Don Mikkola and his wife, Sharon, spent several years mining for historic photos and information about the villages of Humboldt, Champion and Beacon, and have come up with the mother lode, an 800-page, two-volume book with over 1,000 photos documenting all aspects of life in those communities for more than a century starting with their pre-Civil War establishments. (Courtesy photo)

HUMBOLDT — Mining is an important part of Marquette County’s heritage, an industry responsible for the birth and growth of large communities like Marquette, Negaunee and Ishpeming. But sometimes the smaller communities get lost in that dialogue.

Don Mikkola and his wife, Sharon, spent several years mining for historic photos and information about the villages of Humboldt, Champion and Beacon, and have come up with the mother lode, an 800-page, two-volume book with over 1,000 photos documenting all aspects of life in those communities for more than a century starting with their pre-Civil War establishments.

Don Mikkola, a retired Michigan Technological University materials science and engineering professor, and his wife, both members of the Champion-Beacon-Humboldt Historical Society, will debut the book from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 9 at the Humboldt Township Hall.

The tomes, which are titled “Glimpses of a century in the Wabik Area. An Illustrated History of the Communities of Champion, Beacon, and Humboldt,” will be available for viewing and for purchase during the event, Mikkola said.

The villages grew rapidly, approaching a population of 4,000 at their peak, Mikkola said, and were mostly made up of immigrants who worked in the iron ore and logging industries.

The book details the history of the communities and surrounding area, called the Wabik, which is “between the extended valley of the large Lake Michigamme and the rugged foothills of the Huron Mountains,” the book’s back cover states.

Wabik is a Native American term that describes a “narrows,” according to the book.

The Champion-Beacon-Humboldt Historical Society, a group of 90-plus members across the United States, was established in 2006.

Books can be purchased through the mail by sending a $45 check or money order to CBHHS, P.O. Box 2, Champion, MI 49814. The historical society can also be reached directly by calling 906-458-0624.