• Wednesday-What'sUP June 28 - 05:07 am

We've seen a number of shots of the little mining town of Freda, here on the Pasty Cam, but I'm not so sure we've ever had one from this altitude before. E. Neil Harri was up and about again when he snapped this shot which includes the Freda smokestack, adding to the smokestack discussion from a few days back. What a picturesque place to have to go to work each day, back in the mining haydays. If you're interested in getting a closer look, you can click on over to Neil's Gallery Album to see the "big picture".

As usual, another awesome picture from Neil!

Where in the U.P. is Freda located?

If you click on the "active" link, "Freda", in today's notes above, it will take you to a map showing the location. Or you can click the same link here: Freda map

Marvelous view. And more importantly the Majesty of Lake Superior. Makes you want to dip a tin ladle in it offshore, and sip the cool water.

Good Morning....Great pic by our "Spy in the Sky".
Hard to find many places as beautiful as we are blessed to have in DA U.P., EH?

What a great shot as usual. I will save this one as it's my dad's home town and Neil captured it beautifully. My grandmother used to run the boarding house back in the mining days. My uncle has a cottage down on the lake. The only bad thing is the gray sand from the copper mining days. Other than that, it's perfect down there.

I love Neil's birds eye views of the UP, especially of the shoreline, and, moose, of course etc.:-) Mary, thank you for including a map link, as the first thing I did when you mentioned the name of the town, would have been go to Google Maps, but I don't have to now. :-) Thank you both, very much!

Deb, that is really cool that the picture today is an aerial view of your dad's hometown!

Freda played a major role in the mining industry of the Keweenaw not only for the Champion Mill, but also as a recreation destination. A lot of people don't realize that Freda Park was a popular vacation spot for people wanting to get away and relax for a bit. The Park was opened in 1905 and located about one mile west of the townsite. The Park featured huge swings, tennis courts, and a beautiful pavilion concessionaire on the Lake Superior shoreline. The only way to the Park was by rail out of Hancock, which led to its ultimate demise. The Park was owned and financed by Copper Range Railroad, which meant as long as people rode the railway to the Park, the Park was financed. However, with the advent of the automobile, people stopped riding the train and drove out. Since the railroad was responsible for maintenance and upkeep, the costs got too great and the Park was closed on Labour Day, 1917.

For more info and a few photos of the Park, I provided a link below from Kevin Musser's Copper Range Railroad website:

http://www.copperrange.org/freda.htm

My mom, Donna Mae Koivu Pihlaja, was born in Freda back in 1934.

What is left (in Place) of the freda park?

You really can't go west of Freda unless you are in a boat. ;-D

Cindy, isn't that the truth? Though down on the lakeshore, the road leads quite a ways. We stayed at my cousin's cottage down a ways on a river, can't remember the name of the river. But as a child, I was not happy about that because I only wanted to stay where I has easy access to the great lake.

Two years ago we celebrated the 50th (I think) anniversary of Freda Park. We had it at my uncle's cottage. It was a good time and a lot of my relatives were there.

Yes, Marianne, I think I'll print it out and give him a copy when we go there in July. There's so much history up there. I have to go and see my aunt this summer, and see if I can get some copies of the tons of pictures she has of the old days when my grandma ran the boarding house. She wrote a book about those days. It was interesting to me, but I don't know how many other people would be interested in it.

With the park gone there are still reasons to go to Freda. First off, the dive on the covered road is great fun. (Does it follow the od railway?) Also, an ice cream cone while looking at the lake is a treat. I'm in the UP and Isle Royal next week!

Good afternoon:

Thank you Paul for the weblink to Freda Park via the Copper Range website. Very enjoyable.

It just seems amazing that people in 1908 could go out on a summer afternoon in a full dress and/or suit and tie. But, then, given the hungry "no-see-ums" and horse flies that must have been in abundance at Freda Park who could have ventured out dressed in less?

JT

Gee wizzzzzzzzzz I just love these birds eye views .............. This one of Freda is so great. Thanks E. Neil ..........Happy Flying

What is the status of Superior View Restaurant in Freda? Last I heard, it was closed and for sale. Any good news?

Steve

Deb, and all.
I was at Gordy's camp with my mom last summer. The place is looking fabulous...missed the 50th .

There are a ton of pictures on the walls of the camp of the old days. They are awesome.

I can remember as a kid going out there, but you had to drive through a part of the mill. It seemed pretty rickidy...my dad always stopped and talked to the guys working in there. Not sure what they were doing, but there was always someone in there. This was back in the 50s, probably early 60s. It was pretty dark..just a couple of lights..riding on planks and old metal.

My mom lived there for awhile as a kid as well.

Oh, Deb and I are related, by the way, as are the fine folks that owned the restaurant, through my mom's side...Deb's dad is my mom's uncle :)

It is a beautiful drive to Freda, anytime of the year! That is why people like to go there, you can explore by part of the mine, go down to the beach and other things. Looking for agates on the beach!

Actually there's no mine at Freda, just the processing plant for Champion Mine...

I WAS BORN IN FREDA IN 1924, A PLACE THAT WAS GREAT TO BE BROUGHT UP IN. I ENJOYED PICKING THIMBLE BERRIES AT THE FREDA PARK LOCATION AND SELLING THEM TO THE ENGINEERS FROM THE COPPER RANGE R.R, ON THEIR DAILY RUN DELIVERING MINE ROCK FTOM THE MINE TO THE CHAMPION MIIL IN FREDA. WE MOVED FROM FREDA TO HOUGHTON WHEN I WAS 14. WE PURCHASED A CAMP ON THE FREDA PARK GROUNDS IN 1954 ON LEASED LAND, COPPER RANGE DECIDED TO SELL THE LAND IN 1980 SO WE PURCHASED IT ALONG WITH OTHER LAKE SHORE PROPERTY INCLUDING THE SIGHT OF THE CHAMPION MILL. WE NOW HAVE A CABIN BUILT ON THE ORIGINAL SIGHT OF THE FREDA PARK PAVILIAN, A GREAT PLACE TO GET OLD ON AS IT WAS TO GROW UP. IN 2004 WE HAD A PARTY CELEBRATING 50 YEARS AT THE FREDA PARK AND HAD A BEER MADE AND BOTTLED WITH THE HISTORY OF THE PARK

GORDON DUROCHER

And I was there and a great time was had by all. That was a great day. Wish we could have more of them. Hopefully, there will be.