• Sunday-What'sUP November 26 - 09:17 am

I look forward to these weekly Shoebox Memory excursions back in history. It's mind-expanding to picture being there, to experience life in that segment of time captured through the camera's lens. Today the WayBack machine has landed us at 203 South Stephenson Avenue - approximately at the word "Iron" on the map of Iron Mountain - in the year 1900 at Hoose & Eaton Meat Market.

Can you imagine the shock if you were suddenly walking through this U.P. showroom of poultry and venison, surrounded by herds and flocks of hanging carcasses? What an equal shock to be transported the other way, fast-forwarded to the 21st century and the sterile, refrigerated, shrink-wrapped world we take for granted. For a closer look at the shelves and walls click here (not for the squeemish).

Turkey sandwich, anyone?

Stay tuned this week as we'll be reviewing the photos selected by Cammies everywhere for the 2008 Pasty Cam Color Calendar. The year kicks off with a flying leap frozen in time by Z-Man during Heikinpäivä, How Yoopers celebrate the New Year:

BRrrrrrrr!! I'm "chicken".

Give me todays shopping compared to then. But then maybe today's offerings are tasteless compared to the real deal Hey?

Looks like a good CD cover picture for the band, Slaughterhouse.

Another example of how much easier it is to live in a city, like Iron Mountain.
Those birds and animals are already gutted,skinned or plucked,washed,and hung.
Just last week, I had to do all thoses chores myself before eating some of my fresh venison.
Not to mention finding the animal to shoot it in the first place.

I think I prefer to shop for my meat the way I do today. Not very appealing to me!!

Not for me to shop/eat for skinned food hanging from the ceiling.

Just 8 years ago our son was in Chendu, China for 2 months for their first space launch and he sent pictures from there with similar food displays.

Some people still live this way and it is one of the reasons we celebrate THANKSGIVING DAY here in our country, i.e. give thanks for where we were born.

Have a good week all.

As late as the 1960's it was common to see butcher shops in England displaying rabbit (unskinned), pheasant (unplucked), and the ever-present hog's head with an apple in its mouth as centerpiece.

Our present day "Super Markets" killed off the meat markets and butcher shops. During my '50's era early childhood one bought meat at a meat market or a butcher shop. If you wanted something other than what was displayed, a fellow in a blood stained apron would cut what you wanted. You got groceries at the grocery store and baked goods at a bakery. Then came the big stores with one stop shopping. Now bakeries and meat markets are rare high end enterprises.
One does hope, however, that the above market in Iron Mountain was not heated. Otherwise, the term "Black Friday" would have had a whole different meaning for the day after Thanksgiving than it does today.

How interesting! I've recently openned a natural and organic grocery store in downtown Iron Mountain just a couple blocks from where the old meat market was. I had heard about it and now I've seen a picture.
I'd actually take shopping in a place like that over your standard grocery shopping today. You never know what you're getting in those packages. We had fresh organic turkeys for Thanksgiving, and they were sooooo good!

I sell fresh, local, chicken, bison, beef, and eggs at my store. It's at 527 S. stephenson. approx. where the Mountain is on the map.
For the freshest food in the UP, I recommend the Hancock Food Co-op, The Marquette Food Co-op, Northwind Naturals in Ironwood, or Millie Hill Market (my place) in Iron Mountain. All of these stores support local farmers, which means money for the family farms and fresh food for it's customers. Good day!

Thank goodness the picture is black & white. Ugh.

It might not be purdy but the nouns (persons,place and things) are clean and there isn't a potbellied stove to be seen!

Way to go Halwine. Am looking for such a store here in northern Il. When I was in the Peace Corps in Venezuela the meat market/butcher was like this. There were sides of beef, pork and goat hanging from hooks. There wasn't much refrigeration...so you bought your meat and ate it the same day.

My father was in the wholesale meat business in Houghton around the turn of the century so this picture looks very normal to me. Have seen many like it over the years. Like someone said, aperson knew what they were getting in the old days because one got to see it before it was all cut up. The other thing that caught my eye was the fact all the people were wearing outdoor cloth while indoors. Without a lot of heat all that fresh meat was, for all practicle purposes, hanging in a large "cooler". This was common in those days and I don't remember too many people that died from bad meat.

WOW!!...NEAT SHOP...I WONDER HOW THEY GOT ALL THAT MEAT FROM CHINA??

Hilarie, I also wished i lived nearby. Must stop by if I get UP there next summer.

Hilarie,next summer, while we are staying in Iron Mountain, we will be sure to come to your store. Has the new Walgreens opened yet?
I like the picture today...reminds me of the old meat markets when I was young.

Hillarie good luck in your venture into the world of business, hope you can make a million.

No matter how you gather and prepare your meat, somewhere was left a gut pile. P.E.T.A. stands for People Eating Tasting Animals.

Erica,

The walgreens construction just began. Can't wait to see you next summer!

Kathy, go to localharvest.org for a good store to shop at near you.

Thanks for the encouragement everyone!

I can imagine what that place smelled like. Eeewww....What did they do with all the stuff that didn't sell right away? I do prefer our modern sterile way. :-P

Hilaire,

I'm reading a book, "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver. Read it, I know you will like the ideas. Good luck with your enterprise.

My Dad grew up on East "A" St. part way up Millie Hill. From what I've read, we've all been cheated by meat dealers today. Hanging the meat allowed it to age and the enzymes broke down whatever it was that made the meat tough. You just can't get meat that good today.