August “Jake” Menghini, born in 1913, began preserving pieces of Norway’s past at an early age.

“He was walking home from school in the third grade from the McKinley Elementary School and found an old clay whiskey jug,” said Rose Vanpeymbrock, member of the Friends of the Museum. “That’s when he started collecting.”

She noted that his collection grew to more than 7,000 items.

In the 1960s, Menghini purchased the cabin to be erected on his property on 807 Chestnut St. in Norway to house his expanding collection.

The 1874-built cabin was moved to the museum grounds on Sept. 19, 2018, and his now open to visitors to the Jake Menghini Museum each year at Odill Road in Norway. (Terri Castelaz/Daily News)

Originally, the 1874-built structure was on the Holmes’ Sturgeon River Farm, off the old road from Waucedah to the North Dickinson iron workings. It had been built as a stagecoach stop and halfway house for landlockers that were going north through the early Menominee Range.

Menghini took each piece of wood down, numbering it to be re-erected log by log on his property.

The log cabin along with an addition was filled with Norway’s past and he would invite school children and others to visit his “museum.”

At the time of his passing in 1996, Menghini thousands of artifacts that he collected over a 50-plus span and the building were purchased by the Brackett Memorial Trust Fund. It was given to the city of Norway, at which time a museum board was formed.

The original cabin was moved on Sept. 19, 2018, to the museum grounds at 105 Odill Drive, with a dedication in 2021.

Jake Menghini outside his museum in Norway. (Photo provided by the Jake Menghini Historical Museum)

The small outbuilding is now furnished to the theme, “From Indian Trails to Iron Rails; Railroad and Fire Department History.” Many items on display are from the very early days of Norway, Vulcan, Loretto and Waucedah. On display is Menghini’s first artifact he collected — the whiskey jug.

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The Daily News is bringing back photos of “yesteryears,” along with a current photo of area historical locations. “Back to the Present” is published on Wednesdays. Have a suggestion for a potential site? Email tcastelaz@ironmountaindailynews.com, with the subject of “Back to the Present.”

A view of the site where the original Jake Menghini Historical Museum once was at 807 Chestnut St. in Norway. (Terri Castelaz/Daily News)