Research design

Research Design: Railroad Depots & Industrial Communities

Valentin Pulido December 17, 2017

GEOG 577

Introduction The main purpose of this paper is to establish needs based direction for research concerning railroad depots’ relationship with community within Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. For this study, needs based is referring to the inquire into concepts that will satisfy unmet or unrepresented concerns in regards to regional heritage conservation.

In order for this project to be considered a successful endeavor, it needs to be academically sound and results need to be accessible to the general public. Making the results assessable will include tying together complex concepts into an informative form of visual representation through an engaging interface. All visual information presented needs to be supported by accurate and factual information within a limited scope. Options on the most effective and feasible methods to display such information are to be considered.

To Create an Interactive Map The map is the central component of the study that connects visual presentation with the cultural landscape narrative.

With each unit of information being represented on the map, such as a mine shaft location, there is important metadata that accompanies the unit. The map will display locations of train depots, various industrial sites, and associated historic communities. Representative icons on the map are to be clickable, thus providing information like build dates, associated company ownership, and site function. In many cases, historic sites may no longer exist but their location information is still important because it is an indicator of existing historic resources. The logistics concerning scope and scale of the map’s content still needs to be considered and reviewed.

To Create a Cultural Landscape Narrative The catalyst for this study is centrally focused around railroad depots and their relationships with communities. The function of these depots are a reflection of the industrial heritage of its respective community. The railroad depots were generally used for four purposes; to facilitate the transportation of extracted minerals, lumber, general freight, and passenger travel. For example, a lumber company may have had its saw mill, and, privately own town where the workers lived along the company’s own rail line, which would then connect to a larger external system of rail. Here, the nature of the study expands beyond to that of railroad depots and into the communities they served and why.

To Publish Data Creating a means for publishing data that is assessable and useful to the general public is a key component to the study.

The published format needs to provide accurate information while encouraging public interest for the content. The published information, will be of use for railroad enthusiasts, preservationists, and those interested in upper peninsula history. Metadata and visual information needs to be displayed in a manner that supports cultural landscape narrative for a cohesive product. Technology has afforded to publication of such information feasible for those willing to produce historic materials that may be of interest. While current data is being used in conjunction with Esri software, alternatives for web publishing are being considered.

Methodology The collection of data through different forms and the presentation of ideas. This study utilizes quantitative and qualitative data in order to construct an factually accurate narrative and correct visual presentation. Quantitative data comes in the form of spatial information collected through various forms of maps and field research. Spatial information is comprised of historic resources locations.

Qualitative data comes in the form of history. Qualitative information is not essential for this study, it only supplies historic context. For example, it is more important to know where company towns are located, whereas, it is less important to know how the working residents were treated. However, as this study progresses, it will be important to understand that structural discrimination through unfair housing practices reinforced social stratification. While this study is in its early phases, social problems that shaped community development are not a primary focused, though they

are noted.

On-Site Visits On-Site visits to railroad depots within the Upper Peninsula are a fundamental component to the study. To obtain a thorough understanding of the cultural landscape, it is important to see it first-hand. By observing the landscape in person, one will then lose many presuppositions based on assumptions. The basic objective for on-site visits is to achieve perspective based on sensory experience. The landscapes and local cultures are variable, not uniformed, thus emphasizing the significance of personal connection.

The process to determining which sites to visit proved extensive. Initially, the 1975 publication The Upper Peninsula: An Inventory of Historical Engineering and Industrial Sites, was an essential tool in the early stages of the research. A list of depots provided by the inventory was created. Then it was determined if the depots still existed or not. If they did, there exact location would then be determined by using Google Maps. Site visits were then coordinated based on accessibility and time constraints.

Over time, research techniques in this regard got more refined but have generally remained the same. This is due to the problem of a lack of precise location information. That being, exact location for many historic resources is difficult to obtain. More information on this challenge is addressed later in this report.

Onsite visits play a critical role in expanding the study. During visits, information in the form of documentation and cultural landscape analysis may be obtained. There were occasions where conversations were had with the locals, which also assisted in the quality of data collection. Thus far, no informational interviews have been conducted for the purposes of this study, but it is a consideration for future research.

Documentation and Recording During the onsite visits, field sketches and photography were conducted. After learning more about standard techniques by the National Park Service (NPS) guidelines, it was determined that techniques implemented during data collection may not have been to formal NPS standards. However, photographic recordings are satisfactory and will go on to contribute to the study. Thus far, informal field sketches may be included in the study and plans for implementing formal field sketches that adhere to NPS standards are being developed.

Cultural Landscapes Studies Conducting cultural landscapes studies is a principal element for producing a transcendental narrative. The narrative will be what binds collected data together in order to formulate a cohesive document. Data collections will include but not be limited to…

• • • •

Onsite Visits: Viewing first hand areas of interest.

Online Resources: Newspapers.com Sanborn Maps Books

The scope of the project was an immediate consideration. The upper peninsula was chosen for its large inventory of historic resources. More importantly, as a region, it is relatively isolated. The industrial landscape is unique unto itself. The physical geography makes the region cut off from the lower peninsula and its vast wilderness creates a rural environment for most of the region. These factors produce ideal conditions for isolated variables. Whereas the Lower Peninsula has many railroad lines and a rich industrial history. But due to the large number of industrial connections within the Lower Peninsula, it would be a large endeavor to thoroughly study the region. The Upper Peninsula is largely limited to four forms of rail transportation; mineral, lumber, general freight, and passenger. The industrial landscape is reflective of those parameters. These are the three forms of industry this study will focus. It is important to note, the

upper peninsula has other forms of industrial extraction, but these are the three dominate forms.

Demographic Analysis Looking at the demographic history of a region is important to understanding the development of the cultural landscape. Demographic analysis will be used to assess when and where populations grew. Isolating small rural communities present challenges because their census information is linked to other nearby and/or larger communities.

Due to the large number of communities that could be studied, it is necessary to only look at a sample to determine possible patterns in migration. County demographics will be the most important indicator for it is the most complete and accessible. Samples of villages, towns, and cities were compared to their respective counties to look for growth patterns.

GIS Application Two objectives may be met through GIS applications. First is the creation of the database of information providing location information of historic resources. Second, basic spatial analysis can be achieved. By coordinating spatial information with demographic analysis a more complete narrative of the community development can be created.

Utilizing this method, community development can be looked at over space and time. For example, a timeline of an industrial company may be established. The growth of that community associated with that particular company will be reflected in the demographic analysis. Its location with metadata will also be noted on the interactive map. These modes of information may then be utilized for comparison to other similar communities in the region based on proximity to each other.

Challenges Challenges to the project emerge when information presented may be incomplete, thus making the study unable to hold up to scrutiny. Given the large geographic landscape this study covers, issues of completeness must be relative. For example, it could take years to get precise locations on all of the railroad depots to ever had existed within the Upper Peninsula. It is not important to have totally complete data, but there needs to be a sufficient amount of information to accurately construct a narrative. Three important challenges have emerged that this study sets out to overcome.

These challenges reveal themselves as opportunities to fulfill the needs based objects that are currently being unmet or underrepresented. They is a lack of precise location information available to easily find many historic resources. There are holes in readily available census information preventing a complete demographic picture of the historic landscape.

Lastly, defining the scope of the project needs to be considered to provide balanced information without being lacking in information or convoluted.

Percise Locations The most difficult challenge to overcome throughout this process has been the lack of available information on current and precise location. Precise location is readily available information on exactly where a particular site is located.

There are plenty of resources that inform where sites are located in a general sense, but that information if often not explicit or reliable. For example, the Railroad Station Historical Society’s website provides information on all existing historic railroad sites. This is done state by state and then county by county. While there is valuable information in the spreadsheet style tables, the Current Location column does not always provide enough information to determine where exactly a site is located. When looking for Masonville Station, the “current location� column says, relocated on old U.S. 2, one mile west of U.S. 41/U.S. 2. That does give a good general sense of where it is, which is important, but when locating that on a platform like Google Maps, it is very difficult to make a positive identification. Furthermore, if in the field, it may not be possible to validate that the Masonville Station has been positively identified.

In a similar manner, the website copperrange.org, provides a wealth of valuable information but not precise locations.

Copperrange.org is essentially a reprint of a 1916 inventory of Buildings and Bridges by the Copper Range Railroad engineering department. While it does say that town every station is along the Copper Range Railroad, it does not indicate where in the town they are located.

Demographic Information The purpose of demographic analysis is to understand how regions developed over time. Early census information in many rural communities is scarce in many cases. This is not to suggest the government was not keeping account of the region but rather population numbers were consolidated, thus making research challenging. Exact population numbers are not essential to the study but close estimations are helpful. For example, lumber camps during the late 1800s may have housed several hundred people in areas where little evidence remains to illustrate there was ever a community in existence. Coordinating census information back to these areas could give a sense of scale of the size of these camps.

Defining Scope Given the complex nature of industrial history, it is important to not produce convoluted research. The Upper Peninsula is rich in history, many prominent people and events took shape within the region. Nevertheless, it is important to remain focused on the core of the study, to determine the relationship between railroad depots and community. Within those relationships, naturally, are a multitude of important facts that define the history of any given location. Mindful economy, or the omission of certain material, needs to be practiced in order for project resolution to be achieved.

Findings

The study begun while doing a summer internship at the Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. What started out as a photography project of local industry became an obsession of sorts. By taking advantage of the time spent in the Upper Peninsula, I sought to explore the unique landscapes the region has to offer.

Early in the process, I came across The Upper Peninsula of Michigan: An Inventory of Historic Engineering, a book that would prove essential to understanding the interconnections of the industrial landscape.

During my time at Whitefish Point, I mapped out the locations of mines and railroad depots in accordance to the inventory. Though the inventory does give a rough location description, it also provides the sites’ Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates. Unfortunately, due to Google Maps not being compatible with these coordinate sets, finding sites became the first notable challenge in the development of this project. Finding sites, which may or may not exist, could takes hours. When sites were located, routes were prepared for photographing purposes.

As a photographer, I am drawn to small towns for interesting subject matter. More often than not, the towns with an abundance of photogenic landscapes have some sort of railroad component. Silos, depots, and bridges all make for

captivating images that often have a connection to a nearby railroad. When considering a topic for my final project, it was only logical to investigate this correlation to understand if my assumption was true and why does this correlation seem evident. Below is a protype map that displays copper mine, iron mine, and train depots.

Though the image above is not ideal, it can be seen how spatial analysis can take shape. The most obvious indicator is the large concentration of copper mines in the Keweenaw Peninsula, a region known as Copper Country. As the plot points of train depots develops, it will display the proximity of mines to depots. Additionally, it will also reveal where private industrial rail lines, like the Copper Range Railroad meets with larger systems for distribution. The use of metadata would inform routes for passenger travel as a distinct from freight transportation. As the study develops, more information on the residential communities connected to industry may be added.

Interpreting spatial information with demographic information will support the cultural landscape narrative. By cross referencing the map information with census population numbers, it can be seen where certain aspects of community development are documented and where there is a need for improvement. For example, by looking at the available census information for communities within Iron County, it can be seen that more information is still needed. Iron County’s peak population occurred in 1920. Census information is readily available for six towns within that county providing about 70% of that year’s population number. In other words, in 1920, Iron County had a population of 23,000, of which 16,000 are accounted and 7,000 are unaccounted. When compared to other counties in the Upper Peninsula, that is good, keeping in mind that total accounting is not necessary for this study. However, when compared to a county like Keweenaw where census information is more difficult to obtain. Keweenaw County’s population peak is in 1910 with 7,000 people accounted for through census information. Of those 7,000 only 1,000 are accounted for, thus providing only 14% of inhabitant distribution.

The following information is only looking at data up to the year 1940. Counties that hit their peek year in population after that time are marked with an astric

Iron County Population 25,000

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

0 1860

1880

1900 Iron Co.

1920

1940

Iron River

Caspian

1960 Gastra

1980 Alpha

2000

2020

Crystal Falls

Peak Year: 1920 Total Peak Accounted: 70%

Keweenaw County Population 8,000 7,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 1860

1880

1900

1920

1940

Keweenaw Co.

Peak Year: 1910 Total Peak Accounted: 14%

1960 Ahmeek

1980

2000

2020

Alger County Population 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 1860

1880

1900

1920 Alger

1940 Chatham

1960

1980

2000

2020

Munising

Peak Year: 1940 Total Peak Accounted: 45%

Baraga County Population 10,000 9,000 8,000 7,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 1860

1880

1900

1920 Baraga Co.

Peak Year: 1940 Total Peak Accounted: 32%

1940 Baraga

1960 L'Anse

1980

2000

2020

Chippewa County Population 45000 40000 35000 30000 25000 20000 15000 10000 5000 0 1860

1880

1900

1920 Chippewa Co.

1940

1960

Sault Ste. Marie

1980

2000

De Tour

Peak Year: 1940* Total Peak Accounted: 64%

Delta County Population 45,000 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 1860

1880

1900 Delta Co.

Peak Year: 1940* Total Peak Accounted: 62%

1920 Gladstone

1940

1960 Escanaba

1980 Garden Village

2000

2020

2020

Dickinson County Population 35000

30000

25000

20000

15000

10000

5000

0 1860

1880

1900

1920 Dickinson Co.

1940 Norway

1960 Kingsford

1980

2000

2020

1980

2000

2020

Iron Mt.

Peak Year: 1930 Total Peak Accounted: 77%

Houghton County Population 100,000 90,000 80,000 70,000 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 1860

1880 Houghton Co.

1900 South Range

Peak Year: 1910 Total Peak Accounted: 68%

1920 Lake Linden

1940 Larium

1960 Hancock

Houghton

Calumet

Copper City

Geogebic County Population 40000 35000 30000 25000 20000 15000 10000 5000 0 1860

1880

1900

1920

1940

Geogebic Co.

Wakefield

1960 Ironwood

1980

2000

2020

Bessemer

Peak Year: 1920 Total Peak Accounted: 69 %

Keweenaw County Population 8,000 7,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 1860

1880

1900

1920

1940

Keweenaw Co.

Peak Year: 1910 Total Peak Accounted: 14%

1960 Ahmeek

1980

2000

2020

Luce County Population 9000 8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 1860

1880

1900

1920

1940

Luce Co.

1960

1980

2000

2020

Newberry

Peak Year: 1940* Total Peak Accounted: 39%

Macinaw County Population 14000

12000

10000

8000

6000

4000

2000

0 1820

1840

1860

Peak Year: 1940* Total Peak Accounted: 0%

1880

1900

1920

1940

1960

1980

2000

2020

Ontonagon County Population 14,000 12,000 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 1860

1880

1900

1920

1940

Ontonagon Co.

1960

1980

2000

2020

Ontonagon

Peak Year: 1920 Total Peak Accounted: 15%

Marquette County Population 80000 70000 60000 50000 40000 30000 20000 10000 0 1860

1880

1900 Marquette Co.

Peak Year: 1940* Total Peak Accounted: 75%

1920

1940 Negaunee

1960 Marquette

1980 Ishpeming

2000

2020

Menominee County Population 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 1860

1880

1900

1920

Menominee Co.

1940

Stephenson

1960

Powers

1980 Menominee

2000

2020

Daggett

Peak Year: 1890 Total Peak Accounted: 34%

Schoolcraft County Population 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 1860

1880

1900

1920

1940

Schoolcraft Co.

Peak Year: 1920 Total Peak Accounted: 68%

1960 Manistique

1980

2000

2020

Aggraget County Population Aggregate County Population 100000

90000

80000

70000

60000

50000

40000

30000

20000

10000

0 1820

1840

1860

1880

1900

1920

1940

1960

1980

Alger

Baraga

Chippewa

Delta

Dickinson

Houghton

Geogebic

Keweenaw

Luce

Macinaw

Ontonagon

Marquette

Menominee

Schoolcraft

2000

2020

Iron

Aggregate County Population By looking at county population history, important information may be obtained in regards to the development of the Upper Peninsula. What is most striking is the exponential rise and fall in Houghton county’s population between 1890 and 1930. Total county population information is not readily available for some locations as late as 1900 where as others start as early as 1830. While obtaining as much census information is optimum for painting a more complete picture, for purposes of this study it is not entirely necessary. However, efforts will be made to secure such information.

Amasa Station Iron County

Channing Station Iron County

This sample of photos taken while on the field represents what work has been carried out and what needs to be improved upon. For example, labeling of the photographs needs to include elevation information. It is a goal of this study to have images linked to metadata in connection to the published map.

Conclusion This paper was successful in establishing direction for future research on train depots’ relationship with community in the Upper Peninsula. It was a positive exercise in revealing what work has been accomplished, what needs to be improved, and what tasks still need to be carried out.

A sufficient quantity of historic resource coordinate information has been collected. Basic form of metadata has been logged which will be included with visual information. Metadata includes company ownership, build dates, and function of the specific historic resource. This information will be represented through color coded icons design to distinguish one form of site from another. However, coordinates need to be formatted through a manner in which they can easily be manipulated in Esri software.

Demographic information has been collected. This information will play an important role in creating a narrative of the development of the early Upper Peninsula. However, some counties will need more census information to be considered valid. This census information will work in conjunction with map information.

There is much more that may be added in the form of documentation and recording. Field sketches could enhance the user experience on an interactive map presentation. But, all field sketches should be up to standards as per the National Park Service. Informant interviews may be carried out to shed light on the cultural landscape of the region.

This study has the potential to address a number of complicated issues concerning heritage conservation and historic preservation. It is on track to produce an innovative public component in the form of an interactive map. The approach involves a unique approach to recognizing underrepresented areas of the Upper Peninsula that are rich in history.

Bibliography Busch, Jane C. 2013. Copper Country Survey: Final Report and Historic Preservation Plan, Reconaissance-level survey of above ground resources. Survey, Calumet: Keweenaw National Historical Park Advisory Commission.

Camp, M.J. 2017. Railroad Station Historical Society, Inc. April 3. Accessed October 25, 2017. http://www.rrshs.org/index.html.

Crowe, William S. 2002. Lumberjack: Inside an Era in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Skandia, MI: North County Pub. Finlan, Bill. n.d. 200 Years of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and its People, 1776-1976. Utica, MI. Holmes, Christian. 2015. Company Towns of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Charleston, SC: The History Press.

Hyde, Charles K., and Diane B. Abbott. 1978. “The Upper Peninsula of Michigan: An Inventory of Historic Engineering.”

United States Department of Interior, Washington D.C. Liesch, Matthew. 2014. “Spatial boundaries and industrial landscapes at Keweenaw National Historical Park.” The Extractive Industries and Society 1 (2): 303-311.

LIiesch, Matthew, Linda M. Dunklee, Robert J. Legg, Anthony D. Feig, and Austin Jena Krause. 2015. “Use of Business-Naming Practices to Delineate Vernacular Regions: A Michigan Example.” Journal of Gepgraphy 11 (5): 188-196.

Mrozek, David J. 2008. Railroad Depots of Michigan. Chicago, IL.: Arcadia Publishing.

Scarlett, Sarah Fayen. 2014. Everyone’s an Outsider: Architecture, Landscape, and Class in Michigan’s Copper Country.

Dissertation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Ann Arbor: ProQuest LLC. United States Census Bureau. n.d. Accessed November 22, 2017. https://www.census.gov.