(Marquette, Michigan) – The Marquette County Community Foundation (MCCF) has established a special fund to save the world’s largest piece of glacial copper. The MCCF and friends of the late Fred Rydholm (local historian and beloved storyteller) are currently raising funds to preserve the copper and keep it on public display in Presque Isle Park!
The Smithsonian Institute has confirmed that this specimen is the largest known piece of glacial float copper in the world (28.2 tons). It dwarfs the Ontonagon Boulder (less than 2 tons) which is currently on display at the Smithsonian. This globally unique geologic specimen is valued at $255,000. Friends of Fred Rydholm have already committed almost $50,000 towards the campaign! The Marquette County Community Foundation (MCCF) is currently accepting pledges from friends, families, community groups, businesses and industry.
If this community campaign is not successful the copper will most likely be smelted down for industrial use (ie; copper wire, etc.). The copper is currently on loan and is displayed at Presque Isle Park thanks to the City of Marquette. The balance of funds must be raised during 2014.
Each year thousands of visitors stop to photograph the copper and hundreds of school children learn about Upper Peninsula copper while visiting on field trips. Northern Michigan University students also visit the copper on field trips. The copper provides numerous benefits for the City of Marquette including geology tourism, economic development and community education. Other community organizations that support the goals of keeping the copper in Marquette include but are not limited to; the Marquette County Community Foundation, the Superior Watershed Partnership, the Marquette County History Center and the Ancient Artifact Preservation Society.
Contact the Marquette County Community Foundation at (906) 226-7666 or visit: www.marquettecountycommunityfoundation.org
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