Did You Know Michigan’s Upper Peninsula Had A Gold Rush?

When it comes to gold I always think about California and the gold rush.

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The San Francisco 49ers are named after prospectors who arrived in California during the 1849 Gold Rush.

While California gets all the credit for having a gold rush they're not the only place in the United States to have had one.

Did you know that Michigan's Upper Peninsula once had a gold rush?

While Michigan is primarily known for its copper and iron mining, gold can be found across the state, particularly in the Upper Peninsula.

I saw a story on Wood TV 8 about how back in the 1800's parts of the Michigan's Upper Peninsula were explored and there were some spots that gold was found and eventually mined.

Historical Gold Mining in Michigan

Gold was first discovered in Michigan by Douglass Houghton, the state's first geologist, in the early 1840s.

Houghton panned enough gold from a small stream in the Northern Peninsula to fill an eagle’s quill, although the exact location was lost when he drowned soon after.

The most significant gold mining operation in Michigan's history was the Ropes Gold Mine, established by Julius Ropes in 1880 near Ishpeming.

Over its 15-year operation, the mine produced around $645,000 worth of gold and silver, which is the equivalent to over $24 million today.

Modern Gold Prospecting

Today, gold can still be found in Michigan, left behind by glaciers that moved across the state during the last ice age.

Small amounts of gold are present in most waterways, making recreational gold panning a popular activity.

According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, recreational gold panning is allowed on state-owned property, provided the state also owns the mineral rights.

This includes streams in the Allegan State Game Area, Yankee Springs Recreation Area, and stretches of Green Creek in Muskegon County.

Have you ever found gold in Michigan? I'd love to hear about, send me an email.