• Thursday-What'sUP January 3 - 08:59 am

Just last week, Bob Gilreath and his daughter were upholding a longstanding tradition where they shop together on Christmas Eve for Mom's present and while doing so, Bob snapped some photos of the interesting historical buildings in downtown Calumet.

If you're like me, you don't often look up as you're passing by these buildings on Fifth St. in downtown Calumet, so you miss the unique architectural beauty in their façade. Some of the buildings I recognized right away, others I know where they stand, but have no clue what they were or what they are today. So feel free to chime in on any of the buildings Bob captured here today, with some historical information and/or current information as to what these buildings house now.

The last photo is looking down Oak Street, toward St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church. It was formerly known as St. Joseph's Church and still has that name on the Sandstone front, above the entrance doors. The name change took place back in 1966, when four of the five Catholic churches in the area merged together due to low numbers of parishioners in each individual parish. The decision was made to join all four together, housed under one roof (the old St. Joseph's Church building) and rename the combined parishes as St. Paul the Apostle Church. The architecture both inside and out of this historic church building is quite unique, so I'm guessing that, along with the size of the structure was key in the decision to use this building for the new combined churches.

Thanks for taking us on this tour of the historic architecture of Calumet, Bob!

Great shots Bob!!

I have photos of a lot of those buildings, both in colour and B&W, from our trip there in July/August. Dr. Nat and I took a walking tour through Calumet a couple times in one day just shooting away. It was amazing that after we got the B&W shots back how closely some of the buildings resemble photos from 80+ years ago, just with modern vehicles out front.

I will let Nat know you're wanting info on those buildings, Mary; she is still off from work and we have some historic info.....

Great shots. They look like the old hand-colored post cards of 100 years ago.

Beautiful and stylish buildings built in an era like none other.

Nice to see older buildings with character, maintained. There is way too much tearing down and rebuilding going on these days.

Cherish these older buildings while we can. A few remain in good original character and in use. A few remain in use while having modern facelifts. Some unoccupied will slowly fall. We don't pay much attention when a building slips away. But look how many are gone since the 1960's and a few more just ready and waiting to fall. I do enjoy these images.

I agree with you, Alex.
The architecture of these buildings is outstanding ~ it's nice to see them still in existence! Thank you Bob, for photographing them and thank you Mary, for sharing them.

Love those old buildings in Calumet. I agree with maintaining
them. We can do this by supporting the businesses that
occupy them. Shop local if you can.

St. Anne’s was built in 1900 by Prendergast and Clarkson Company of Chicago. It ceased serving as a church in 1966.

The J.C. Penney building is the Ruppe Block. The building was built in 1870 and had the third floor and new front added in 1900 when it was the P. Ruppe & Son department store.

The Michigan State Gazetteer and Business Directory of 1897 lists the Bloy Block occupied by “W.J. Bloy, upholstering and house furnishings, furniture, undertaker, and practical embalmer, keeps in stock a full line of the latest productions of art frames and mouldings." The same listing includes that he has monuments and iron fences for sale.

I can’t say much about the other buildings without knowing their block names to look up in my references.

Nice photos! They make me miss living in Red Jacket. Thanks for sharing them.

Oh how I love these type of old buildings. It makes me sick even today when I shop or have appointments in our buildings in Sterling. To think of all the beautiful homes and buildings torn down for parking lots etc. These treasures make me think of beautiful elderly women. All the wrinkles and changes just show off the life they have lived. May we save as many as we can to treasure one by one.

The one in the middle has the arch that looks
similar to the Italian Hall arch still standing...

I noticed it, too, 'below the bridge'. The same kind of arch as the Italian Hall had. Those old buildings have character, it's' a shame when they get demolished.

Great photos.

Thanks, Dr. Nat. I'll try to remember that information when I visit
Calumet this Summer.