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History ••• Technology ••• Universities

The Keweenaw Peninsula-

From raising a family to running a business, the Keweenaw Peninsula offers a quality of life as fresh as its wonderfully clean air. Breathtaking beauty serves as a backdrop to top notch schools and universities, safe streets, progressive local governments, a “university town” with plenty of restaurants, shops, arts and entertainment, and friendly and hardworking residents. With two universities and a strong local economy, the cities of Houghton and Hancock provide a full array of services and shopping opportunities in an outstanding rural setting. Direct air service to Minneapolis, state-of-the-art internet connections and a well-serviced highway system complement the Keweenaw as the place for high-tech innovation and growth in a region that has been known as the gateway to Canada.

Peninsula Map

History

In 1841, Dr. Douglass Houghton discovered extensive copper deposits along the shores of Lake Superior setting into motion what was to become the nation's first mining boom. Copper mining had actually begun almost 7,000 years earlier with ancient tribes removing the metal by hand from naturally occurring outcroppings across the Keweenaw Peninsula. European immigrants soon arrived to work the multitude of mines, bringing with them much cultural diversity and in the process establishing schools, hospitals, libraries, theaters and churches. Cornish coal miners were some of the first to arrive, later followed by Finns, Norwegians, Italians, Serbians, Slovenians, French, Germans and Croatians. Near the turn of the century, 14,000 miners braved the dangers of extracting copper from the Keweenaw's deep veins, the population of the Peninsula having swelled to over 60,000 inhabitants. Local ports along Lake Superior supplied tons of coal for the smelters and transported more than 11 billion tons of copper. Eventually the relatively high cost of removing copper from the deep mines forced their closure, leaving behind a rich cultural legacy and a proud history. “Sisu” is a Finnish word that refers to the perseverance and can-do spirit of the early settlers who had to brave dangerous jobs in a harsh environment; that same vital spirit is behind today's entrepreneurs and companies in the Keweenaw.

Copper Miners on Mine Hoist

Photo Credit-
Michigan Technological University Archives
and Copper Country Historical Collections

Photos of Biotech, Thermal Imaging, Nano-technology and Mechanical Design

Photo Credits: Michigan Technological University, ThermoAnalytics Inc.

Technology and Innovation

Michigan Technological University (MTU) in Houghton is at the center of technological innovation in the Keweenaw. With world-class faculty and students, cutting-edge technology and research, and an array of facilities and equipment that rival that of any university, MTU is a vital partner to the SmartZone. While MTU may set the stage for innovation, MTEC's other partners provide the impetus and motivation. The Keweenaw Industrial Council (KIC) has been active in significantly strengthening and diversifying the local economy, providing services that include revolving loan funds and having a successful track record of assisting the start-up of new companies and the retention and expansion of many local manufacturing firms. Finlandia University is a small liberal arts school in Hancock with strong ties to Finland and Finnish companies. Finlandia operates a business innovation center that provides support services synergistic with those of MTEC, and the Portage Building that will house Finlandia's center also serves as one of the SmartZone incubator sites. The Cities of Hancock and Houghton actively embrace economic development and are strong supporters of MTEC's efforts. The State of Michigan through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) has provided grant money to MTEC to construct business incubators and to pay for its initial operation. Northern Michigan University in nearby Marquette provides employee training services and workshops that assist in educating entrepreneurs, management and employees. Finally, the local workforce has a tradition of reliability, resourcefulness and creativity that are essential to the success of small companies. Numerous technology and manufacturing companies are growing and expanding in the Keweenaw, with both domestic and international sales and partnerships. The area can boast of an internet backbone that equals that of any East or West Coast urban center. And, the exciting momentum is only just beginning.

Universities

Michigan Technological University

In March 1861 the Michigan Legislature established the Michigan Mining School at Houghton, and it would have been the first mining college in the nation if the Civil War had not blocked appropriations. The Michigan School of Mines officially opened in 1885 dedicated exclusively to "mining and mining engineering." Today, Michigan Technological University has strong research and teaching programs in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Civil Engineering, Environmental Science and Remote Sensing with emerging expertise in Computational Science and Biomedical Engineering. The university is included in the top-50 public national universities in U.S. News & World Report's America 's Best Colleges; in the top-100 best values by Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine; and is listed in Peterson's Guide to Competitive Colleges. Michigan Tech has a long history of strong research relationships with industry, and as a result of these past connections, the university has a results-oriented culture with a strong entrepreneurial focus. The Center for Technological Innovation, Leadership and Entrepreneurship (CenTILE) is charged with the responsibility of promoting interdisciplinary education and research in Entrepreneurship. The Enterprise Program allows students to take projects from "idea to market" and gives them hands-on experience in product development, market research, and intellectual property protection. Michigan Tech, in partnership with the cities of Hancock and Houghton established the SmartZone to stimulate the growth of technology-based businesses in the local area. Michigan Tech boasts of a world-renown museum, the A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum that houses over 60,000 mineral specimens; a state-of-the-art performance center; The Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts offers a variety of performances from all over the world; and the Keweenaw Research Center specializes in laboratory testing, computer modeling, vehicular testing and evaluation, and snow research. Michigan Tech is a key partner to the SmartZone and a potential asset to any company seeking a unique, results-oriented collaboration.

(top) Michigan Technological University on the banks of Portage Lake
(bottom) Moscow Classical Ballet performance of The Nutcracker

Finlandia University's Old Main is one of Hancock's most notable buildings

Finlandia University

Finlandia University was founded in 1896 as Suomi College by Finnish immigrants. Today, Finlandia University is a small liberal arts university that combines a diverse curriculum with the atmosphere of a small college to provide students with an intimate learning experience as well as a degree. With particular strengths in Art & Design and Business, Finlandia operates a Business Innovation Center that provides resources to entrepreneurs and companies wishing to expand. Her Excellency, President Tarja Halonen of Finland provided Finlandia's commencement address in the Spring of 2003, exemplifying the university's strong ties to Finland . With 6 straight years of increasing enrollment, Finlandia University is an important partner to the SmartZone.

The President of Finland, Finland 's Ambassador to the U.S.

the Honorable Tarja Halonen His Excellence Jukka Valtassaari

at Finlandia's 2003 Commencement at Finlandia's 2005 Commencement

Photo Credit: Roland Burger

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