small loc-n-loc container at the hoist house of the Isle Royale Mine #5 shaft.
Early years over 2 dozen mines in Houghton area such as Huron, Grand Portage and Isle Royale. By end of century all would consolidate under the Isle Royale name, working a rich copper deposit for another 30 years.
Great depression forced the closure in 1932. Copper demand and government contracts re-opened the mine in WW2, but closed soon after.
Mine is owned by the Valley View Quarry (VVQ). This is my 5th cache on VVQ land, and they are ok with foot traffic as long as it does not interfere with their workings. They are no longer working this area, but store equipment to the north, so come in from the south. You can come in from Dodgeville. Take the gravel road between the self-storage site and the apartment complex. A two-track road continues to the cache. At the parking spot, to the east you can find the ruins of the boiler house and the fallen smoke stack.
Intact building visible from the hoist was the dry house (locker room).