Douglass Houghton

Douglass Houghton
Douglass Houghton
Oil on board by Alvah Bradish (1850)
17th Mayor of Detroit
In office
1842–1842
Preceded byZina Pitcher
Succeeded byZina Pitcher
Personal details
BornSeptember 21, 1809
Troy, New York
DiedOctober 13, 1845
Lake Superior near Eagle River, Michigan
Political partyDemocratic

Douglass Houghton (September 21, 1809 – October 13, 1845) was an American geologist and physician, primarily known for his exploration of the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan. It was the site of a copper boom and extensive copper mining beginning in the 19th century. He was appointed in 1839 as the first state geologist of Michigan, after it was admitted to the union, and served in that position for the rest of his life.