Spatial boundaries and industrial landscapes at Keweenaw National Historical Park

Abstract

The geographies of dormant mining districts create preservation and interpretation challenges. Keweenaw National Historical Park (KNHP) is one of a relatively recent ensemble of United States National Park Service (NPS) sites designed to partner the federal government with state and local agencies and businesses. Building upon cultural landscape studies and park management issues, this paper is a case study of how a local community understands spatial boundaries of a public–private partnership park. Collectively, the park and its partners interpret and preserve dormant copper industry landscapes. Given that almost all of the land within park boundaries is privately owned through preexisting settlement, local residents often do not know where park boundaries are located. Ethnographic data reveal that local groups hold contrasting conceptions of which industrial landscapes are within KNHP. Scholars may use this case study to inform their investigations into parks and protected areas commemorating extractive industry heritage.