Patrons and staff members posed for the photographer at The Bank Buffet Saloon, at 323 South Stephenson Ave. in Iron Mountain, in about 1909. From left are an unidentified patron, another unidentified patron, John Da Prato, Ben Kramer, bartender Jinks Johnson, an unidentified bartender and Joseph de Concini, owner, behind the bar. Note the foot rail and the spittoons on the floor under the foot rail, as well as the pennant advertising 10-cent cigars. (Menominee Range Historical Museum photo)

IRON MOUNTAIN — “The Prohibition Era on the Eastern Menominee Iron Range — Part 3” will be the topic of a new PowerPoint presentation by local historian Bill Cummings at the Dickinson County Genealogical Society meeting at 1 p.m. Thursday in the multi-purpose room of the Dickinson County Library in Iron Mountain.

There is no charge for the program and visitors are welcome.

The program will begin following a brief business meeting.

This last Power Point segment will begin with Iron Mountain’s “Rum Row Boys” retreating to an island in Lake Elwood in Florence County, Wis., following the big clean-up of “The Midway” and beyond during early May, 1926.

Toward the end of May, Sheriff Frank Cleveland suddenly and mysteriously resigned, and his son, Lloyd Cleveland, was named as his replacement. On July 3, just six weeks later, the new sheriff and two of his deputies, Albert Freeman and Leonard Young, were arrested, being charged with intimidating a government witness in the Tony Bianchetti case.

Many area individuals appeared in U.S. Federal Court on prohibition cases between July 13 and July 20, 1926. The Iron Mountain News even sent a reporter to cover these trials which was unusual due to the high number of local people accused of violating the Prohibition laws.

Between April 18 and 19, 1927, three Iron Mountain young men — Arthur LaFreniere, Hugh Darrow and Harris England — all died as a result of drinking poisoned alcohol. The truth about this sad story will be revealed.

The popular Badwater dance resorts — The Pine Gardens and The Nightingale — played a role in the above incident. Numerous photographs and information regarding them are included in the presentation.

The material included in the presentation comes from “The Prohibition Era on the Eastern Menominee Iron Range: A Compilation of Contemporary Local Newspaper Articles Documenting Prohibition,” Cummings’ recently-published 214-page book. Copies are available for $21.20 including tax at the Menominee Range Historical Foundation office (phone 828-1822). Copies will also be available after the presentation.

All proceeds go to the Foundation to help support its three museums.

Checks may be made payable to the Menominee Range Historical Foundation.