Red Jacket Shaft – Calumet Michigan

This inkwell has a bulbous body and rests on a base with curved legs. Attached is a plaque reading “Red Jacket Shaft, Calumet, Mich”. This was likely a souvenir linked to the historical copper mining industry in the area.

The Red Jacket Shaft is part of the rich mining history of Calumet, Michigan. It was one of the mining shafts of the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company, which was a major copper-mining company based in Michigan’s Copper Country. This region was known for its extensive copper mining during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The town of Calumet, originally named Red Jacket, formed next to the mine. The shaft itself was likely named after a Native American leader and was part of a mining complex that included 96 levels with 16 incline shafts and one vertical shaft. The Calumet & Hecla Mining Company played a significant role in the history of copper mining in the United States, being one of the largest copper producers in North America at its peak.