Moving a 28 ton boulder of pure copper is quite an adventure. This is the story of why on earth anyone would want to move such a beast! AAPS/Ancient Artifact Preservation Society and hundreds of friends want to save it from being sold for commercial melt down. As far as we know this is the largest natural glacial "float" copper in the world, and it's a specimen worth saving.

2. Several Billions of Years Ago, Volcanoes and Terrific Hot Water/Steam from Deep Within the Earth, Created Conditions for forming Nearly Pure Copper In the Keweenaw Range. Plate Tectonics Pushed up the Mountain Range, now Beautifully Filled with Copper! Many miles of copper still lie beneath Lake Superior.

3. Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula was the recipient of the largest, purest deposits of copper in the world.

4. This sliced chunk from the Seaman Mineral Museum on MTU Campus, shows the brilliant purity of Keweenaw Range copper

5. Four Glacial Ages scrubbed down the copper rich Keweenaw Mountains, dragging and dropping off hunks of nearly pure copper. Note varying lake levels.

7. Some very large pieces are left as evidence of glacial drops: On display in public places such as- Calumet City Park, Quincy Mine (17 tons)

8. This 17 ton piece was removed from the waters of Lake Superior- by the state and donors- & put on display (for Seaman Mineral Museum) at Quincy Mine

9. Here’s a giant pure float copper found a few years ago on private land south of Houghton, 1.5 tons larger than "ours" but it was sold as scrap metal, now it’s gone forever!

10. Oct, 1996 Mr. K & Mr. M found on their own land (prev. Quincy Mine land) this magnificent "float" copper. What a thrilling day that was !

12. Oct. 2009, some board members & advisors saw the copper for themselves and fell under it's spell.

13. Carl Lindquist , Friend of AAPS, Executive Dir. of Superior Watershed Partnership wondered: How to broaden interest in saving the copper? Carl's office moved to Presque Isle Park Spring 2010. Carl was inspired. Maybe the City of Marquette would host the copper? YES they would! How wonderful! Now THOUSANDS could see it! Carl on the copper in the woods, Oct ‘09 New Offices @ Presque Isle

14. Carl Coordinated! Copper owners, city council, truckers, movers, permits, architects, builder, sign-maker, crane, press... 3 months work, & off we go! First, it had to get out of the woods! Trees , scrub brush and dirt were knocked out of the way, and plowed on top of the copper as it was dragged along, making a road behind the big dozer.

15. The dozer dragged the copper out through the woods, making a smoothed out road as it went... and polished the copper's bottom! Which we saw on the 8 th when the crane moved it onto it’s display @ Presque Isle Park

16. Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 MOVING DAY! First significant move since the glacier moved it 12,000 years ago! Moyle got it out of the woods, onto Oberstar's flatbed trailer. It was not an easy operation! Gravel was dumped to create a ramp to “slide” the copper on up to the flatbed trailer. There were a few snags. It rained….a lot! The wind blew, it got cold, it got really muddy. TV-6 Ashley Palumbo, and Ford Movie folks; Bob Kreipke and Janine McFadden were soaked along with the rest!

18. Glenn and Judy went to breakfast, after a few hours in the elements. Back…and the copper was on the trailer and headed out of the woods toward the road!! YAY! (We’d had some doubts.)

19. The copper was scaled at Moyle Gravel, Houghton, at about 28.5 tons...less than hoped. Then we followed the very speedy truck to Marquette. He had a highway permit deadline to meet! Here it passes Da Yoopers Tourist Trap where the largest copper in the world briefly meets the largest rifle and largest chain saw in the world .

20. All the way to Presque Isle, and the truck couldn’t make the bend in the road toward the prepared site! It had to drive slowly all around the island.

21. The copper remained on the trailer for a few days till the crane could come to put it in it’s place. Meanwhile it enjoyed being out of the woods, and hosting many visitors, photographs, and TV and news media attention. Everyone Loves it!

22. Fred K Rydholm kneels where his dad posed many years earlier. Hundreds of people felt the thrill of actually standing on top of such a large specimen. Some children were heard to say they could feel “something” moving beneath their touch.

23. Sept 8th, the 100 ton crane came from Lindberg and Sons to lift the copper to it’s berm.

25. Conference 2010: The biggest thrill was when members & friends of AAPS gathered with the copper! NOW To Raise the Funds to SAVE IT!