keweenaw Waterway

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2604-533: The help of hundreds of volunteers, hosted the US Junior National Championships, and U.S. Senior National championships, along with regional races. It is the selected site to host the 2023 US Cross Country Ski Championships. With Houghton's average snowfall of 218 inches, the season usually opens in early December and continues into April. Students ski free; community members can purchase a pass. Ford Center Ford Motor Company donated

2666-434: The mining boom in the Keweenaw was the white pine lumber boom. Trees were cut for timbers for mine shafts, to heat the communities around the large copper mines, and to help build a growing nation. Much of the logging at the time was done in winter due to the ease of operability with the snow. Due to the logging practices at that time, the forest of the Keweenaw looks much different today from 100 years ago. US 41 terminates in

2728-634: The northern Keweenaw at the Michigan State Park housing Fort Wilkins. US 41 was the so-called "Military Trail" that started in Chicago in the 1900s and ended in the Keweenaw wilderness. The restored fort has numerous exhibits. For detailed information on the region's mineralogical history, see the virtual tour of the peninsula written by the Mineralogical Society of America, found in "External links" on this page. Information on

2790-470: The offices of Human Relations, Vice President for Research, and other departments. Faculty are involved in several distance education programs with clients including General Motors . The Portage Lake Golf Course opened for play in April 1902. In 1945, the members could no longer support the needs of the course and sold it to Michigan Tech for one dollar. Since then, many improvements have been made such as

2852-639: The option for a warm bed, hot meal and shower at a local inn. An average paddler can cover the route in six to eight days, but extra days should be planned "to compensate for being wind-bound." The circumnavigation of the Copper Island is on its way to becoming "Michigan’s top paddling destination." Shorter trips are possible. 47°06′49″N 88°31′18″W  /  47.113598°N 88.521652°W  / 47.113598; -88.521652 Michigan Technological University Michigan Technological University ( Michigan Tech , MTU , or simply Tech )

2914-645: The phrase "Run away!" when they exit from the performance. The band also incorporates other non-traditional ensemble instruments, including electric bass guitar, bagpipes, kazoos, cowbells, accordions, an electric viola, a toaster, an oven, and at one point a large inflatable lobster. From 1976 to 2017 this fair was held at Mclain State Park. This halted after severe weather damage in June 2018. "K-Day" has been held at Chassell Centennial Park in Chassell, MI since with

2976-400: The purchasing of an ice rink and a golf course as well as the procurement of the village of Alberta, Michigan . In 1956, J. Robert Van Pelt became the new president of the university. He restarted many PhD programs and created a focus on research. This included the school's first analog computation class in 1956–57. In 1964, one of the final years of his presidency, the school changed from

3038-415: The school and ultimately allowed women to receive degrees at this school. As co-ed enrollment increased, she promoted women involvement on campus and co-educational programs. She also became the academic advisor to all female students and thoroughly enjoyed the role of "mother" that she was able to play here to all of her students. Wood also held the title "Dean of Women", making her the first woman to receive

3100-463: The students, this center boasts 4906 acres of forest and wetlands where the students attend outdoor classes. The center also contains several buildings that the students use for their dormitory, recreation and indoor classes. The Ford Motor Company gave Michigan Tech a grant in 1996 to turn the sawmill into a museum. The museum is open to the public as well as the center itself for holding conferences and reunions. Undergraduate admission to Michigan Tech

3162-658: The team and upgrade the trails. The university's cross country ski trail system is located near the Student Development Complex in the Michigan Tech Recreational Forest. It includes 33 km of groomed cross country ski trails (both classic and skate sections) and 11.7 km of groomed snowshoe trails. 7.5 km of the trail is lighted. The Tech Trails are nationally recognized for the quality of skiing, consistency of grooming and variety of terrain. The trail system, with

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3224-418: The tip of the peninsula. Beginning as early as seven thousand years ago and apparently peaking around 3000 B.C., Native Americans dug copper from the southern shore of Lake Superior. This development was possible in large part because, in this region, large deposits of copper were easily accessible in surface rock and from shallow diggings. Native copper could be found as large nuggets and wiry masses. Copper as

3286-480: The title dean at the university. Margaret Holley Chapman was the first woman to complete a degree program from Michigan College of Mining and Technology, which would become Michigan Technological University in 1964. She earned a Bachelor of Science in General Science in 1933, and another in chemistry the following year. Margaret went on to become a candidate for a master's degree in General Science. Not only

3348-421: The unique location where chlorastrolite , the state gem of Michigan, can be found. The northern end of the peninsula is sometimes referred to as Copper Island (or "Kuparisaari" by Finnish immigrants), although this term is becoming less common. It is separated from the rest of the peninsula by the Keweenaw Waterway , a natural waterway which was dredged and expanded in the 1860s across the peninsula between

3410-512: Was Marshman E. Wadsworth (1887–1898). Enrollment grew to such a point that its name no longer reflected its purpose. The name was then changed to the Michigan College of Mines in 1897. This name lasted through World War I until 1925, but by this time the school had begun offering a wider variety of degrees and once again decided to change its name to the Michigan College of Mining and Technology in 1927. Fred W. McNair (1899–1924)

3472-509: Was national runners-up in 2011 . Michigan Tech was founded in 1885 as the Michigan Mining School . After much agitation by Jay Abel Hubbell , the state legislature established the school to train mining engineers. Hubbell donated land for the school's first buildings. The school started with four faculty members and twenty-three students. It was housed in the Houghton Fire Hall from 1886 through 1889. MTU's first president

3534-483: Was 84.5% and the six-year graduation rate was 72.2%. The student to faculty ratio was 13:1. In the fall of 2021, the university enrolled its largest freshman class since 1982. The student body consisted of 7,324 students, including 1,421 graduate students and 473 faculty members. In 2017, Michigan Tech students were primarily from Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois. Michigan Tech currently recognizes more than two hundred student organizations. Michigan Tech

3596-417: Was chosen in order to retain the nickname "Michigan Tech" that had already been in use since 1927. Along with its new name, the school also gained new constitutional status in 1964. This gave responsibility for control of the university to its Board of Control rather than the state legislature. The university has historically been focused on engineering, and as of November 2022, 57% of students are enrolled in

3658-472: Was she the first female to receive a degree from Michigan Tech, she was also the first female trustee and requested that a scholarship be established to help other female students to finance their education. The Margaret H. Chapman Endowed Scholarship is still active to this day. The first woman to graduate with a degree in Chemical Engineering was Alice Runge in 1942. Following shortly behind

3720-556: Was the college's second president. By 1931, enrollment had reached nearly 600. Over the next few years, due to the Great Depression, money was scarce, causing department heads and even the president of the university, William O. Hotchkiss , to take pay cuts. Under President Grover C. Dillman (1935–1956), the school underwent many notable changes, including the construction of the Memorial Union Building,

3782-748: Was the first woman to graduate with High Honors in Metallurgical & Materials Engineering, Lilian (Heikkinen) Beck, in 1947. She was also the first woman from Michigan Tech to be inducted into the Alpha Sigma Mu honorary fraternity of the International Metallurgical Society. One year later, Marian Ione (Smith) Scott was the first woman to earn a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Michigan Technological University recently celebrated

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3844-532: Was then pounded out, using rock hammers and stone chisels. The Keweenaw's rich deposits of copper (and some silver) were extracted on an industrial scale beginning around the middle of the 19th century. The industry grew through the latter part of the century and employed thousands of people well into the 20th century. Hard rock mining in the region ceased in 1967 though copper sulfide deposits continued for some time after in Ontonagon. This vigorous industry created

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