Natural and Geological Resources

Some of the natural and geological resources found in the calumet area are stone, sand, clay, timber, and rivers. “The first major sand mining of the dunes near Lake Michigan was to provide material for railroad embankments”(Schoon pg. 83). The sand was later used to help build U.S. Steel because it was cheap fill. The sand was also used for backfill for railroads. “Powell Moore noted that an estimated 50,000 railroad cars full were shipped out from Tolleston in 1897 alone”(Schoon pg. 99).

The bottom of the lakes and moraines were rich with clay. Soon small clay pits were discovered all over the Calumet Area, and many brickyards were built as well. Large brickyards were located along railroads for easy transportation. “By 1920 many of the brick factories had closed” ( Schoon pg. 101).

Timber was a large industry in the Calumet area; the logs were used for cabins, bridges, and railroads. “The trees had to be cleared to provide more farmland, and the trees served as a source of fuel”(Schoon pg. 88).

Rivers were mostly used for transportation. People also had fish houses where they would fish and trade for flour, buckwheat, pork, and butter (Schoon pg. 89). The water was also used for drinking.

Work Cited

Schoon, Kenneth J. Calumet Beginnings: Ancient Shorelines and Settlements at the South End of Lake Michigan. Bloomington: Indiana UP, 2003.