ISHPEMING, Mich. (WZMQ) – One hundred years later, the memories of the Barnes-Hecker Mine disaster are still very much alive.
Dozens gathered at Ishpeming Cemetery this afternoon for a commemorative tour marking the centennial of Michigan’s deadliest mine disaster. On November 3rd, 1926, fifty-one men lost their lives when the Barnes-Hecker Mine collapsed in Ely Township near Ishpeming – forty-one of whom remain entombed in the mine to this day. Family members of the victims joined community members at the graves, sharing photos, stories, and the names of the men behind the tragedy.
Kay Korpi and Kathy Sundine are the great nieces of victim Kustaa “Gust” Franti, and say this centennial means something personal. “I think it’s very important that we remember all these men that died in the Barnes-Hecker, it’s wonderful that we’re having this hundred year celebration,” says Korpi. “I think it’s great because it’s our history, and the history of our family. I think we learn a lot, and it’s important for our children to know about these things too,” says Sundine.
The Barnes-Hecker 100th Anniversary Committee has events planned through November 3rd, the exact date of the disaster, and into 2027.
