I was born in "The Copper Country". I do not care for the use of "The Keweenaw".To people who have not been the Keweenaw is just a place. The Copper Country is way more than JUST a place. Lets make this official, a name is more than a name.

allen philley (Allen):
"The Copper Country" vs. "The Keweenaw":

Amen to that!

Not to mention that the Keweenaw is a county, thus the term should be used solely when referring to that county while The Copper Country traditionally includes Houghton, Baraga, Ontonagon and Gogebic counties as well (kinda congruent with the coverage area of the Daily Mining Gazette, as it happens).

---

Quote:

"Serving Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga and Ontonagon Counties Since 1858."

---

COPPER COUNTRY vs. KEWEENAW: How about isolating it to Copper Island? Since beyond Houghton it is an Island.

On second thought, and to amplify my previous post, well, yes, in addition to Keweenaw County, there is of course also the Keweenaw Peninsula, but any less than the traditional The Copper Country (even "Copper Island") would shortchange the contributions of the other historical elements/members of The Copper Country.

I agree that although the area has been known by many different titles including "CLOVERLAND" back in the 1920s and 1930s and even the idea of the state of "SUPERIOR" at one time. "COPPER COUNTRY" is the most suitable.

Are we going to have an argument about the names Copper Country versus Keweenaw County versus The Keweenaw? There is a Kewaunee in Wis and in Illinois. Spelled a bit different in each case.
It is a shame that we "argue" as both names are unique in describing the area.

Tom (Tom):
"Are we going to have an argument …"

Huh? I thought we were having a discussion!

Educational, even; I had never heard of "Cloverland" — just a bit before my time!

I was born and raised in the Copper Country, and will always be a Yooper from the Copper Country! But when I tell people from the flatlands where I am from, I say the Keweenaw Peninsula and show them the "hand map" of the state!

Copper Country: The reason it was called Cloverland Because of the Clover that replaced the timber that was removed by Slash and burn methods left ash that was very suitable for clover growth.

Copper Country or The Keweenaw. I'll leave that up to all of you who are from there to decide. I've only been up there twice. But after driving the covered road, stopping to enjoy the views from the top of Brockway Mountain, sitting there on the Beach at Bete Gris, then going back up to Brockway and watch the sunset over Lake Superior, I just called it Heaven.

Amen to that Thumbgardener!

Copper Country or The Keweenaw

That was nice of you Judy, with you not being from up there to do that, but not necessary, as it more is a question of what do you refer the U.P. to. To me it is The Upper Peninsula - the left hand map, my thumb is the Keweenaw Peninsula because it has water on three sides describes where in the U.P. I am from, and the
Copper Country, I use last if someone is familiar with the other two places, which boils it down to the county's already mentioned. Dollar Bay had the Copper Country Dairy so Dollar Bay is in the Copper Country, so therefor I am from the Copper Country

Does any one remember the Lake Valley Dairy in Hubbell? I would go in there as a kid and help Mrs. Johnson, she would have me help cut the cheese and would heap praise on me. Now when I cut the cheese every one here under the big oak tree complains. Andrea the Irish dancer tells the boys not to pull my finger. Can't understand that. This joke is the only one I can be consistant with, since I am too old to do any thing else. My grandson Jake votes for Copper Country since that is what I call it.

I agree, it is pure HEAVEN.

Seems to be several heavens these days. Which do you aspire to upon your demise??? Can't have both.
You could do like I will========cremate and have your ashes spread someplace in the CC that you are most fond of.

The tern "Cloverland" was used to discribe the U.P. by a bunch of land developing con men back about 1900. They printed ads that were circulated out east and in Europe trying to get suckers to rush to buy "wonderful" farm land. They talked as though "Cloverland" was the land of milk and honey. Most of the folks who took the bait found the soil too hard to till so they dug holes (mines) instead. This I relate from memory and at 76 memory may be a little off, but I think I came close. Happy New Year

Being from Indiana, I guess I don't "officially" have the right to say if it's correct to say "Keweenaw" or "Copper Country," but my vote goes for the latter. My husband and I love to visit there, and the first trip was like coming home "away from home.!" Thanks to all who make this site possible. I enjoy looking in about every day. This site probably saved my sanity when I fell on ice and had a very bad break of my upper arm near my shoulder.

When someone says they've been to Keweenaw, I ask them if they're referring to the county or Copper Country.

Sue

I was born and raised in Keweenaw county, in Ahmeek to be exact, so to me the Keweenaw is the county. I view the Copper Country is the larger area that includes the other counties.

I took my new husband to see the land of my birth in August 2007. It had been 18 years since I was home. We spent a week in Copper Harbor since I lived there in the summer and Ahmeek in the winter. My parents owned the Keweenaw Agate Shop which was of course located in Keweenaw county.

When I and my non-Yooper friends discuss the U.P. of Michigan, "Keweenaw" is what I use to refer to that part of Michigan since the maps they have don't have "Copper Country" on them. I suppose the local preference of Copper Country is a matter of choice-albeit archaic to some degree.

Do Yoopers refer to the iron-mining area in the U.P. as "Iron Country"?

By FRNash/PHX, AZ (Frnash) on Sunday, December 30, 2007 - 11:39 am:

"Not to mention that the Keweenaw is a county, thus the term should be used solely when referring to that county while The Copper Country traditionally includes Houghton, Baraga, Ontonagon and Gogebic counties as well (kinda congruent with the coverage area of the Daily Mining Gazette, as it happens)."

"Kinda improper, if not downright "stoopid" gettin' the two confused!"
-------------------------------------------------
Most sensible post regarding this subject. End of story. Game Set & Match

The term "Keweenaw" was another pipe dream, like "Cloverland" was in the early 1900s. It was an advertising gimmick created in the early 1980s to boost tourism and change the characteristics of the region to make it more inviting to tourists. Rather than emphasize mine tours, emphasis was placed on skiing, snowmobiling, and things like that. The Copper Country Vacationist League became the Keweenaw Tourism Council, complete with a silly logo of a bird flying through a circle of some sort. I could go and on regarding the history of the term "Keweenaw" but the bottom line is for is this:
If I lived in the Keweenaw, that would mean I live in Keweenaw County. But I Live in Houghton County, on what the Finns referred to as "Cooperi Saari" or Copper Island, meaning I live north of Portage Lake.
Nope. I live in the Copper Country, not in a fictitious place created by outside promoters. And yes: I, like many other locals, am getting increasingly bitter over this "Keweenaw" nonsense. We are the Copper Country.

Dave, what is the name of the peninsula you live on?

Dave Jaehnig (Yooperdave1)
"… complete with a silly logo of a bird flying through a circle of some sort."}

Oh no, not the famous "Blue Goose" (a.k.a. "Ruptured Duck")?

I always thought that "Keweenaw" was used more in reference to the entire peninsula and not just the county. Using my definition, it would probably encompass most of the "Copper Country".
In response to Matt's question, I've always referred to the iron areas as "The Land of the Red Mud".

4WDGreg (4wdgreg):
"… 'Keweenaw' … would probably encompass most of the "Copper Country""
But the "Copper Country" traditionally includes Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga and Ontonagon counties. Coincidentally the same counties served by the Daily Mining Gazette since 1859.