Save A Piece of the Marquette Iron Range's Iconic Past

Save A Piece of the Marquette Iron Range’s Iconic Past

It is time to resurrect our beloved, historic and now collapsed beehive kiln that stood in Marquette for over 130 years. In 2016, after a heavy, wet snow fall, the remains of the last standing kiln of the Carp River Furnace complex collapsed under the weight and their stones lay abandoned on the ground.

The Iron Ore Heritage Trail, a 47-mile, interpretive rail trail across the Marquette Iron Range would like to develop a new plaza at the southern entrance of Marquette along our trail and feature the resurrected kiln as the main feature.

River and once the site of the Carp River Furnace complex, 1874-1902. Charcoal kilns were used to burn wood into charcoal which fed blast furnaces that converted iron ore and limestone into pig iron. It’s a large story of our industrial past.

We’ll turn a piece of land once industrial, now barren, into an engaging site with the restored kiln as our centerpiece amidst decorative walkways, interpretive signage, custom benches, landscaping, lighting, and public art. It’ll become a beacon to those entering the City and showcase how Marquette County uses it’s past to shape its future.

Update: Tuesday, July 2, 2019

We have made our way through the Marquette City special use permit at the Planning Commission and revised our plan a little to add plantings along Lake Street to keep autos from parking alongside Lake Street and causing traffic problems.

Update: July 19 – July 26, 2019

During this week, Don Britton, our Chair, and several Premeau workers took down the trees on the site. Don then pulled stumps and excavated the site. Veridea donated fill from their Vista Harbor Phase II project and Oberstar trucked the fill in. Don compacted the fill as it came in. This part of the site plan is now complete and the site is ready for the kiln restoration.

Dump truck and Excavator at work.

Update: Monday, August 5, 2019

Bid documents for site plan went out today. Bids due on Monday, August 19.

Update: Thursday, September 5, 2019

Premeau Construction has been awarded the bid for the kiln restoration project. They will do site prep, concrete work, electrical and kiln restoration. NMU Construction Management will provide project support for bench, pavers, signage, kiln door donor wall, and bike rack installation. HIgh School welding class will fabricate the light bollards.

Update: Monday, September 16, 2019

The footings are poured for the start of rebuilding the kiln. Concrete work and bench installation happening this week. Our thanks to the NMU Construction Management team, lead by Andrew Plomer who will be taking on the install work. Steel was ordered this week and the Marquette-Alger RESA/NMU High School Welding Class will be making 21 metal lighting bollards for the project, lead by Jessup Delongchmp, Will Carlson, and Brendan Bell. Terrific in-kind help from these people and programs. Should start seeing the sandstone bricks being piece together shortly. This is such an exciting project for us with a variety of moving pieces, many volunteers, lots of sponsors, and the wonderful work of Mike Lempinen and Rick Kauppila on the kiln door, benches, and interpretive signs.

October 25, 2019. It’s been quiet but finally the kiln is starting to take shape. Bricks on the inside going up now to start the project. They will go up 3 feet (as in the original kiln). They provide strength for the wall of sandstone. Three bike racks and one bench have been installed by the NMU Construction Team. The Welding Class has the steel and is working diligently on our 21 lighting bollards. Once the kiln is rebuilt, the pavers, interpretive signs, kiln door and donor sign will debut at the site.

January 6, 2020 – Premeau Construction will work over the winter on the kiln project. They’ll enclose the area around the kiln and heat it throughout the winter. This is great news so we can get going on the remainder of the project when we see land again.

January 30, 2020 – Progress continues on the rebuilding of the kiln within the construction dome. Masons continue to build up the kiln and hope to finish by February 29, 2020.

April 15, 2020 – The kiln project has been stopped due to the Stay Home Stay Safe Michigan order. The kiln itself is almost finished. Premeu crews worked through the winter in the heated shell. They will get back to work once the order is no longer in effect. We will then have to finish the amenities surrounding the project: pavers, landscaping, installation of the signage, door, donor plaque, and fencing. We so want to finalize this major interpretive project.

Summer 2020 – A flurry of activity on the kiln; Premeau Construction finished the kiln site; Joe LaBrecque and crew from Superior Watershed Partnership finished the landscaping including blueberrry bushes, maples, oak, juniper trees, a rain garden. They also installed two signs and a bench. The NMU/High School Welding class delivered the light bollards, Joe LaBrecque laid the brick pavers, and Signs Now delivered our donor plaque.