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Wisconsin
Central Ore Dock No. 6
Marquette,
Michigan
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| A Wisconsin Central
Ore Dock in Marquette, Michigan, salvaged in early 2000 by a contractor
hired by the railroad, provides Trestlewood with another source
of hundreds of thousands of board feet of Douglas Fir timbers. |
| Marquette's Ore
Dock No. 6 was the final in a long line of docks which, beginning
in the mid-1800s, established the town as a major shipping point of
iron ore. The South Shore Railway Company's efforts to build the Lake
Superior Ore Dock in 1931-1932 were influenced by the Great Depression
economy. The original plans called for the entire 3,000 foot approach
to the dock to be constructed of timber, but low steel prices made
this fireproof, low-maintenance material a viable option. When all
was said and done, steel had been used to construct over 85% of the
dock approach. Still, the 420 feet of approach constructed of timber
provided a great example of classic mid-twentieth-century timber construction.
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| With the outbreak
of World War II, the use of Ore Dock No. 6 was once again influenced
by world events. The fear of sabatoge required the use of greater
precautions (such as armed guards and extra fire extinguishers) to
ensure that the ore dock could continue operating. |
| Throughout the
years, various improvements were made to provide for the dock's continued
use. For instance, some of the untreated timbers were replaced by
treated, rot-resistant material. Improvements to and use of the ore
dock ended in 1971 when it was closed after the mine that was its
main supplier was forced to shut down due to the development of higher
quality pelletized ore. |
| Efforts are now
underway to convert the area from which the approach to the dock was
removed into a "Downtown Linear Park." This park should
help to bring the community together and to preserve the area's unique
history. In the meantime, the timbers from Wisconsin Central Ore Dock
No. 6 are available for use in a wide variety of applications which
will extend the influence of this exciting structure and its history
far beyond the confines of Marquette, Michigan. |
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| Information
source: Magnaghi, Russell M. "Historic American Engineering Record:
Marquette Ore Dock No. 6 Haer No. MI-45," 1990. |
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