The Huron Creek watershed is located in an area--the Keweenaw Peninsula--in which a significant amount of copper mining took place in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.  Most of mining took place in areas outside of the watershed.  However, in the nineteenth century, the watershed was home to two copper mining operations, which resulted in significant amounts of stamp sand (crushed mine rock from which copper has been separated out) being deposited in the watershed. 

The economy of the region shifted away from copper in the second half of the twentieth century, and much of the land In the watershed remained undeveloped.  In the 1960s and 1970s, two landfllls were operated in the watershed.  In the period since 1980, the watershed has experienced significant development, with a new state highway (MI 26) constructed along Huron Creek and numerous businesses being sited along the highway.

The following history of land use was prepared by Gerald Greer as part of an undergraduate research project:

       A Comprehensive Land Use History of the Huron Creek Watershed

Developing the Huron Creek Watershed Management Plan