Kathy Erkkila Ptaszek grew UP in the little town of Gay, MI, but lives in Houghton now. She likes to go back and check out her old hometown occasionally and did so recently, walking to Lake Superior to check on what erosion has taken place on the stamp sands from the storms this year. Of course the shoreline is always changing with wave action from the Big Lake, but there are still a number of mining history remnants on the sands and on the shoreline. Looks like there’s still lots of ‘gray sands’ beach there, also.

Since we’re talking about mining history today, lets join Visit Keweenaw for a look at Old Glory returning to the top of Old Reliable – Quincy Mine Shaft. They recently had a new flag pole installed on top of the Mine Shaft, as the old one had become unstable a while back. So there was a dedication with a new American Flag raised atop Shaft House No. 2, in homage to the American spirit that helped to shape the Copper Country. Just in time for the 250th anniversary of our nation.

How appropriate to replace the flag on Shaft
House #2 just in time for July 4th #250! Am I
the only one thinking “sheesh-I remember the
Bicentennial being a big deal in 1976” ? Lol :)

We passed through Gay once, visited the
smokestack but never made it out to the stamp
sands. Not sure I even knew of them at the time.
Did explore around the Tobacco River mouth,
which was very nice! Not terribly far from there,
if I remember right.

Been to Gay plenty of times. Stopped at the bar for
snacks. The Bi-centennial year 1976 was a big year
for me...Bob & I were married, we were only 19
years old. Still on our honeymoon yet today!

These pictures are very cool. Gay and Freda are
such historic little mining towns with their gray
sands. They're fun to visit. We go through Gay a
lot in the summer on our way to Brunette Park to
swim. It's such a cool area. It's definitely great
to have grown up in such a beautiful area and now
we're happy to have come back to retire here.

Cindy, there are a lot of us who remember the
excitement of 1976. My son and his son were just
talking about him being born in 1976, and now that
son is going to make him a grandpa in 2026.

I graduated from high school in 1976, SO LONG
AGO!!! We had a red white and blue stripe down the
front of our gowns!

Don't forget Buffalo Reef in Gay, and all that
shifting stamp sand!!

Hi
I have heard that offshore the stamp sands are a
problem for the fish.

Donna, I graduated from Michigan State in 1976. No
Amercan flag colors, just forest green gown and a
cedar-color tassel (Ag & Natural Resources).

With regard to 1976 festivities, I remember a tall
ships parade. I'm pretty sure I was up north but I
forget if we did anything special.

Usually on July 4th we watch fireworks from the
Straits area towns on our beach: Cheboygan, Mackinaw
City, Mackinac Island, St Ignace, Hessel.
These are mostly small (airstrikes on the horizon as
a friend joked). This year we plan to go in town to
get a closer look and celebrate with more people. And
get stuck in traffic with those people. ;> )