Bronze statue of miner badly damaged in UP crash

HOUGHTON» An iconic statue that celebrates the mining heritage of the Upper Peninsula has been badly damaged by a speeding car.

The bronze statue of a miner has been near downtown Houghton since 1980. The right foot and left leg were broken off in the crash Sunday night. The miner’s lunch pail was found in the snow, The Daily Mining Gazette reported.

Houghton is looking for someone to repair it, City Manager Eric Waara said.

“This isn’t a piece of steel you just start welding on. This is a bronze piece of art,” Waara said.

The statue was created by Elizabeth “Liz” Biesiot. She died in 2019.

“He is an iconic part of the community, so we’re going to try to do right by the original artist’s vision and get that right. ... It’s going to take us a little time,” Waara said.