Taken in the mid-1890s, this view of the east side of the 200 block of South Stephenson Avenue includes a portion of the 200 block of East Ludington Street showing Wood’s Sandstone Block, built in 1891. The shaft at the upper left was part of the Chapin Mine complex. The two-story, light colored building in the upper center was the Sheerin House at 214 East Brown St. The single-story white building to the right was the Brown Street School. A horse pulling a wagon has stopped for a drink at the watering fountain carved from granite in the shape of a tree trunk. A tin cup on a chain was attached to the upper level where the water entered and there was an overflow at the base where dogs liked to quench their thirst. Supposedly this granite fountain was thrown into the Chapin Pit when no longer needed. (Menominee Range Historical Foundation)

IRON MOUNTAIN — The 44th installment of Menominee Range Memories, a series of articles by William J. Cummings, Menominee Range Historical Foundation historian, now available on the Dickinson County Library’s website, is titled “Downtown Iron Mountain – 221-233 South Stephenson Avenue” which includes the Jenkins Hotel and the Wood Block which housed the First National Bank of Iron Mountain.

Part III

WOOD BLOCK STORE FRONT AT 225 SOUTH STEPHENSON AVE.

John J. Cole dealt in “dry goods and carpets” from his store at this location in 1892-1894. The portion of the original 1888 structure would encompass the area below the 4th, 5th and 6th second-story windows when counting from left to right when viewing a photograph of the original Wood Block. Cole also had a store at 311 South Stephenson Ave. at this time, where he sold “Clothing, hats, caps, gents’ furnishings, boots, shoes, etc.” In 1902-1903 Louis Stoekly worked as a druggist at this address.

C.E. Anderson operated a general merchandise store here in 1907-1908. An article in the Sept. 19, 1912, edition of the Iron Mountain Press announced a new business partnership between C.E. Anderson and Jerome E. Strong under the headline “Takes a Partner.” as follows:

“C.E. Anderson, who has been engaged in the general merchandise business in this city for the past eighteen years, has sold an interest in the business to J.E. Strong, and the firm will be known as C.E. Anderson & Co. Mr. Strong, for the past eight years, has had charge of the dry goods department of the J.T. Mason store at Niagara. He is thoroughly conversant with every detail of the dry goods business and his genial and pleasant ways will be a drawing card in the business of the new firm. Since leaving the Mason store Mr. Strong has resided with his family at Quinnesec but has now moved to this city and will reside on East B street. Mr. and Mrs. Strong will be welcomed in Iron Mountain society.”

In 1913 the C.E. Anderson Company (C.E. Anderson and Jerome E. Strong) dealt in general merchandise at this location and had another shop at 202 East Ludington Street. By 1925 the First National Bank had incorporated this space into its portion of the building which was still a part of the bank in 1935.

WOOD BLOCK STORE FRONT AT 229 SOUTH STEPHENSON AVE.

In 1892-1894 Edward J. Ingram dealt in “drugs, medicines, paints, oils, glass, books and stationery, cigars and fancy goods,” and Charles E. Steller was a jeweler at this address. The portion of the original 1888 structure would encompass the area below the 7th, 8th and 9th second-story windows when counting from the left to right when viewing a photograph of the original Wood Block. Hansen & Johnson (John Hansen and Gust Johnson) operated a dry goods store here in 1902-1903, but had moved to 311 South Stephenson Avenue by 1907-1908, as this portion of the building had been incorporated into the First National Bank by that time, remaining a part of the bank in 1913, 1925 and 1935.

HISTORY OF 231-233 SOUTH STEPHENSON AVE.IN THE WOOD BLOCK

The First National Bank of Iron Mountain occupied this address from the beginning on the ground floor. John R. Wood, president of the First National Bank, let the contract for his building on April 2, 1888, and the building was occupied before the end of the year.

One of the First National Bank’s biggest renovations occurred in 1921. The Sept. 30, 1921, edition of The Iron Mountain Daily News provided an in-depth account of the changes made in Iron Mountain’s oldest banking institution under the headline “Bank to Open Its New Home Tomorrow” as follows:

“Thirty-four years of successful banking will be celebrated tomorrow evening when the remodeled First National bank is thrown open for the inspection of the public. The formal opening will take place between 8 and 11 p.m., and will be accompanied by music and refreshments.

“Completion of the remodeling has given the bank the right to claim itself the handsomest banking house in the upper peninsula, and probably the finest north of Milwaukee. For facilities, it is unexcelled anywhere.

“Work on remodeling of the interior of the institution has been in progress since last December, under the supervision of F.E. Parmelee & Son, architects and superintendents. Progress has been necessarily slow in order to cause the minimum interruption to business and least disturbance of the original structure.

“This is the third time the bank has been remodeled since its founding in 1887. In 1900 it was remodeled, and in 1906 remodeled and enlarged.

Beautiful Interior.

“Passing through the bronze doors under an arch of Bedford stone, the visitor is struck with the beauty of the banking house. The finish is white marble; the woodwork, such of it as is visible, is of mahogany; the ceiling is finished in cream and old ivory, and antique lighting fixtures furnish soft illumination. The hangings are of ecru silk, hung in luxurious folds, and the grill work of the cages and about the vaults is of oxidized bronze.

“Directly in front of the entrance, across the lobby, is the executive office, separated from the lobby proper by marble wainscoting. Within are the four mahogany desks of the bank’s officers. The floor is covered with a velvet carpet in a rich but dignified pattern.

“Back of the office is the officers’ private consultation room, with a desk and two chairs.

Fine Vault Equipment.

“Turning to the left from the executive office, the visitor is confronted by the tall grill surrounding the massive vaults. Of these there are five, three on the ground floor and two in the basement, giving the bank the best vault equipment north of Milwaukee.

“First is the cash vault. This is protected by two steel doors, the first two inches in thickness, and the second an inch and a half. Back of these there is the day gate, and, before a burglar could get at the bank’s bonds and specie, he would have to penetrate the four-inch door of the cash safe, and another door, almost as thick, guarding the inner compartment. The vault has a three-quarter inch steel lining.

“Next is the book vault, and behind it, behind what is believed to be the most massive door in the upper peninsula, is the safety deposit vault for customers. Four hundred boxes are already in place, and space is provided for 1500.

“Interest centers, however, about the vault itself. In addition to the 18 inches of reinforced concrete in which all vaults are sheathed, the safety deposit vault interior is lined with half-inch steel. The door, including the bolt-work, is fourteen inches in thickness, and weighs about ten tons, although it is so precisely balanced that it may be moved with one hand. It is a product of the Diebold Safe & Lock Co., of Canton, O. Two combinations and three time locks insure its safety.

“To enter the vault, a rubber covered ‘gang-plank’ is provided, which must be lifted when the door is closed. The day-gate, used during business hours, cannot be opened without sounding an alarm gong, and, at night, jack-knifes back into the vault to allow the heavy main door to be closed to within about a quarter-inch of its limit by hand, then eccentrics, spun by a wheel, force it inward, making a hermetic seal. The bolts are always left in the locked position during the day, so that, in case of a possible holdup, the bank force could not be locked in the vault, as even the most painstaking burglar would scarcely take time to work the combination.

“One of the cellar vaults will be utilized for old records, which are so filed that they can be located at a moment’s notice. The other has been fitted with shelves, which will be at the disposal of customers for the storage of furs or other valuables too bulky for the safety deposit boxes.

Coupon Booths.

“Just beyond the safety deposit vault are four coupon booths. Like the rest of the interior woodwork and furniture, they are finished in mahogany. n each a chair is placed beside a glass shelf, so that anything which drops to the floor from the deposit box will be instantly noticeable. Scissors are provided in each booth for cutting coupons.

“At the rear of the banking house is the women’s retiring room, with chairs, table, couch and desk, finished in willow. A washroom and toilet adjoin. To the right are the men’s and women’s cloak rooms, and the men’s washroom. To the left is a private telephone booth, and beyond it a storeroom.

“To the left of the lobby, facing Stephenson avenue, is the bookkeeping room, where statements will be kept. This room, however, will contain no machines; the stenographers, and adding and bookkeeping machine operators will have another compartment between the coupon booths and the cages. Of the latter, there are seven, with mahogany woodwork and oxidized bronze grills.

Directors’ Room.

“A surprise awaits the visitor when he enters the directors’ room. Unlike the remainder of the banking house, the woodwork here is of Circassian walnut, with a hardwood floor. A paneled walnut wainscoting extends about the walls, and the beams of the ceiling are in the same finish, with electric fixtures at the intersection, and a large antique fixture in the center.

“The most striking feature of the room, however, is the huge mahogany table in its center, with room for a dozen mahogany arm-chairs around it.

“All the departments of the bank are connected by an intercommunicating telephone system, and the banking house is steam-heated by radiators with pneumo-thermostatic control.

“The drapery, linoleum, curtains and hanging are by Gimbel Brothers, of Milwaukee; the furniture by the Northwestern Furniture company of the same city; the decorating by the Bank Decorating company, of St. Paul.

Handsome Offices.

“The office suites on the second floor were also remodeled, and are now second to none in the district. The main corridor is reached by two stairways, one on Stephenson avenue and the other on Ludington street. Both the stairways and the corridor are finished in two shades of buff, with paneled wainscoting of gumwood, which is the finish of all doors and other woodwork. The ceiling is in cream, and the floor is covered with linoleum in panels of red and brown.

“Occupants of the office suites are C.D. Symonds, attorney; O.F. Brauns, dentist; G.H. Boyce, oculist; The Miller Insurance agency; the Pewabic company, and the Mineral Mining company. The entrance to the Elk’s club rooms also opens off the corridor. Washrooms for men and women are provided.

“The interiors of the offices are no less attractive, the walls being finished in soft tones with stencil decorations around the border, and the ceilings in buff. Floors are of hardwood.

Credit Due Officers.

“All credit for the success of the institution is due to the able leadership it has had since it was founded almost 34 years ago, Oct. 10, 1887. The first officers were John R. Wood, president, A.F. Wright, vice president, H.E. Pearse, cashier. The directorate consisted of Oliver Evans, W.S. Laing, Charles E. Parent, John T. Jones, William Oliver, A.F. Wright, John Perkins, Samuel Mitchell and John R. Wood. The original capitalization was $50,000, which was raised to $100,000 Dec. 17, 1906.

“M.A. Northrop was elected cashier Jan. 12, 1892, and was succeeded June 3, 1895, by A.D. Eldridge. Charles Ewing followed Mr. Eldridge Nov. 24, 1897, and was, in turn succeeded by R.S. Powell, April 9, 1901. Mr. Powell held office until F.J. Oliver, the present incumbent, was elected cashier, Feb. 18, 1919.

“W.S. Laing succeeded J.R. Wood as president August 20, 1897, and held office until his death in 1905, when E.F. Brown assumed the presidency, which he has held ever since.

“Of the present officers, President E.F. Brown first was elected a director in 1897, although he had been long affiliated with the bank as a stockholder. As stated above, he was elected president in 1906 (sic – 1905 – ?), and has held (that) office since.

“J.C. Kimberly, vice president, was elected to that office Jan. 11, 1910, to succeed his father, J.A. Kimberly.

“W.J. Cudlip, vice president, was elected a director Jan. 8, 1907, and vice president January 14, 1919.

“F.J. Oliver, cashier, first entered the service of the bank Jan. 15, 1899. He was made assistant cashier Jan. 8, 1907, and cashier Feb. 18, 1919. June 17, 1919, was elected a director.

“Joseph W. Franson, assistant cashier, became affiliated with the institution July 12, 1910, and was made assistant cashier upon his return from army service, July 8, 1919. Leo H. Mortenson, who took Mr. Franson’s place in April, 1918, when the latter was called to the colors, was made assistant cashier the same date.

Present Directorate.

“The present directorate of the bank consists of J.C. Kimberly, A. Bjorkman, W.J. Cudlip, R.W. Pierce, Jr., E.F. Brown, R.C. Browning, G.P. Fugere, R.T. Miller, W.E. Hallenbeck, J.W. Hoose, and F.J. Oliver.

“A glance over the list of names of the officers and directors, past and present, shows that all are men of substance, and of sound business sense. Under their management the bank has grown from a small establishment to an institution with resources of over two million dollars. Its remodeled home is one of which the bank and the community it represents may well be proud, and under the same efficient leadership which it has always had, there is not the slightest doubt that the institution faces a long and prosperous future.”

End Part III