Michigan Roadside Attractions: Michigan Tech Husky Statue
Michigan Roadside Attractions on Travel the Mitten highlights our attempts to explore the many interesting things that can be found on the highways, byways and back roads of Michigan, ranging from the interesting to the unusual.
Earlier this month we made a stop at Northern Michigan University in Marquette to check out the wildcat statue on campus, but that wasn’t the only college campus we visited during our time in the Upper Peninsula. We also stopped at MTU in Houghton, where we visited the Michigan Tech husky statue. This nine foot tall, 1,600 pound statue is located in Husky Plaza, between the library and several education buildings.
Michigan Tech started in the 1880s as the Michigan Mining School. From its humble beginnings it has expanded to now be a university with 7,000 students pursuing degrees in more than 100 different subjects. The MTU athletic teams primarily compete in NCAA Division II, with the exception of men’s hockey competing in Division I. The school mascot is the husky. The nearby Michigan historical marker from 1966 adds the following about Michigan Tech: “Situated ideally in the midst of the Upper Peninsula’s booming mining industry, the school soon ranked as one of the world’s best mining colleges. Renamed Michigan College of Mining and Technology in 1927, it now offers work in all the major fields of engineering and science.”
The husky statue was sculpted by Hanlon Sculpture Studio, just like the wildcat at NMU. The statue stands on a boulder from Baraga County and more than 1,000 persoinal engraved stones line the plaza around the statue. This is one of a handful of campus locations that offer a video live stream throughout the day.
A plaque in front of the husky reads: “The husky statue is made possible by a generous donation from the family of 2011 Honorary Alumnus Dan Lorenzetti in recognition of his two decades of service to Michigan Tech as an Advancement Volunteer.” It was dedicated in 2014 and has been a popular spot for campus photos ever since.
