When I attended Michigan Tech in 1966 I had no idea the bridge was only seven years old. For many years it had the only stoplights within a hundred miles!
@@SagaFraga Yep, there was a time not too long ago that the single traffic light in all of Schoolcraft county (not far from there) was a 3-way flashing red and we are only talking a decade ago.
I'm old enough to remember the end of copper mining in the Keweenaw. My Father's parents were from the area. & he would take me there as a young boy. I still return almost every year, in the fall. I love the beauty.
I just found this video. I grew up about a mile from the bridge in Hancock and would watch it being built out the front picture window. I was 6 when it was opened in 59, so dont remember much about the start (Grin) Way cool memory! Thanks!!
I love watching old school films on how bridges were built years ago. Things were built very tough and the people that worked on massive structures took pride in their work.
I graduated from Mich Tech and love the area and all that this area has contributed to the U. S. economy since 1844 - recommend people joining the two local historical societies - HCHS and the KCHS.
I think the description understates how unique this bridge is! A few minutes of Googling led me to a handful of 2000s-era articles claiming this is **the** heaviest and widest double-deck vertical-lift span in the world; the only source I could find that says it’s merely “**one** of the world’s heaviest/widest” was MDOT in 2016, i.e. this video. I understand the journalistic temptation to sneak in the weasel phrase “one of” (much harder claim to disprove). But if this bridge still holds two world records, that honor shouldn’t be watered down. wait… watered… down‽ unintentional double pun, sort of!
That was quite the construction project. Almost the same time frame as the big "Mac". Obviously not as long, but in many ways just as complex. Within 20 years or so all the rail service was gone. Within 10 years of completion most of the copper mining was done, with some commercial mining lasting to the late 90's. Some commentators have stated there was still some major commercial lake boat traffic in the 70's. I would have to guess that it did not last much longer than that. Not really much to gain by taking the "shortcut", and looking at google maps I don't see any coal or stone docks any place along the waterway. Maybe a self unloader comes in with some road salt once in a while, I don't know. Maybe some one else could address that topic. Now the area is all about the University, and tourism. How father time moves along and changes everything. In the late 50's we were still making everything in this country, building infrastructure, war veterans focused on building families and making a life for them. Yes I know the the world was not a perfect place then and I enjoy some of the modern conveniences just as much as anyone. But that being said if I had a choice to get in my time machine and go back to that world and time or stay in the present...... I don't know. Many people had to work hard and there was not a lot of time for leisure, but it sure was a simpler life.
Wonderful bridge, still in use 2022, with no end in sight. Very well built. Would it be built any different now with "modern" technology and materials?
I would guess if they had to rebuild it in todays world it would be just a standard non moveable bridge. The railway is gone, and extremely unlikely to come back. I'll guess that any vessels that still use the waterway would fit under the current 32 ft clearance, or maybe a new bridge could be made with a bit more clearance, 40-45 ft possibly. I would think that would accommodate the vast majority of sailboats. Any larger vessel will just have to "go around". I don't thing the large ore boats use the waterway anymore, if so, very rarely, to make any local deliveries they will have to just enter and exit from either end. The days of large ships using it as a "shortcut", or a safe harbor are long gone.
This sounds like one of the "budget travelogue flicks" made fun of by MST3k as David mentions below: After the hugh hugh success of Julianne Hough I've taken to pronouncing the name as HUFF-ton not anything else Hancock. The background music sounds like the typical public domain canned stuff used on Gumby and on six Looney Tunes in 1958 due to a music strike but are different pieces. Narration voiceover sounds either like one of two go-to guys going back to old-time radio, Marvin Miller, or Art Gilmore (he's heard on reruns on that old 1955 show "Highwya {atrol", the show Phil Hendrie's Jay Santos character uses).
This bridge operates in the same manner, does it not? What makes the Portland bridge better? I did not hear them say that this bridge was the first of it's kind or anything like that.
Well I guess you could say they finished the bridge just in time for Keweenaw copper mining to fade into the history books, but it still serves its purpose on occasion.
I remember the bridge going up. I was 8 years old! Now I’m almost 73. Crossed that bridge many times.
I remember the old bridge. We walked across it a few times. The boards were loose and I didn't want the new bridge built. I was 10!
I had no idea how new that bridge was when I was at Michigan Tech in '61/'62. Crossed it many times when I was there.
Real men designed and built this amazing bridge. Great work.
When I attended Michigan Tech in 1966 I had no idea the bridge was only seven years old. For many years it had the only stoplights within a hundred miles!
jhwenger I like stoplights
REALLY??
@@SagaFraga Yep, there was a time not too long ago that the single traffic light in all of Schoolcraft county (not far from there) was a 3-way flashing red and we are only talking a decade ago.
I am so happy I found this video. My parents talked about the old bridge and when the new one was built. They were teenagers then.
I'm old enough to remember the end of copper mining in the Keweenaw. My Father's parents were from the area. & he would take me there as a young boy. I still return almost every year, in the fall. I love the beauty.
I just found this video. I grew up about a mile from the bridge in Hancock and would watch it being built out the front picture window. I was 6 when it was opened in 59, so dont remember much about the start (Grin) Way cool memory! Thanks!!
Is this still the bridge is operation now?
How many boating hours does this save now from going around the point?
Indeed, it is!
That technique to check for loose rivets is very cool
I love watching old school films on how bridges were built years ago. Things were built very tough and the people that worked on massive structures took pride in their work.
I graduated from Mich Tech and love the area and all that this area has contributed to the U. S. economy since 1844 - recommend people joining the two local historical societies - HCHS and the KCHS.
Grew up in Oskar, mi. Many memories. Loved watching the lake freighters pass thru the portage canal.
Very entertaining - this gives me a new appreciation for the bridge! Thank you for digitizing and posting this!
I was a student at MCMT(Michigan Tech when it was being built. Fun to watch it being built
This is a very cool video, amazing stuff. Born and raised a Michigander, so this video makes me proud to still live here.
Awesome. I loved watching the bridge when I lived in Houghton.
I think the description understates how unique this bridge is! A few minutes of Googling led me to a handful of 2000s-era articles claiming this is **the** heaviest and widest double-deck vertical-lift span in the world; the only source I could find that says it’s merely “**one** of the world’s heaviest/widest” was MDOT in 2016, i.e. this video. I understand the journalistic temptation to sneak in the weasel phrase “one of” (much harder claim to disprove). But if this bridge still holds two world records, that honor shouldn’t be watered down. wait… watered… down‽ unintentional double pun, sort of!
That was quite the construction project. Almost the same time frame as the big "Mac". Obviously not as long, but in many ways just as complex. Within 20 years or so all the rail service was gone.
Within 10 years of completion most of the copper mining was done, with some commercial mining lasting to the late 90's. Some commentators have stated there was still some major commercial lake boat traffic in the 70's. I would have to guess that it did not last much longer than that. Not really much to gain by taking the "shortcut", and looking at google maps I don't see any coal or stone docks any place along the waterway. Maybe a self unloader comes in with some road salt once in a while, I don't know. Maybe some one else could address that topic.
Now the area is all about the University, and tourism. How father time moves along and changes everything. In the late 50's we were still making everything in this country, building infrastructure, war veterans focused on building families and making a life for them. Yes I know the the world was not a perfect place then and I enjoy some of the modern conveniences just as much as anyone.
But that being said if I had a choice to get in my time machine and go back to that world and time or stay in the present...... I don't know. Many people had to work hard and there was not a lot of time for leisure, but it sure was a simpler life.
Wonderful bridge, still in use 2022, with no end in sight. Very well built. Would it be built any different now with "modern" technology and materials?
I would guess if they had to rebuild it in todays world it would be just a standard non moveable bridge. The railway is gone, and extremely unlikely to come back. I'll guess that any vessels that still use the waterway would fit under the current 32 ft clearance, or maybe a new bridge could be made with a bit more clearance, 40-45 ft possibly. I would think that would accommodate the vast majority of sailboats. Any larger vessel will just have to "go around". I don't thing the large ore boats use the waterway anymore, if so, very rarely, to make any local deliveries they will have to just enter and exit from either end. The days of large ships using it as a "shortcut", or a safe harbor are long gone.
Lots of brilliance going on in the trades in late 50's.
thanks for the post vvm.
This sounds like one of the "budget travelogue flicks" made fun of by MST3k as David mentions below:
After the hugh hugh success of Julianne Hough I've taken to pronouncing the name as HUFF-ton not anything else
Hancock. The background music sounds like the typical public domain canned stuff used on Gumby and on six
Looney Tunes in 1958 due to a music strike but are different pieces. Narration voiceover sounds either like one of two
go-to guys going back to old-time radio, Marvin Miller, or Art Gilmore (he's heard on reruns on that old 1955 show "Highwya {atrol", the show Phil Hendrie's Jay Santos character uses).
cool video, I was just a teen and watched from old bridge when it was built
The Mackinac bridge finished up just as this one was starting. Im sure some of the men worked on both.
MADE MY DAY!
@michigandot do you know when this video was made? It's so cool! Thanks for sharing!
I live just north of here! 🐾🐕🐶
I appreciate watching this for the historical value it provides...but this short film SCREAMS the MST3K treatment!
Meanwhile the Steel Bridge in Portland solved this same problem by making a two-stage lift... and it's been working wonderfully for 109 years.
Yeah this bridge seems needlessly complicated. The engineers who came up with it are probably related to the goof engineers who work at my plant.
This bridge operates in the same manner, does it not? What makes the Portland bridge better? I did not hear them say that this bridge was the first of it's kind or anything like that.
They should have just made some ramps to jump from one side to the other. Hot Wheels©️ style. For the train too. Make the daily driver pay attention. And the kiddies in the school busses would love it.
Why would anyone even take the time to say something that stupid?
Is this still the bridge?
Indeed, the Portage Lake Lift Bridge is still there and in operation.
Taller bridges work too
Someone should write a song about the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. I think people would listen to it.
I've never seen a long ship go through there!! That must have been a ruse to get the funding.
Um, what?
Even in the early to mid 70's, not counting the Ranger, there were 2 to 3 ore boat sized ships a week.
Well I guess you could say they finished the bridge just in time for Keweenaw copper mining to fade into the history books, but it still serves its purpose on occasion.