• Friday-What'sUP June 25 - 03:33 pm

In our travels this past weekend, Jim and I came across a piece of history in the Norway-Vulcan area that we found quite interesting. The Norway Spring not only makes a beautiful roadside stop, but the bubbling water flowing out and down the rocks on the hillside also calms any stress from being on the road. Quite the history for this little spring that started back in 1903, as the beginnings of a search for iron ore. Up until the year before that, the first industry started in the Norway-Vulcan area back in 1878, by John O'Callaghan sat on this spot. That sawmill provided lumber for the early mining needs until 1902.

As a youngster I seem to recall a large milk bottle along the side of the road, just a little further down from here. Anyone remember that roadside advertisement and what ever became of it?

Here's a suggestion for the perfect way to relieve the stress of traveling... make a stop in Calumet on July 2nd, for Pasty Fest 2005! The fun will be overflowing during the entire day, starting with a parade, children's games, music and dancing, plus the best treat there could be - free pasties to the first 400 folks at Agassiz Park with the coupon from the paper. In just eight more days you can be served your U.P. Pasty by the crew at Pasty Central!

Good Morning Copper Country, first post ??? Anyway have a good day. Frank P.

Morning All, Mary is up early this morning.

It looks so refreshing!! It sure was hot in the U.P.! I for one enjoyed it very much. Not much longer and the other four letter will be here at our doors.

Thanks for highlighting this historical site! Things like this are so interesting and i have driven by this site dozens of times without stopping - next time i will!!!

Thanks for another memory of home. Used to ride our bikes down from Kingsford to get a "drink" and head back home! Sorry I don't remember the large milk bottle, but I will check with some friends with better memory cells!

Mary:
The large milk bottle in Norway was actually the offices of Asselin's Dairy. This company was later bought by Consolidated Badger, a West Depere, Wisconsin Cooperative at the same time as they bought the ice cream business of Bridgeman Russell in Hancock. My father worked for BR and ended up moving to be the manager of the Asselin business with offices in that milk bottle in the late 1950's.

I liked Bridgeman Russells ice cream almost as much as JILBERTS. Is anything left of the BR operation?

I cant find a picture of Asselins milk bottle but have come up with many others at this site.

http://www.agilitynut.com/vessels2.html

Great site and great history.

Such interesting comments. Thanks for the picture of the historical sign.

Neat little spring. We have one out here in the National Shoreline...and folks from the city come with their empty milk jugs and fill them up with the spring water. In the summer, when you drive by the spring, you will often see cars lined up to get their spring water. And, no matter how cold it is in the winter, that spring is always flowing.

ed/mi: Very interesting sites.

Michigan historical markers are at.. http://www.michmarkers.com/Frameset.htm

I played football at Iron Mountain High School years ago. In 1984 or 1985, IM beat Norway to clinch the conference title. On the bus ride back to Iron Mountain from Norway, we stopped at the Norway Spring for a victory drink, just to add insult to injury. We were young, cocky Yoopers.

My first visit to pasty.com. I love it! Reminds me of home in Lake Linden many years ago......I especially enjoyed the wonderful information and pictures of Lindells-remember going there for a homemade ice cream cone for a nickle on my way back to school after lunch some 55 years ago with best friend Barbara Audette! Our wonderful teacher was Mrs. McKevitt - I am sure many remember her! Thank you for this wonderful site!!!

Speaking of Lindell's - be sure to check out their new web site. The gallery has lots of great new photos taken by me. Click here for the link Lindell Chocolate Shoppe

Daryl

Afternoon All. Does anyone know if you can still get a drink from this site? I'll be sipping in Sept. if you can.

R.Ollila. We were there last September and water was available at the site. Like you,I hope to sample it again this coming September.

I remember the big milk bottle in Norway. Talking about Bridgeman-Russell Dairy, my dad used to be a teamster for them. I guess that was what they called a truck driver or delivery man. That's what they called the Jewel Tea man and the Watkins man, too. 'Member that linament?

The spring is open from April through at least October, People travel from all over to get the free water. It is also bottled and sold by a local water bottling company. It's free for the taking (and drinking) for any one that stops. It tastes great.

The milk bottle was in town (sorta) it was taken down several years ago - I never understood why - it was a great lankmark - my dad sold cleaning chemicals - and that was one of his stops - also there was (is) a great spring in Iron Mountain out by Lake Antoine - I will have to look in my stuff -I use to have a post card of the milk bottle -

If anyone has a photo of the Asselin Milk bottle landmark, you can email it directly to me at: mdrew@pasty.com. Thanks! :->

Jilbert's Dairy started in Lake Linden..I remember Billy delivering our milk in his father's '36 Oldsmobile.....that was about 1949 and his father William, sr has just died and Billy took over the job. I never buy anything other than Jilbert dairy products. Their products are the "Best" and it is good to support this UP-family business. The Jilbert family lived on the Rice Lake Road. I hope to see Margie at our LLHS Reunion on the 3rd of July.

I missed the Friday discussion--my great-grandparents, Joe and Mary Jane Rowe, came to Norway in 1882 from England. They ran a tavern/hotel there from the 1880s to at least 1915, when he died. One of their sons, Henry, married Mamie Oliver who was connected to the Oliver Mining Co. family mentioned in the artesian well marker. Another son, Christopher (my grandfather) moved to Amasa and became a miner (and later a bookkeeper) there. So interesting to see this history preserved

I photographed this Asselin's
Ice Cream sign yesterday. I'll clean it up and rephotograph it soon. I also have a postcard of the Norway milk bottle. Enjoy! Kim

A postcard image of Milk Bottle
at Asselin's Dairy, Norway, MI

I Have an old photo postcard of Asselin Creamery Co., Norway ,MI. before it aws sold to Consolidated Badger,Inc.,OF Shawnno, Wisc.( manufactures of Morning Glory Dairy Products. ) Did you know ?? ,
The Bottle office has a height of 42ft. w/ diam. of 15ft....2 stories occuping offices.
Jill S.
Grafton, WI.