West Ludington Street in Iron Mountain

North Side of the 100 Block of West Ludington Street, Iron Mountain, ca. 1897: Taken in the late 1890’s or possibly the early 1900’s, the camera faces northwest, showing several buildings on the north side of the 100 block of Iron Mountain’s West Ludington Street. The rooftop in the left foreground was Rundle’s hardware store and opera house (on the second floor), 101-103 West Ludington Street. Rundle’s Opera House burned on Sunday morning, September 11, 1915. The loss was estimated at between $25,000 and $35,000, including the hardware store and opera house on the second floor. The Iron Mountain Post Office was built at this location in 1935. The three buildings facing the camera (dates in parentheses refer to city directories) are, from left to right: 108, residence of Mrs. Ann James and Mrs. Margaret Kerr (1892); Daprato & Rigassi (John Daprato & Charles Rigassi), grocery store (1902); 104-106 (double store), Thomas Williams, second hand store (1902); 106, Moroni & Bena (John Moroni and James Bena, saloon (1892); 104, Daprato & Rigassi (John Daprato and Charles Rigassi) grocery store, (1892); 102, Chinese laundry, Charles Wong, proprietor (1892); 100 (probably the same building as 102), Frank Parent, saloon (1902). In 1905 Louis Trochinski ran a bowling alley in the right side of the double building which was known as the Bijou Theater by 1907. In the upper right the First Presbyterian Church can be seen at the northwest corner of West Brown Street and Carpenter Avenue. Across Carpenter Avenue at 118 West Brown Street is T.H. Byrne’s meat market, housed in the two-story white building in 1892. [Menominee Range Historical Museum]