Eskil Photography Studio in Iron Mountain

Eskil Block, 215 East Hughitt Street, Iron Mountain, ca. 1891-1892: Jorgen Johansen Eskil, one of the pioneer photographers of the Menominee Iron Range, began business in Florence in 1883, and had branch studios in Iron Mountain, Norway and Iron River by 1889. The arched doorway led upstairs to Eskil’s Art Gallery. In December 1904, Eskil sold his studio to Ali Numa Chatelain, who sold it to Nels M. Nelson in May 1910. Nelson operated the studio until his death on August 29, 1921. James Archie took over the studio in 1922, and his son, David Archie, took over the studio sometime prior to his father’s death in 1940, running the studio until his own death on April 18, 1954. The original tenants in the two store rooms in 1891 were Alfred H. Hunting, a shoemaker, and L.K. Graham, a harnessmaker. Several general stores operated here, including John Engblom & Co. (1902), K.J. Holmberg & Co. (1907), John Hanson (1913) and John C. Nelson (1935). There have been three fires in this building – November 23, 1898, April 4, 1907 and May 24, 1941. [William John Cummings]