Presque Isle County has some bragging rights. Calcite, the largest limestone quarry in the world, is located right in Rogers City.
The museum’s exhibit features not only an overview of the facility’s current operations, but the historical technology and devices used to mine the limestone. In operation since 1912, Calcite Quarry is rich in mining – and shipping – history.
At 4 miles wide and 150 feet deep, Calcite is a “man-made Grand Canyon” that’s provided more than 700 million tons of limestone to customers in its 100+ years of operations. Early owners also developed the first modern self-unloading ships to deliver product, featuring a design that is, for the most part, still in use today. The Bradley Transportation Company owned this fleet self-unloaders, each vessel featuring its own set of stories (See The Bradley Transportation Exhibit).
The Calcite Screenings - Online and Available for Viewing
From October 1926 until the Winter of 1963 Michigan Limestone & Chemical Company/Michigan Limestone Division published the Calcite Screenings, a periodical that covered news, promoted safety, and featured personal columns and goings on at all of the different plants under the Michigan Limestone banner as well as the ships of the Bradley Transportation Company. Originally a monthly magazine they would get published between 2-4 times a year; usually in the Spring and Fall with other special issues published as well, such as for Christmas or Easter. Beginning in 1957 the name of the magazine was changed to the ML Screenings. Publication continued until the Winter 1963 issue as Michigan Limestone would be dissolved in January of 1964 as US Steel reorganized and made all of the quarries originally under Michigan Limestone jurisdiction independent entities. The Presque Isle County Historical Museum the Calcite Screenings collection and has put them in one place for you to view or download for research purposes.