Hall Hardware, Peterson Electric, Ebeling’s Grocery and Ruwitch Department Store are among those that will be highlighted.

The displays will concentrate on the history of each business, along with pictures and memorabilia, said Bill VanWolvelaere, museum treasurer.

“Several of those were in operation for more than 100 years,” he said.

Norway survived the mining era, two major fires, the undermining of the original town and the loss of a number of businesses and industries, VanWolvelaere said. Some of those include NeedleCraft, Lodal, Multi-Color Printing, Norway Canning, Northland Grocers, Yorke Cafe, Ben Franklin, Coast to Coast and Rialto Theater.

THE JAKE MENGHINI Historical Museum this year will highlight successful Norway businesses over the years. Shown is postcard, postmarked 1911, with an early view of the Ruwitch & Sons Department Store on Main Street in Norway. The building is now home to Mike’s Furniture.

Norway had about 6,000 residents during the mining boom, compared with its current count of about 2,800, he explained.

The first settlers came in 1879, when Norway was part of Menominee County. It briefly was considered the county seat when Dickinson County was formed from parts of Marquette, Menominee and Iron counties, VanWolvelaere said.

William Hall came to Norway in 1913 from Escanaba and established William Hall Plumbing, Steam and Water Heat. He and his sons, Ray and Wilburt “Pluto,” did much of the plumbing and heating in early Norway.

After their father retired, Ray took over with Wilburt as an employee. In 1965, his daughter, Judy, and son-in-law Roger Casanova assumed ownership. Today, that couple’s sons, John and Mike, are the proprietors of Hall’s Hardware that specialize in garden and power equipment.

In 1939, Oscar and Helen Peterson purchased Hallgren Electric from Richard Hallgren. The business has remained in the family for 86 years, VanWolvelaere said.

THE JAKE MENGHINI Historical Museum at 105 Odill Drive in Norway includes Jake’s original cabin, shown here. (Terri Castelaz/Daily News photo)

Today, Peterson Electric, an electronics and appliance specialist, is owned and operated by Jim and Debra Peterson at 605 Main St.

Over the years, Norway had about 10 neighborhood grocery stores, but today only one remains — what is now Pat’s Foods.

VanWolvelaere said this business with past owners was selected for its historic history.

The original grocery store, owned by John E. Anderson, was the first business to relocate from the old town to south Norway in 1903.

One of his several employees was Henry Ebeling Sr., who eventually became an owner, followed by his son Henry Ebeling Jr. Sons Mark, David, Craig and daughter Rose later had control until the sale to Pat’s Foods.

Ebeling’s and Pat’s has served area customers for 122 years, he noted.

Russian-born Joseph Ruwitch operated two dry goods and clothings stores — Milwaukee Cheap Stores — in the former “old Norway” location.

In 1909, he moved his business to the corner of Main Street and U.S. 2 in south Norway, where it became known as Ruwitch Department Store. At the time it was considered to be the best in the county or even the U.P., VanWolvelaere said.

“The red brick structure with show-glass windows was the pride of the community,” he said.

Later the building housed several businesses, including Arvid E. Asp Co., Vertin Brothers, Brooks Clothing, Al’s Furniture and now Mike’s Furniture.

The Jake Menghini Museum remains focused on keeping the history of Norway and surrounding areas alive.

The museum is made up of three buildings — the main building, the Odill farmhouse and Jake’s original cabin.

The museum’s “town” contains many artifacts and historic memorabilia that residents of the Norway, Vulcan, Loretto and Waucedah area have donated over the years. Visitors can stroll the “sidewalk” to see the turn-of-the-century general store, hardware store, school room, a 1950-1960s dentist office, city jail with an actual cell and Asp furniture and undertaking business. The military display is also in the main area.

The Odill farmhouse, one of Norway’s oldest homes, is filled with pieces of furniture from that time period, along with memorabilia from the family’s soda pop manufacturing business.

Jake Menghini’s original log cabin museum building has pieces of his collection on display.

Attendees can also check out antique farming and mining equipment on the museum grounds.

The public is welcome to do research in the archive room, which is filled with information on notable local residents and accounts of community events.

The museum plans to have several special activities this summer.

On June 28, it will present Colonial Days from 1 to 3 p.m., with elementary students portraying residents from earlier times.

Music on the Farm on July 15 will have a concert by the Norway City Band, which was founded in 1882 and now directed by state Sen. Ed McBroom. Tours will be from 5 to 6 p.m., with an ice cream strawberry social from 6 to 7 p.m. and the concert at 7 p.m.

The museum will also be open for the Leif Erikson Fall Festival.

The museum at 105 Odill Drive in Norway has summer hours of 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Group tours can be arranged by contacting the museum office at 906-563-5586.

For more information, go to the museum’s website at www.jakemenghinimuseum.org.