Over the years, significant industrial activity has taken place in the watershed.  For example, in the second half of the nineteenth century, two companies operated mines and stamp mills in the watershed.  And around the turn of the century, the Copper Range company construced a railroad roundhouse on the site where the waterfront park is now located.  This industrial acticvity also gave rise to several mining-related residential communities.   These aspects of the watershed's cultural heritage should be preserved in some way.

In 1852, the Isle Royale Mining Company purchased the northwest quarter of Section 1 (T 54N – R 34W) and moved its mining operation from a site near Portage Lake into the Huron Creek watershed.  The company commenced the mining of copper with only nineteen workers and four shafts.   Despite the small size, the Isle Royale Mining Company produced 18,738 pounds of copper in 1853, and was able to expand to twenty–six miners, forty-five surface men, five boarding houses, a barn, two change houses, a blacksmith shop, and several homes.   A stamping mill and office were added in 1854, located ¾ miles from the mine.  By the late 1860’s, however, production was slowing down and by 1870 it was placed on tribute.   The location of the mine is shown in the follow map of the watershed.

One year after the Isle Royale Mining Company commenced production, the Huron Mining Company opened one shaft on a half portion of Section 2 (T54N - R 34W). The mine quickly expanded to four shafts by 1854 and the company initially constructed a primitive stamping mill to crush the mine rock and access the copper.    By 1865, a new Huron Stamp Mill was completed, utilizing water power from the newly created Huron Dam. This dam created Huron Lake. Despite the new mining technology employed at the mill, Huron Mine’s only successful decade was in the 1880’s. The Mine had several reorganizations, changing its name to the Agawami Mining Company in 1868, later to the Houghton Mining Company in 1871, and back to Huron Mining Company in 1880. The Huron Mine finally ceased operations in 1893.