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U.P. Pasty LbNA #4655 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:TJ_Mich
Plant date:Jul 3, 2003
Location:
City:Iron Mountain
County:Dickinson
State:Michigan
Boxes:1
Found by: Middle Sister
Last found:Aug 26, 2012
Status:FFaaFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFr
Last edited:Jul 3, 2003
To offer a little insight about the culinary aspects of mining life, we've created the U.P. Pasty Letterbox.


So what is a Pasty, anyway, you ask? A pasty (PASS-tee) is a mixture of meat, potatoes, and vegetables that is wrapped in a crust and sealed in a half-moon shape.

The pasty's roots are in the Cornish mining industry. Tin miners in Cornwall, England, were often given pasties to eat by their wives, because it provided a hearty meal that was portable. A miner could leave home with a hot pasty in his pocket, using the heat from his lunch to keep his body warm, and the heat from his body to keep his lunch warm. The shape of the pasty was functional as well. Arsenic was often found in Cornish tin mines, so the crimped crust gave the miners a place to hold their meal while eating to avoid poisoning. The crusts weren't wasted, though. They were tossed aside for the "knockers", or ghosts, to bring good luck.

Pasties often had the owner's initials sliced into one corner, so it could be easily identified. The initialed corner was the last piece eaten, so a saved chunk of pasty could be claimed later on. Some pasties were filled with fruit or sweets in the initialed corner, so the miner would have dessert after the meal.

No one can pinpoint when the pasty originated, although it is said to have been traced back to Henry the VII (1491-1547). A letter exists that was sent from a local baker to his third wife Jane Seymour saying "hope this pasty reaches in better condition than the last one..." The pasty is also famous through literature; it was referenced in two of Shakespeare's plays:

"Wife, bid these gentlemen welcome. Come, we have a hot venison pasty to dinner: come gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkindness." (Merry Wives of Windsor, Act I Scene I)
"I will confess to what I know without constraint: If ye pinch me like a pasty, I can say no more." (All's Well That Ends Well, Act IV, Scene III)

When the Upper Peninsula copper and iron mines were being opened in the late 1850s, immigrants of Cornish descent brought the tradition of the Pasty to Michigan. Mining was a major industry in the U.P., and many families adopted pasties as a typical meal. Today, the pasty is a staple in many Upper Peninsula restaurants, and pasty shops can be found alongside many U.P. highways.


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This letterbox was originally located in Vulcan, Michigan, 9 miles east of Iron Mountain, at the Iron Mountain Iron Mine (below). After 5 years, though, we've relocated the letterbox to a new location. The old trail has been posted "No trespassing" and we didn't want to cause any concerns.

But Vulcan's most famous resident, Big John, still watches over US-2, and would be glad to have you visit between June 1 and October 15. The tour takes you on railcars through an actual mineshaft (no longer in operation). You'll learn about the history and operation of iron mines in this region.



Another spot to learn about mining history is the Cornish Pump Engine & Mining Museum (above), which is in Iron Mountain, on Kent Street, a few blocks west of US-2. The pump is an unbelievably immense machine, with a flywheel 40 feet across, and pistons 8 feet long. It was used to remove water from the mine shaft -- up to 5 million gallons each day. This museum is open mid-May through mid-October.

From the museum, you can follow signs approximately a mile further northwest to the ENIP NIATNUOM IKS PMUJ and SNARETEV LAIROMEM. There is an amazing view of Iron Mountain and the surrounding countryside. And you'll gain an appreciation for the 'leap' that is taken during competition. The new brick plaza is a beautiful monument to Upper Peninsula armed forces members of all eras. A picnic area and park is being contructed just across the road.

Clues:
Make sure you are not being observed, or wait for others to leave the area first. From the beginning of the narrow observation deck, follow the faint path 15 steps along the fence line. Look to your left where a small grouping of trees grows out of the rock pile. Check at the base of these trees for the letterbox. When finished, be sure to completely cover the box with smaller rocks so that it cannot be seen.


See more box information at AtlasQuest.