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This site was created on 12/17/96 and was last 
updated on 8/8/07
By Kevin E. Musser

Mentioned in the 
Detroit Free Press
&
Observer Eccentric
&
Daily Mining Gazette

Copyright © 1996-2007
Kevin E. Musser

Proud supporters of the


Supporting those afflicted with SWRS

Member of the
WESTERN UPPER PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN HERITAGE TRAIL NETWORK

Visit the Western UP Heritage Trail

;        

HAMBURG, Mich. - Kevin E. Musser, 47, passed away September 4, 2007, with his loving family by his side. Kevin was born April 24, 1960, in Lancaster, Penn., to Robert and Carolyn Musser. On December 16, 2000, he married his loving wife, Diana Hassenforder and she survives. Also surviving are his children, Kyle and Katie Musser; step-son, Sean Whitt; brother, Stephen Musser sisters, Diane Montini and Lisa Webster of ; parents, Robert and Carolyn Musser; grandchildren, Hunter, Riley and Samuel Whitt, many nieces and nephews. A celebration of his life was held at 10-Noon, Saturday, September 8, 2007, at Borek Jennings Funeral Home, Hamburg Chapel, with Rev. Roeloffs officiating. The service was overflowing with his friends and family. If you wish, memorial contributions are suggested to Painesdale Mine and Shaft, Inc., P.O. Box 332, Painesdale, MI

Thank you to all of you who visit Kevin's website and to Pasty.com for hosting copperrange.org.

Kevin's passion was the Copper Country: its rich history and its beauty. He truly enjoyed sharing his knowledge with all of you. These pages are preserved as a permanent archive reference, in memory of Kevin E. Musser.

Copper Country Historical Page

Featured Photo      Featured Pages

 

Welcome to

www.CopperRange.org
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CopperRange.org is maintained by Kevin E. Musser and has been created in order to share the history of the Copper Range Railroad, Copper Range Consolidated Company, as well as the rest of Michigan's Copper Country. I am an Amateur Industrial Archaeologist, Model builder and just plain enjoy this area known as the Keweenaw Peninsula. This site contains 117 "pages" and includes over 1100 images (as of October 2006), so sit back, grab a cup of coffee and I hope you enjoy your visit. Don't forget to stop back again soon, as I am always trying to add new material.

If you are looking for your relatives please try my Genealogy Links first as I have limited information on family histories as my focus is on Company histories.

If you have an interest in IA, the Copper Range, Upper Michigan railroads, mining companies, or anything else Copper Country history related send me an e-mail and say hi. Always happy to meet another "Ranger". 

CopperRange.org is hosted and supported by Pasty.com, we couldn't be here without them.

With my interest in the Copper Range I am also involved with the restoration of Champion #4, the oldest shaft-rockhouse in the Keweenaw. 

Please stop by our site and don't forget to 
visit our gift shop.
Any donation is welcome.

Visit Painesdale Mine & Shaft

copperrange.org is also pleased to support
these new restoration efforts
(click on the images to learn more about them)

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Still more to do, please offer your support
Check out some nice photos showing the restoration progress as of 10/06

 

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This month's
feature photo.

Portage bridge nears completion in 1959.
 

Add your comments about this month's photo here:

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Join in other discussions as well
 

August's Feature Photo

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A nice broadside photo sent in by Gus Linja of the Portage lift bridge nearing completion in 1959. Thanks for passing this along Gus.
(Gus Linja Collection).

Add your comments about this month's feature photo
at the CopperRange.org Discussion Board

Many other discussion groups as well 

Other timely items of interest:

Save Copper Range consolidation #29

Would you be interested in a Painesdale Documentary? If so click here.

 

"The spot where I stood was a bare flat rock, the highest peak of the Keweenaw Point, upon Lease, No. 10, belonging to the Albion Mining Company. I had heard this view glowingly described, but my imagination had formed no conception of its grandeur. I have stood upon the hills of Vermont and New Hampshire, and upon the peak of Laurel Mountain, the highest of the Alleganies - I have stood by Niagara in youthful wonder, and in manhood's realization: but the water, over whose expanse the eye flits like the lost bird, finding nought to rest on, was wanting there to add immensity of space to the scene, as at the Albion Rock; nor was there, as here, the awful precipice, with its tempting depth, that Nature's instincts teach her creatures they must shun. I have seen sights, but never one before so unconfined by hill or plane, or close horizon, where the spirit seemed set free to range at will. A scene only to be felt."John St. John 1846

 

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A lazy summer day in 1923, on my Copper Range Railroad.

Featured Pages

With so much to discover, here are some selected pages from this site.

 

Winter Operations

The Dally-Jane Murders

List of Bridges & Buildings of the Copper Range RR.

Kevin Musser's Photos

Vintage Postcard Collection

Models and History of the Keweenaw 

Quincy & Torch Lake RR

Houghton County Traction

Copper Range Shovel X-2

CopperRange.org Discussion

Save Champion #4

Save the Redridge Dam

 

Winter Operations on the Copper Range Railroad in 1950 and also the Blizzard of 1939

The Dally-Jane murders in Painesdale during the 1913-14 copper strike

Detailed listing of structures of the
Copper Range Railroad from 1899-1916

My private collection of Copper Range Photos

My private collection of Keweenaw area vintage post cards

Tracing the history of the Keweenaw through its structures
 

The history of the Qunicy & Torch Lake Railroad

The history of the Houghton County Traction Company

An article on building Copper Range Steam Shovel X-2

CopperRange.org Discussion Board, share your questions and thoughts with others

Painesdale Mine & Shaft, Inc. restoration of Champion #4 Shaft-Rockhouse

Save the wooden dam in Redridge

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Copper Range Railroad Mainline south of Painesdale
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Please visit these sites 
when you have finished 
your Copper Country trip

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Your source for Lake Superior region, books, videos and music

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This site hosted by Pasty.com

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Please stop by these other history or railroad related Pastynet sites:

The Keweenaw Traveler

Quincy Mine

RailDreams

Houghton County Historical Museum

Copper Country Reflections

Keweenaw County Historical Society

Copper Range Historical Society

Upper Peninsula
Digitization Center Collections

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Member of

HABS / HAER
Historic American Engineering Record
Historic American Buildings Survey


Supporting those afflicted with SWRS

 

Made from
recycled poor rock