The 1913 Calumet Miners’ Strike
On July 23, 1913, children marched in Calumet, Michigan, amid one of the most turbulent labor disputes in Copper Country history—the miners’ strike of 1913-1914. This strike wasn’t just about wages or working hours; it highlighted the growing impact of automation, the harsh paternalism of mining companies, and the fight for dignity by hard-working families in the face of industrial change. Over a century later, this strike offers valuable insights into the ongoing struggles between labor, technology, and corporate control.
Copper mining in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula was once dominated by a handful of powerful companies, including the giant Calumet and Hecla Mining Company, Quincy Mine, and the Copper Range Company. Early on, many mines were operated by Cornish immigrants who brought a unique contract system—miners worked in family groups and were paid based on the amount of rock they extracted. But this system created social divisions, especially between the miners who blasted ore and the trammers who hauled it, often seen as the “lower class” of mine workers.
One Man Drill
The strike of 1913 stemmed from several grievances. One major issue was the introduction of the “one-man drill,” a mechanical tool replacing traditional three-man drilling teams. While efficient, the one-man drill broke up family work groups and isolated miners underground, increasing safety risks. The mines’ paternalistic control over workers’ lives—housing, schooling, even social behavior—bred resentment, especially as housing and privileges favored certain ethnic groups. Wage disparities, grueling 10- to 12-hour shifts, rampant child labor, and competition from richer western mines made tensions boil over.
The Western Federation of Miners (WFM) had only recently begun organizing Copper Country miners when they voted to strike on July 23, 1913, demanding union recognition and better conditions. Nearly all mines shut down as miners marched, held parades, and faced off against mine guards and the National Guard called in by Governor Woodbridge N. Ferris.
Tragedy That Shook Copper Country
Violence flared, including the notorious “Seeberville Affair” in August 1913, where shots fired by mine security guards killed two innocent bystanders and injured others. But the darkest moment came that Christmas Eve at the Italian Hall in Calumet. During a holiday party for striking miners and their families, someone shouted “Fire!” causing a panic and stampede on a narrow stairway. Seventy-three people were crushed to death, including 60 children. The identity of the person who cried “Fire!” remains a mystery, but the tragedy intensified the strike’s emotions and drew national attention.
End of the Strike
Despite the passion and sacrifices, the strike ended in April 1914 with few of the miners’ demands met. The mines refused union recognition and kept the one-man drill. Many families left the region, and mining companies tightened control in other ways. Yet the strike was a turning point. It marked the end of the paternalistic company system and showed that organized labor could challenge powerful industrial interests.
In the decades that followed, unionization slowly took hold in Copper Country mines, but economic pressures, depleted ore, and evolving technologies eventually shuttered the mines. The legacy of the 1913 strike and the Italian Hall Disaster lives on as a sobering reminder of the human cost behind America’s industrial progress—and of workers’ enduring fight for fairness and safety.
The 1913 Calumet strike is more than a historical event; it’s a story about families, technology, and the evolving landscape of labor rights—issues still relevant today. Remembering this chapter helps us appreciate the struggles that shaped the communities and industries of the past, and how they continue to influence the future.
Learn more about the rich history of the Western Upper Peninsula.
