In 1903 Alexander E. Agassiz¹ was president of Calumet and Hecla Mining Co. (C&H). He played a major role in making C&H a profitable, long range venture and was instrumental in starting the Miscowaubik Club. (Photo at left, courtesy of John Alroy. See Note 1. At right is the Agassiz statue on  the grounds of what was formerly C&H property.)

The Lake Superior district was one of the only places in the world where copper was found in its native state scattered through the rock or in great tangled masses. This region was ceded to the United States by the Chippewa Indians in 1843 and was still primeval wilderness. A few years later E. J. Hulbert discovered mass copper in what is now Calumet, the starting point for the great Calumet and Hecla Mining Company.

Alexander Agassiz was born in Neuchatel, Switzerland in 1835. He came to the United States with his father (Louis Agassiz, the famous naturalist, geologist and teacher²) in 1846. He graduated from Harvard in 1855, subsequently studying engineering and chemistry at Lawrence (Harvard) in 1857, and then to the Coast and Geodetic Survey Service.

He and Quincy A. Shaw were early investors in the Calumet and the Hecla copper ventures resulting from E. J. Hulbert’s discovery.

During the early development period the Calumet mines encountered many major engineering and on-site management troubles. In 1866 Alex was made treasurer of both Calumet and Hecla at the Boston office. Financial disaster threatened the venture because of local management problems so the Boston management decided to send him to Calumet as superintendent from 1866 through 1868. After getting the operation to run smoothly, he returned to Cambridge to pursue his travels and scientific expeditions. As a major stock holder he acquired a fortune, out of which he gave to Harvard, for its Museum of Comparative Zoology, over $1,000,000.

In May, 1871, the Hecla, the Calumet, the Portland and Scott mining companies were consolidated into the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company with a capital stock of one hundred thousand shares, with Quincy Shaw serving as president. A few months later Shaw retired to the Board of Directors and Alex Agassiz was made president, a position he held until the end of his life.

Mr. Agassiz was active in copper mine activities in Peru and Chile, exploring expeditions, dredging expeditions, writing on marine zoology and natural history. He co-published a book with his stepmother (Elizabeth Cabot Cary Agassiz) who was one of the founders of Radcliffe College. During these productive years Mr. Agassiz arranged his world travel schedule to return to Calumet each spring and fall to review the workings of the mine. During these visits the Agassiz family and guests resided at the Agassiz house (later  history discussed below and now the Shelter Home for Abused Women. Picture is 2004 view. See Note 3 for further update) located adjacent to the Miscowaubik Club.

Mr. Agassiz had a genuine interest in the community and provided ideas and funds to make the Calumet area a model settlement for both management and employees of the Mine. At his instigation a club for gentlemen should be a part of this plan and he suggested the Club name be an Indian term for copper. Mrs. Henry Brett (wife of one of the first Board of Governors) submitted a list of Indian names and the Chippewa/Ojibwa term, Miscowaubik (red metal/copper) was selected. The features of the Club and Constitution and By-Laws were to be based on The Tennis and Racquet Club of Boston, Mass.

Alexander Agassiz died at sea aboard the Adriatic bound for the United States on March 27, 1910. Quincy Shaw, Jr.  succeeded him as president of C&H.

On January 28, 1903, a meeting to organize the Miscowaubik Club was held in the Hecla and Calumet (C&H) Mine Office (now the Calumet Clinic located adjacent to the Club. Picture is 2004 vintage. See Note 3.)³. James MacNaughton was elected chairman.⁴

The building selected for the Club then and still in use today, had been occupied by Chief Mining Captain Thomas Hoatson’s family. The structure, built circa 1875, was modified to accommodate Club facilities.

James MacNaughton, Vice President and General Manager of C&H, was the dominant figure in the copper district at the time. He was born March 9, 1864 at Bruce Mines, Ontario and when three months old came to the copper country with his parents. His father, Archibald MacNaughton, was in charge of operations at the head of the "Incline" (the area southeast of the Sacred Heart Church) where ore cars were let down to the mill and smelter in the Torch Lake area.

At age 19 MacNaughton went to Oberlin College and then to the University of Michigan before returning to C&H as a surveyor and draftsman.

In 1889 he left C&H for a position as mining engineer at the Chapin Mine in Iron Mountain, Michigan and in March, 1992, was appointed its General Manager. At that time Chapin was the premier iron ore producer in Michigan.

On July 1, 1901 he returned to C&H and was placed in charge with the title of Superintendent and later was appointed General Manager.

C&H had been in operation 37 years (organized in 1866) when the Miscowaubik Club was formulated. The local economy was booming although C&H mines were at an average depth of 4000 feet and copper content had decreased from an average of 96.8 pounds per ton in 1874 to about 52 pounds per ton in 1900.

In 1900 dividends of $220 per share were being paid on original investments of $15 for Calumet and $25 for Hecla stock. In 1899 C&H stock was up to $895 per share and later (1907) was up to $1000 per share.

On this background the Miscowaubik Club was established for "the encouragement of athletic exercise and the establishment and maintenance of places for reading rooms and social meetings."

At the first meeting (January 28, 1903) a list of 276 names was presented to the Board of Governors as prospective members and the Secretary (J. N. Cox) was instructed to send invitations to those individuals to become Charter Members⁵ of the Club. The initiation fee was set at $20 and annual dues $16.

Of the 276 individuals invited about 175 responded and paid their fees prior to July 1, 1903, and were accepted as charter members. The original membership consisted of mine management, professional and business men predominately from the Calumet-Laurium area. (Click to view an article giving one editor's reaction to the Club's formation.)

The first meeting in the newly renovated Club House was held on June 25, 1903, and the Club House was opened for games and activities on July 1, 1903.

Club facilities included the following:

January, 1905: A permanent Western Union wire was installed so that returns from the hockey games between Calumet and Houghton could be enjoyed as well as news and other sporting events.

August, 1905: The rules were modified to increase resident membership from 200 to 225 because of the large waiting list for membership.

In 1911 By-Laws were modified to increase membership to 275 because of the long waiting list. F. S. Eaton (Treasurer) was authorized to spend up to $200 for the installation of automatic pin setters in the Club alleys.

In 1916 the Board approved plans to have dinner dances on alternate Thursday evenings at a charge of one dollar ($1.00) for each person participating in the dinner.

In 1917 an indoor golf game was installed in the south Squash Court and rules were again modified to increase resident membership to 300.

In 1918 dues were increased from $16 to $32.

In 1921 the Steward was instructed to reinstall gas in the Club kitchen for cooking. There were numerous complaints that when members wanted a late lunch they were confronted with the cook’s reply that fires were out in the coal range and no lunch could be prepared.

During the 1920s and 30s activities were rather routine at the Club, membership numbers fluctuated with the economy. The Copper Country felt the pains of the depression and activities did not pick up until the conclusion of World War II.

In October, 1939, the Calumet Lions Club was granted permission to hold its meetings in the main dining room. This was the first time an outside group were offered this privilege.

In May, 1943 the Steward was authorized to employ "girls" or "women" for the first time and to establish a bar on the first floor of the Club in the Palm Room. The bar, constructed of Honduras Mahogany, stainless steel, 5-ply plywood, liquor display, mirrors and a canopy was fabricated and installed by the Baxter Company of Duluth for $989.75. And, this beautiful construction is still being enjoyed by bar patrons today.

For years the Club had been leasing the building and all equipment therein from C&H, but no written lease had ever been executed. In February, 1944, the Board entered into and signed a lease setting forth the fact that the Club house and certain equipment and fixtures are the property of C&H and are leased to the Club.

April, 1946: The Club established an Associate membership whereby the widow of a resident member in good standing at the time of his death may take out such membership but shall not have a vote in Club matters.

October, 1946: The Board created a junior membership for young men between the ages of 21 and 29. Because of limited use, junior membership was terminated a number of years later.

February, 1953, a plan was set forth to remodel the squash courts to provide a private dining room capable of seating 25 to 30 people, building an enclosed walk from the kitchen to the new dining room and the necessary toilet facilities. In May, 1954, the plan was deferred because of costs.

October, 1957: The new management of C&H became concerned about the relationship between the Club and the Company (Calumet Division) formerly C&H. The Calumet Division had been providing numerous services and benefits at less than or no cost to the Club including steam, insurance, power, snow removal, grounds care, garbage disposal, etc. The Board was alerted to make plans for the Club to stand on its feet financially in 1958.

In 1958 dues were raised to cover some of the increased costs of operations plus new siding, aluminum storm windows, ladies room renovation and renovating the large basement room.

May, 1962: A new recording system was installed at a cost of $1500. The system encompassed communication, music and public address.

July,1962: The Calumet Division offered to turn over the operation of the Agassiz House to the Club with the following provisions:

October, 1962: The Club accepted the Agassiz House agreement and rooms were available to Club members and their guests with rates set at $6.50 per night single occupancy and $10.00 double occupancy.

During 1962 the Club spent about $6,000 repairing pool tables, purchasing a hi-fi system, exterior painting, second-floor lounge remodeling, TV cable installation and miscellaneous repairs.

1965 Calumet Division and the Club arranged a new 10 year lease on the building for $10.00 per year with an option to purchase at any time. The Calumet Division and the Club Board felt it would be desirable to disassociate the two as much as practical. The Club must maintain the premises and grounds in good repair and continue to operate solely as a private social club.

Five window air conditioning units were purchased for the upstairs lounge, small east dining room, room 50⁶, south dining room and bar (installed in 1966)

During 1965 the following was accomplished:

January, 1968: The Club celebrated its 65^th birthday. During the year the improvement program continued. Some of the major items completed were the purchase of sixteen new metal chairs for the cocktail lounge at a cost of $1100.00, renovation to the heating and plumbing and a new tile floor in the kitchen $1500.00, new heating controls for the club $500.00 and the carpet installation in the men’s cloakroom and first floor washroom $475.00

Dues were increased for the first time in ten years to cover the increased cost of operations.

October, 1968: Contracts were awarded to repair roof leaks over the card rooms, upstairs pantry and bowling alley. New furniture was authorized for the downstairs lounge.

In 1969 Club membership decreased by 11 members due to the closing of the Calumet Division of Universal Oil Products (C&H). Calumet Division requested the Club to exercise its option to buy the premises for $1.00 even though the lease had five years to run.

In 1970 with the closing of the Calumet Division, Universal Oil decided to completely divorce itself from the Miscowaubik Club. Although the Board anticipated this action numerous problems had to be solved.

Steam heat was no longer to be provided. The Club had been purchasing steam for heating from C&H for a number of years at a flat rate of $900.00 per year. The Club had no heating unit or chimney, therefore had a gas furnace and stack installed for about $3600.00

C&H had been providing electric power at a flat rate of $35.00 per month. A new electric service panel and meter was installed for about $700.00.

The Agassiz House was closed in January, 1970. Although the Agassiz House was owned by C&H and operated by the Club, the Club lost about $5000.00 a year in income.

The Club had been paying Calumet Division about $650.00 a year for insurance under a blanket policy which would cost about $3000.00 if it were written as a single policy. In December, 1969, the Club was told that the insurance that carried the Calumet blanket requested that the Club be removed from their policy. Inasmuch as most of the Calumet Division property would be in caretaker status with reduced coverage the Club could no longer be covered. This eliminated any advantage the Club had in operating under the lease agreement. The Club started the process of exercising the option of purchasing the building. When completed, this divorced the Miscowaubik Club from any connection with the Calumet Division and Universal Oil.

1971: Hoods, fans, and automatic fire extinguisher were installed over the kitchen range thus reducing the insurance rate about 40%.

1974: The Miscowaubik Club House was purchased from Universal Oil Products.

1976: The land on which the Club House sits was purchased from Universal Oil Products.

Over the years Club membership limitations have varied between 200 and 300, depending on a vote of the Board. Economic conditions in Calumet and the surrounding communities appear to be the governing factor.

The founders of the Club set high standards and over the years an attempt has been made to maintain those standards regardless of the ever increasing operating costs.

The Miscowaubik Club remains to this day a touch of the boom days of Calumet’s past and a cornerstone to many membership sponsored social and business activities. This is due to the interest and leadership shown by succeeding officers, Board members and enthusiastic membership. 

1. Click to read a bit about Alexander Agassiz's science career  on an evolutionary biology site maintained by John Alroy. It is from this site that Agassiz's picture above was stolen. Return
2. Click for a web page about Louis Agassiz.   In 1861 the Royal Society of London awarded Agassiz the Copley Medal for his contributions to the natural sciences, and he became the first American to be so honored since Benjamin Franklin received the medal in 1731. Return
3. This building now (2004) is the headquarters of the Keweenaw National Historic Park.    Return
4. As of 2004, thirteen Club members have served as President. Click to see the list.    Return
5. Click to see a list of these Charter Members.    Return
6. Bob Carlton tells an interesting story of his learning that the largest of the upstairs dining rooms was designated as 'Room 50.' When conducting research for this history, Bob checked out the building's fourth level and found there a well constructed, actually attractive, electrical distribution panel. (Right) One circuit was labeled 'Room 50.' Not believing the building ever had fifty rooms, he enquired widely to learn which room and why it was so designated. He finally learned that the largest of the upstairs private rooms had been furnished at one time to seat fifty people and this fact was used to refer to it.    Return

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