Regarding humerous questions, as an interprator at the world's largest
steam hoist (Quincy Mining Compay site, located within the bounds of the
Keweenaw National Historic Park, but seperate from it) I was asked many
questions I found amusing. First if you dont know, a hist reeled stell
cable onto a drum to raise skips carrying rock or men into an out of the
mine. The actual shaft was located a few hundred feet away. Anyway,
visitors would ask if the door leading to the basement was where the men
entered the mine, if the copper came out of the center of the drum, (it did
look like a cement mixer) or my personal favorite, did they use the hoist
to pull ships through the canal located 3/4 of a mile away.
        On the serious side, the most difficult thing about the job was to
keep the student guides interested in the visitors questions. Many had
worked there for several years, and took great pleasure in makeing fun of
the visitors after they left, unfortunately, other visitors could hear
them. With out getting into internal politics, lets just say keeping 17
year old gudes professional is a full time job.
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  "Motivated primarily by their own inner vision, a desire for riches, and
an unbounded faith in the abundance of nature, they were willing to simply
go out in the field, dig into the earth, and find out what was there"
                                        David Kruase
                        __The Making of a Mining District__




Richard A. Fields
Graduate Student of Industrial Archaeology
Michigan Tech. Univ.
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