Hancock Artist Returns After Visiting Finland’s Calumet

At one time Calumet produced a majority of the copper extracted in the United States. In total, the entire region produced an estimated 10.5 billion pounds of the crucial mineral. Copper veins are commonly found around the world, and the Finnish immigrants who came to the Copper Country were no strangers to the shimmering brown-orange metal. Finland’s Calumet of sorts was known there as Outokumpu. During much of the 20th century, the Finnish town was centered around for Vanga Kaivos or Old Mine. Which was the center of much of the country’s copper mining industry.

While traveling in the area of Outokumpu last year as an artist and researcher in residence Hancock resident and artist Daniel Schneider found many parallels between the Finnish town and that of Calumet. Now that Schneider has returned the Michigan’s Copper Country he hopes to share his discovery about the deep connections the Keweenaw Peninsula holds with Finland.

Tomorrow evening he will hold an artist presentation hosted by the Copper County Community Arts Center. During the presentation, attendees can hear from Schneider the parallels he drew between the two mining towns view photos of Otuokumpu, and learn about the heritage of both regions’ copper mining. The presentation Outokumpu: Finalnd’s Calumet will take place at the Community Arts Center on Quincy Street starting at 6 pm. Find more presentation details here.