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Robbins Block and Eskil Block, 219-215 E. Hughitt St., Iron Mountain, ca. 1902:

The first photo is a view from about 1902, of 215 to 219 E. Hughitt St. in Iron Mountain. The stores on the first floor were L.M. Hansen's funeral parlors in the Robbins Block, with the Iron Ore Farmers' Union office upstairs and John Engbloom & Co.'s general store in the Eskil Block.

Although they look completely different, the Eskil Building and the Robbins Block next to it were both constructed in 1891 and share a wall, which separates them, each owning one-half of the common wall.

The Robbins Block was built by Albert Eleazer Robbins, who ran a furniture store and undertaking business here. In one year between 1891 and 1894, when typhoid fever, diphtheria and scarlet fever were rampant, he had 366 funerals.

Between 1891 and 1900, Robbins built a barn and warehouse on the east side of his sandstone building. The barn had a deep basement and a ramp led from the Hughitt Street level down to the basement, where there were seven stalls and two box stalls for the horses.

By 1902-1903, Louis M. Hansen, a livery owner, took over the undertaking business, employing J.W. Burbank as an embalmer. Burbank later bought the business. By 1925 and still in 1935, John B. Erickson ran his funeral parlor here.

The second photo shows the current buildings, now home to H&R Block, Northern Michigan Dance Academy, the former Nic's Boutique and The Good Earth Salon.