The image within The Sound Archivist emblem is the contemporary ruins of the Ahmeek Stamp Mill. The mill itself was part of the larger industrial landscape of Michigan’s Copper Country which, at its height in the early 20th century, was the world’s largest producer of copper ore. This region has the largest known deposit of native copper in the world and its heritage and national significance was recognized through the formation of the Keweenaw National Historical Park.

The Ahmeek Stamp Mill opened around 1910 in Tamarack City, only a mile from my childhood home, to process copper. For 57 years, the sound of its eventual 8 Nordberg compound steam stamps thundered through town at all hours of the day–it’s thrum the literal heartbeat of industry in our town. I’ve been told that every minute each head slammed down 106 times. In 24 hours, the 8 heads could process 4,800 tons of rock.

Relatives of mine who grew up when the mill was operating have said that when they left to go to summer camp, they couldn’t sleep for the first week because of how quiet it was away from the mill. When they returned to town at the end of summer, there was a fine layer of dust on everything in the house and they again had troubles sleeping.