From the desk of President John Emerson Berry:

On August 31, 1961, Weldon Trevethan, Ruth G. Butler, George Graham, and Louis G. Koepel signed Articles of Incorporation for a non—profit corporation to “find, to preserve, and to make available to the public a share of Houghton County's natural science, industry, science, mining and general historical interests.” Fifty—five years later, come August, welcome to the Houghton County Historical Museum Society Inc.

Calumet and Hecla had an office building and land in Torch Lake Township that the company had stopped using in about 1958. The company donated these, and the Society found a home, what we today call our campus. That campus has grown beyond the C&H office building to include the old fire hall, the Leo Chaput log cabin, the Louis Moilanen granary, the Mineral Range depot, and the Trap Rock Valley one room school house. Just down the street and around the corner is the 1887 Congregational Church, which today serves as our Heritage Center.

Thanks to decades of volunteers, our Society is healthy and growing. I cannot mention every person who has given, and continues to give generously of their time to this Society, however we appreciate all of our volunteers. Many thanks to the train guys, all of our Museum volunteers, the research office volunteers, the Board of Directors, and all of our friends, both individuals/families, and businesses, who donate generously to fund our operations. Please consider coming by and helping out, we are 100% volunteer. There is always worthwhile work to be done.

We look forward to cleaning the Museum, other buildings and grounds in May. We plan to open in June. The radio hams will be here again. There will be events with the train and other events leading up to a scary Halloween and our Christmas Special.

Please check out our newly revised website, reach out to us on Facebook, or just give us a call. We are always glad to hear from our members and to include them in our endeavors.

2016 Schedule of Events

June 18 …. Museum Opens

June 25th & 26th… Ham Radio Field Days The Houghton County Historical Society will once again host the ARRL (American Radio Relay League) Field Days. The HCHS grounds will open at noon on Saturday & Sunday with the actual event beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday and running until 2:00p.m. on Sunday.

Jul. 2 & 3 … Our 4th of July Celebration Join us for our nation's 240th birthday! Ride the C&H Steam Engine Old #3 on Saturday from noon until dusk, and again on Sunday from noon until 4 PM. Take an historic stroll through our Museum in the former C&H Mill site Office Building. Open Saturday from noon until 4 PM.

August Steam Locomotive Event - date TBD Help HCHS celebrate the National Park Service's 100th Birthday!

Sept. 10 & 11…Trains, Tractors & More, and Museum Open House Join the HCHS for a fun Open House weekend. Admission to the Museum and grounds is free! Look over the antique tractors. Take a ride on the train.

Oct. 22 - Ghost Train & Haunted House Ghost Train for Kids - 2PM to 5PM Ghost Train for the Brave - 6:30PM to 9:30PM

Oct. 29 Annual Meeting / Dinner

More info available as we get closer to the date.

Dec. 3 Santa Train Santa arrives on the Santa Train at 1PM. After his arrival, he and Mrs. Claus will be at the Leo Chaput Log Cabin to hear your Christmas wish list. Take home a cookie and candy cane from Mrs. Claus. The train departs from the depot every 5 minutes until 5PM (Weather permitting)

HOUGHTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

2015 FINANCIAL REPORT

Ordinary Income / Expense January through December 2015 (accrual basis)

Income

Donations & Memberships $7,343.00

Donor Designated (Restricted) $2,900.00

Sales $989.70

Services / Rent / Other $1,350.00

Museum Admissions $2,134.60

Admissions / Fees $61.00

Train / Combo Fares $3,670.00

Special Events $4,357.75

Total Income $22,806.05

Cost of Goods Sold

Merchandise Cost of Sales $23.50

Special Events Direct Costs $600.00

Total Cost of Goods Sold $623.50

GROSS INCOME $22,182.55

Expenses

U.S. Treasury – IRS ($4,255.15)

Advertising / Promotions ($1,030.00)

Grant Disbursement ($3,850.00)

Contract Services ($506.19)

Grounds Maintenance ($2,039.40)

Insurance ($3,000.00)

Licenses / Fees & Dues ($100.00)

Miscellaneous ($279.77)

Repairs / Maintenance ($991.62)

Supplies ($1,335.80)

Telephone ($1,524.92)

Electricity ($4,143.99)

Gas ($5,444.53)

Water & Sewer ($1,377.47)

Total Expenses ($21,368.54)

NET INCOME $814.01

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO

From the vantage point of our lives in 2016, the world of one hundred years ago might seem simple or unsophisticated.

Certainly no one in 1916 was updating their Facebook status or tweeting about the latest election debates.

The world of 1916 has some things in common with our world today. It was a presidential election year, for example.

The Republican candidate, Supreme Court Justice Charles Evans Hughes, battled against the incumbent Democrat,

Woodrow Wilson. Hughes resigned from the Supreme Court to be the Republican candidate, leaving a vacancy on the

court in an election year, a rare happenstance we see again this year with the passing of Justice Scalia.

1916 was also a leap year, just like 2016. The notion of a leap year goes all the way back to Roman times – certainly

nothing new for us or our grandparents and great-grandparents in 1916.

In other ways 1916 was a different world. The world was at war in 1916, though America remained neutral. The country

was divided between those who thought we should remain neutral, and the interventionists who thought we should

join with the British and French Allied forces against the Germans. Battles you have read about in your history books

would have appeared as news reports in the Daily Mining Gazette in 1916. Gallipolli in January, and the Battle of the

Somme, which started in July and lasted all the way into November. The US ended the year still not engaged in the

war, which it didn’t enter until April, 1917.

Through it all, Houghton County residents went about their lives in 1916, just as today we go about ours. Below, we’ve

gathered some snippets from the Historical Society’s collection of newspapers, that give a glimpse into those lives

they lived 100 years ago.

The latest innovation in banking wasn’t online – it was the

checkbook – much easier just to write a check then to walk

down town. (An ad from January 4)

Innovations were happening in the

field of snow removal, as this

January 1st article tells us.

Remarking on the weather is a timeless

activity. On March 2nd of 1916, the article

below appeared.

Preserving our history was just as important in 1916 as it is

today. (as reported in the Calumet News of October 10th.)

And hockey was the game to watch, in person, at the

Amphidrome...

Trap Rock Valley School

Roll Call of Members

In March, the Calumet Daily News thought it

important to remind us of the rules around the

primary.

Dreaming of a new car? The Hudson Super Six

might be the one for you! Roscoe in Eagle River or

T.W. in Laurium can make it happen. (March 3,

1916)

Here’s something we don’t see today – ice

harvesting. Two local companies harvested ice for

storage and use in the summer months.

Finally, a couple of

recipes from the Daniel

Webster Flour

Cookbook, published by

your friends at the Eagle

Roller Flour Company of

New Ulm, Minnesota in

1907. Mom is perhaps

still making these

recipes nine years later?

2016 Houghton County Historical Society Membership Roll (as of March 4th) Corporate Members Dorthey Behrend & Mildred Pyorala Martin Pelland Jim Germain

Loading Zone II Bar & Grill James & Linda Sarazin, DDS Gerald Perreault Ernest Griff

Peninsula Copper Industries, Inc Bruce & Nancy Seely Dana Richter Michael Groeneveld

Quincy Hill Auto Repair William Sethness Judith Rupley John Haeussler

Williams-Giroux American Legion Lawrence Struck Jr. John Ryan Viola Halkola

Douglas Stuart Donald Savera Filmore Halonen

Corporate Life Members Walter & Karyl Tyler Ken Schei Gordon Heaver

Alpha Delta Kappa Douglas Schleef Donald Hiltunen

Alpha Phi Omega Individual Members Richard Sewell Paul & Elsie Hinzmann

Calumet Lions Club Barbara Abbott Karen Siekas Sandra Hollingworth

Charter Township of Calumet Linda Allison William Sproule Paul Hunnell

City of Hancock Arden Bierman Jeffrey Stricker Jean Johnson

City of Houghton Steve Blackburn Doug Terrell Paul Kemppainen

CLK Public Schools Carol Borich Neil Trainor Joseph Kirkish

Copper Country Ford Steven Brest Kyle Ver Berkmoes Ed & Annette Koepel

Copper Country Veterinary Clinic Barb Brett VFW Post # 4624 Albert Koskela

Copper Range Abstract & Title Chassell Historical Organization Marcia Viegelahn Paul La Vanway

Hancock Public Schools Chopp Kallio Insurance Tony Villareal Michael & Sharon Lahti

Horner Flooring Drew Coyle Jr. Roger Webster Charlotte Larson

KNHP Larry Curtin Alan West John Lawton

Semco Energy Gas Co Janet Anuta Dalquist Don Young Kurt Leuthold

Superior National Bank Mary Drew Mary Long

U. P. Engineers and Architects David Dunstone Life Members Robert Lovell

Upper Peninsula Power Company Francis Earnest Arthur Anderson William Martin

Robert Erkkila Margaret Barkell Louie & Sandra Meneguzzo

Family Members Ted Gast Ruth Barkell Donald Mikkola

Vernon Axford Eric Giusti John Bashaw Larry & Nancy Molloy

John & Scarlet Berry Ruth Gleckler Lloyd Beriman Ruth Nara

Earl & Jan Brogan Marvin Halsey Al & Gloria Bilgen North Point History Society

Tom & Donna Cole John Hamar Roy & Lenore Bonini Kathryn Olson

James & Nancy Dast Pam Hawley David Bozotte Susan & Alice Paquette

Mark & Joy Dennis Donald Hennen Terry Braun Dave Paris

Jeff & Chris Dennis Gale Jamsen F. Carlton Carol Parssinen

Arthur Dittenber Allan Johnson Leonard Chaput David Pulse

Lawrence & Carol Evers Steven Karpiak. Jr. Donald Chaput Ann G. Rea

Kazuya & Martha Fujita Brian Keeney Frances Chaput Chester Rheault

Jay & Phyllis Green Catherine Kelley Alvin & Shirley Clark James Ruppe

Leroy Haltunen Carol Koty William Cochran Margaret Salmi

John & Christy Hilgers Ron La Casse David Colyer June Schaible

Kim Hoagland William LaBell Michael Davenport Ken Seaton

Douglas Johnson Eleanor Leary Jack Des Rosiers David Short

Mike & Wanda Kolb Herbert Leopold Karen Dupuis John Siller

Craig & Jeanne Kurtz Dennis Leopold Elmer Dupuis Lloyd Smith

Robert & Deloris Langseth William Lohela Jean Ellis Theresa Spence

James Manderfield Bruce Mac Donald D.D.S. Lawrence Falater Susan Stacknik, D.D.S.

Douglas McDowell Shirley Mac Intosh Clarence Fisher Camiel Thorrez

Keith & Elsa Mugford Rudolph Maki Paul Frair Sharon Turovaara

Tony & Mildred Ozanich Stuart Mathias Melvin Fraki Waino Turovaara

David & Nancy Parker Edward Milszeski Paul Freshwater Peter Van Pelt

Lionel Perreault Eric Munch Kitti Frimodig Frederick Von Batchelder

Albert & Colleen Perreault Ken Nicholls Christopher Gariepy Richard Walrath

Anton Pintar Richard Olson Terry & Jean Gariepy Avis West

James Wiita

REFLECTIONS ON THE TRAPROCK VALLEY SCHOOL HOUSE

In 1983 the Traprock Valley schoolhouse was relocated to the grounds of the Houghton County Museum Complex.

Restoration of the school house took place over many years after that, and included exterior painting, repairs to the

belfry and windows, interior restoration, and the installation of the bell from the former Seivi school. In July of 1989

the Historical Society held a dedication to reopen the restored school.

A pamphlet was produced that included reflections of many who had fond memories of the school house. A few of

those are reproduced here –

Flora Erkkila Immonen was eight years old when she first went to the Traprock Valley school in 1914. She was the only child to continue on to school in Lake Linden, her sister Laura and brother Edward "… stayed on the farm. “ Her father Isaac had been a copper miner in Calumet prior to moving down to his new farm home with his wife Maria. The former Erkkila home is still standing. Flora remembers teachers “…Bessie Williams, May Moehrke, and Elsie Nichols". Seventy-three-year-old Ray Koskiniemi related that although he lived in Mayflower and personally had attended the Old Colony school on the hill, Ray remembers " ... attending the farm meetings at the Traprock Valley school building". He also stated “…the Traprock Valley 4-H Club was one of the largest in the Upper Peninsula and that the club met at the school in 1931”. He said he also remembered teachers Lempi Jukuri and Saimi Niemi. Arlene Koskela Naasko said her father moved to the valley farm in 1901. She remembered "... Ruth Heikkinen driving a covered, rounded top school bus sled and heated by a kerosene heater pulled by a white horse to the Lake Linden school. Later the school district used a small panel truck to bring the children." She remembered " Charles Heikkinen, father of Ruth, being the school custodian. Climbing the steep hill on Old Colony road " to attend school in Calumet.” Arlene said she remembered the "snow rollers" that packed the snow down along the country roads prior to advent of motorized truck plows. Anthony Kalcich said his father "Jacob was a copper miner and also worked the farm in Traprock in 1924" while living in a Calumet boarding house. The main Kalcich farm adjoined the Traprock school property. Kalcich children were Jake, Catherine, Rudy, Margaret, Joseph, John, Peter, Julia, and Anthony. He said "... all the kids attended the valley school and William Mattila drove a horse drawn school sled”. Tony attended the one-room school in 1929 until eighth grade. He remembered when “…Koskela drove his paneled diary truck with his kids plus Kalcich’s to Lake Linden”. Tony also remembered the Seivi school and teachers Dewig Kalokoski, Lily Lindgren, and Charlotte Hiltunen Peterson. Superintendent Bettins came from Calumet to give 8th grade tests/exams.

The Traprock Valley School House might have been lost to time but for the efforts of many dedicated people. We have the generous contributions of time, effort and money to thank, not only for the preservation of the School House, but also for the restoration and operation of the Railroad, the Museum, and the Heritage Center. This generosity has provided for the collection and preservation of many pieces of our local history. Thank you all for your membership in the Historical Society, and your contributions to help us continue our preservation work.

Houghton County Historical Society PO Box 127 Lake Linden MI 49945

Houghton County Historical Society Board Members President

John Berry

Vice President Kristy Walden

Treasurer Gerald Perreault

Secretary Nancy Parker

Trustees: Brian Keeney David Parker Pam Hawley Jeffrey Dennis Herb Leopold

Houghton County Historical Society Online

We have spent time over the last few months updating our presence online. Check out our new website design – easily accessible from PC, tablet or phone. Then, like us on Facebook and Instagram!

On the web at www.houghtonhistory.org Facebook.com/houghtonhistory Instagram.com/houghtonhistory

The mission of the Houghton County Historical Society is to preserve, present, and interpret the history and culture of the Copper Country of Michigan, with emphasis on Houghton County and copper mining, processing and transportation.

The Society will pursue this mission through cooperation, collaboration and participation with the community at large as well as other historical groups.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.