The 50-room hotel, built by Andrew Jackson Boyington, opened on Nov. 1, 1882. Boyington was one of the first residents of Iron County.

The first photo, courtesy of the Iron County Historical Society, shows the hotel before it was destroyed by fire on June 27, 1885. It was noted that Boyington’s son, Philip, managed to grab $7.50 out of the cash drawer before fleeing the burning building. There was no fire insurance on the building because the village had no fire protection at the time.

The second photo, also from the Iron County Historical Society, shows the rebuilt hotel in 1886. A horse-drawn “bus” was used to carry guests to and from the railroad station. Boyington is shown resting his arm on the telephone pole.

This third photo from 1911, courtesy of local historian Bill Cummings, shows the hotel with the two-story porch that was added prior to 1890. Boyington partnered with his son in 1887 and retired in 1907. The elder Boyington died on Nov. 20, 1823. His obituary in the Iron River paper noted he was a Civil War veteran who lost his left arm after being shot by a bushwhacker on Nov. 21, 1864, while on patrol duty guarding a railroad station at Huntsville, Ala. In June 1865, he was honorably discharged from the service and returned to his home in Wisconsin. He living in Menominee before moving to Iron Mountain and later to Iron River.

The rebuilt Boyington House hotel in downtown Iron River is shown in 1886 after the original was destroyed by fire in June 1885. (Photo courtesy of the Iron County Historical Society)

Philip Boyington later sold the hotel to Zigmund Zyskowski, who had it completely remodeled but was shot and killed on April 8, 1924. His widow, Laura, sold it to Bernard Mariani on Oct. 1, 1946, and he had the hotel demolished on July 10, 1966. Cummings’ great-great-grandmother, Lucy A. (married to Albert G. Cummings), was Andrew Boyington’s younger sister.

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“Remember when?” appears every Wednesday in The Daily News. Those with suggestions or historical photographs they would like to submit can email Terri Castelaz at tcastelaz@ironmountaindailynews.com

This photo from 1911 shows the Boyington House hotel in Iron River with the two-story porch that was added before 1890. (Courtesy of local historian Bill Cummings)