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IM’s Occhietti Building constructed in mid-1950s

Menominee Range Memories

Looking southeast on the 300 block of South Stephenson Avenue this 1915-1920 colored postcard view shows the Chicago & North-Western Railway Depot with the passenger platform and a passenger train at the right. The upper portion of the Nelson, Morris Company building, a wholesale meat warehouse, is the two-story structure visible above the depot rooftop in the background. Note the fenced lawn area to the north of the station. The businesses, identified from left to right in the “Directory of the Cities of Iron Mountain and Norway and Dickinson County 1913” include: 303, Gust F. Gensch’s two-story frame hardware store, just visible; 305, Michael Khoury’s two-story frame fruit and confectionery shop (three windows), managed by Abe Abraham; 307, Joseph B. Eslick’s one-story frame barbershop with the barber pole visible at the street; 311, Gust P. Johnson’s two-story brick dry goods store (four windows); 313, Arthur Uddenberg’s two-story frame drug store and news depot (three windows) shared with Gust Rahm and Louis J. Will’s jewelry store with the large watch sign; 317-319, John I. Khoury’s two-story brick general merchandise store, called the Boston Store (four windows); 317 ½, James Prenevost’s pool and billiards hall (upstairs); 323, Joseph De Concini’s two-story brick Bank Buffet, a restaurant, (two windows and a bay window); 327-331, the Abe Sackim Company’s two-story brick dry goods and gentleman’s furnishing store, one of the leading department stores in the city for more than 60 years (seven windows) with Abe Sackim, president; Ben Seaman, treasurer; Sam Seaman, treasurer; 333, Seibert’s Drug Store, a single-story frame building with the large awning at the corner, George F. and Margaret Seibert, proprietors. (William J. Cummings)

IRON MOUNTAIN –The 49th 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 — 300-332 South Stephenson Avenue.”

Part II

The other major structure on the west side of the 300 block of South Stephenson Avenue was the Occhietti Building, 324-332 S. Stephenson Ave., located on the northwest corner of South Stephenson Avenue and East Hughitt Street, housing Occhietti Jewelry at 332 S. Stephenson Ave. and a number of other businesses on the first floor and offices on the second floor.

Brothers Benjamin G. Occhietti (1926-2010) and Roland A. Occhietti (1929-2011) owned the building and operated Occhietti Jewelry. They were sons of Aurelio Occhietti (1897-1979) and Pia Jafolla (1904-1990).

Aurelio Occhietti was born Aug. 28, 1897, in Capistrano, Italy. Several immigration records exist for Aurelio, who first settled in Boston, Massachusetts. The earliest record listed him as an immigrant passenger in September 1913 aboard the ship Ivernia. A more complete listing documented Aurelio as leaving Naples, Italy, on April 21, 1914, on the ship Indiana. A third record listed him as an immigrant aboard the Canadian Points in 1914.

This colored postcard, dating to about 1970, shows Occhietti Jewelry on the northwest corner of South Stephenson Avenue and East Hughitt Street and the Ben Franklin store on the northeast corner with Fugere’s to the north. (William J. Cummings)

Aurelio was working as a millhand and resided at 102 E. Fleshiem St. in Iron Mountain by 1925. By 1935, Aurelio was an autoworker at the Ford Plant and resided with his wife Pia at 205 E. Stanton St.

Pia Jafolla (1904-1990), born May 28, 1904, in Iron Mountain, was the oldest child of Benjamin and Angelina (Fontecchio) Jafolla.

Benjamin Jafolla, born Feb. 13, 1885, in Capestrano, Italy, was a son of Ferdinando and Angelina (Fontecchio) Jafolla. Angelina, born March 6, 1886, in Capestrano, Italy, was a daughter of Nathan and Rosalla (Cerasoli) Fontecchio.

Benjamin immigrated to the United States in 1894 and lived in Pennsylvania until about 1900, when he came to Iron Mountain, settling on the North Side and working at the Pewabic Mine. He later worked at the Ford Plant until his retirement in 1946.

Angelina immigrated in 1903 and on July 20 of that same year she married Benjamin Jafolla. The family attended the Holy Rosary Church, later the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church on the North Side. Their marriage is recorded in the Dickinson County Courthouse under the name “Iafolla” as there is no “j” in the Italian alphabet.

Benjamin was listed as a miner in the 1905 Iron Mountain city directory, living at 431 Vulcan St. By 1925 Benjamin and Angeline Jafolla operated a grocery store at 418 Sixth Ave. and resided at 401 Millie St.

Angelina (Fontecchio) Jafolla died May 12, 1958, in Iron Mountain. Benjamin Jafolla died May 16, 1967, in Iron Mountain.

Aurelio Occhietti died Aug. 15, 1979, in Iron Mountain. Pia (Jafolla) Occhietti died May 25, 1990, in Kingsford.

Benjamin G. Occhietti was a watchmaker and began business in Iron Mountain in about 1947. Brother Roland graduated from Iron Mountain High School in 1948 and went to the Elgin Watch College in Elgin, Illinois, shortly thereafter. He began working with his brother until he left to serve in the U.S. Army during the Korean War in 1951. When he returned in 1953, he again assumed his role as partner in Occhietti Jewelry with Benjamin.

The Occhietti Building was built between 1955 and 1956. The first listing in the Polk’s city directory collection available at the Dickinson County Library appeared in the 1959 edition.

When Benjamin Occhietti retired in 1999, he had been in business in downtown Iron Mountain for 52 years.

Michael L. Frankini owned and operated Michael’s Fine Jewelry at 332 S. Stephenson Ave. in 2010.

A number of other businesses occupied the Occhietti Building at 324-332 S. Stephenson Ave.

Among the offices located in the Occhietti Building in 1959 were the Iron Mountain Service Bureau, Iron Mountain Credit Bureau and the United States Selective Service System Local Board No. 22, with Eleanor Penglase serving as manager.

By 1959, Einer M. Anderson operated his barber shop at 324 S. Stephenson Ave. By 1961, Alphonse John Secinaro (1923-2011) operated the Secinaro Barber Shop at this address. By 1976, Alphonse’s business was known as Fonzie’s Barber Shop. Alphonse Secinaro retired in 1997.

In 1986, Jan’s Style Salon, operated by Jan Martinson, was located at 328 S. Stephenson Ave., and was still in operation in 1996. In 1992, Sugar Daddy’s Confectionery & Gifts, operated by Susan Reiten, also occupied this address. In 1994, Comics Unlimited, operated by Mike Tomasik, was also located here.

In 1973, the Boerner Music Studio, operated by James M. Boerner, occupied 330 S. Stephenson Ave. There was no listing at this address in 1974.

By 1987, Mister Bike, operated by Matt Marenger and Richard Mortl Jr., was located at 330 S. Stephenson Ave. By 1988, only Matt Marenger was listed as owner. In 1989, Matt and Holly Marenger were operating the business.

Read the rest of this 13-page story on the Dickinson County Library’s website (www.dcl-lib.org), which includes additional information, 11 photographs, nine of which are the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Passenger Depot and two of the intersection of South Stephenson Avenue and East Hughitt Street, including the Occhietti Building.

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