Jack Foster, an engaging gentleman from Calumet, has shared a few "Michigan House" stories that add to the aura of this old building. He worked here in 1927 as a hotel clerk. Jack remembers, a part of his duties, going down to the train depot (two blocks away on Oak Street) twice a day to pick up hotel guests or drop them off. It seems to him that one trip was early in the morning and the other was mad-afternoon. He'd shout "Hunks, bunks, and trunks" to announce his affiliation with the Michigan Hotel (the Michigan House name while still an operating hotel.) He would take the hotel horse and buggy to the station. He received $1.00 a day for his work here.
Jack recalls that the Michigan House horse's name was Doc. Doc was black with rather long hair - and Doc ate the pie crust out of Jack's lunch every day he remembers with a smile.
Jack also spoke of a character called "Taxi Pete" - he was one of the cab drivers in Calumet in the late twenties who adopted the end of the bar as his office. Taxi Pete could be found near the tall window by the door (the original facade of the first floor had the large windows of the period along Oak Street). Jack also recalls many "huge" potted plants near these windows.
Besides Taxi Pete, the bar was also known for the unique beer pump - although its description is sketchy - we understand that it had flashing lights whenever a draught was pulled and that it is still in the Keweenaw area at this time. The original bar was a "standing" bar and did not have bar stools.
The Bangor ran aground in the winter of 1927 near Copper Harbor. Jack talks about the crew of the Bangor being brought to the Michigan Hotel to be treated for exposure. Two doctors were brought here to work in the make-shift hospital.
We continue to gather stories of the history of this building. Please let us know if you have information to share.
It's a wonderful past...
