• Sunday-What'sUP October 23 - 11:19 pm

Through the years the Pasty Cam has accumulated an archive of U.P. and Great Lakes history and trivia, which has become a reference for seeking answers about the Upper Peninsula and its people. In 2004 we had a Shoebox Memory mentioning Jim and Zenda Fish, which caught the attention of one seeker this week, who sent the following:

Hello!

I recently acquired an old postcard addressed to Fred Fish in Ironwood, Michigan in 1913. Attached to the post card were some grade reports for Zenda Fish from Ironwood High School 1921-1922. There is a picture of a high school on the post card front but it is unidentified. I thought at first it was the Ironwood High School but I don't think so because the postmark on the card is from somewhere in Minnesota (can't read it). The message says: this is the high school, Jim. In trying to find information, I ran across your information on James & Zenda Fish at Ironwood. Do you have any idea what high school this is? Would there be any interest at Ironwood High School in the grade reports for Zenda? Thanks for your help.

Sincerely,
Ray Steinnerd
St. Louis, MO

Good morning Charlie ~

After searching several vintage postcard sites for Minnesota schools such as: http://www.cardcow.com/search4.php?substring=Minnesota+school&section=all&page=1
i haven't found a match yet.

Maybe there's a more effecient way of doing the search!

Thank you 4 sharing this vintage post card. Also, here's a postcard of the Keweenaw Peninsula:
http://www.cardcow.com/306394/keweenaw-land-map-maps/

The mystery school is certainly elegantly built, with a beautiful terraced front lawn. Sorta looks like European gothic!

This intrigued me so I went looking at post cards on
E Bay. I think it is the Martin Hughes High School
in Buhl Minnesota.

h
ttp://www.lakesnwoods.com/BuhlHistory.htm

Charlie - I Google Earthed Buhl MN amd found the school. It is now called Kids Peace Mesabi Academy which is a Juvenile Correction Facility! It is amazing what you can find out from an old post card.

I think Mary got it right. The link below shows the same school just after it was built in 1910.
http://www.lakesnwoods.com/BuhlGallery.htm

Wow, if you keep scrolling down on that link from Clyde, there is another postcard, 1943, showing that the building was expanded on each end!

Thanks to everyone who helped solve the mystery. We have verified it is the former Buhl Minnesota High School, built in 1910, expanded in the 40's and used today as KidsPeace Mesabi Academy. With thanks to Minnesota Historical Society, LakesnWoods Community Guide, and KidsPeace respectively:

One postscript about the writer of the postcard, Jim Fish: In 2004 on the Pasty Cam, James appeared in that photo of the Class of 1910 at Ironwood High. I'm wondering if perhaps he had earned a teaching certificate by 1913 and maybe was seeking a teaching job at Buhl? As we mentioned, a few years later Jim died in WWI. His younger brother Zenda Fish eventually moved to Eagle River (in the house right across the street from ours) and became a legendary Keweenaw County Road Commissioner.

Go Ironwood!

Can imagine that the years took their toll, and probably the fact that it's now a correctional facility has some impact, BUT what a shame to cover all the unique features of the old school!

Great job on the part of everyone who contributed to ferret out the rest of the story!

good job Mary! Dane and Jill.

Huh... that's just up the road from me. I'll have to take a quick detour off US-169 next time I'm up that way to find the school.

Hello, that is very interesting. Zenda Fish is a relative of
mine. I would love any information anyone can share about
Zenda and the family. Thanks!