What a treat on today's Pasty Cam to go inside the Ontonagon Museum. I love those old Stereo viewers, and you can almost make out the picture (somewhere in the Porkies?)

We usually limit the size of the big pictures, but I just had to give you a much closer look from the HUGE original which Z-Man sent our way. If you have a minute, click here and scroll around the room awile.

Charlie,

If they want a truly turn of the century look to the room, someone should donate some "old" spools of thread. Plastic spools were invented a little later in the century.

Yes, the modern labels on those spools is a real give away.

Very good selection for a photograph that turned out beautiful.
Donn

Good night from the Keweenaw...
-JD-

I just wanted to say that John Dee's daily notes are simply awesome. If you haven't visited, you should! I am really getting into them! Another great find from Pasty.Net!

Great shot Z-Man! I have spent many enjoyable hours looking at the many items in this great museam. So next time you find yourself in Ontonagon visit this great treasure.

Z-Man, a huge Thanks! for the pix from the Ontonagon County Historical Museum (OCHS). That place is truly a treasure; there are a wonderful collection of rooms depicting military life, life as a miner, etc. They've done a terrific job of organizing memorabilia from the area and the times. It's well worth a visit if you're nearby.

Sadly, Ruth Ristola--the woman who organized all the rooms there--passed in early 2002. She got us started on a project to publish one of the original keepers' logbooks from 14 Mile Point lighthouse that will eventually be made into a booket and sold to benefit the OCHS (we're still busy entering the info). She was dedicated to preserving memories of the area, and family histories.

When I saw the picture of the stereo viewer, I could "smell" the Houghton library of many a year ago. Used to walk from school to my Gram's house for lunch (it is now the Methodist Church parking lot}, then scoot over to the library for a few minutes of looking at the wonderful 3-D pictures. Oh,what a simple age!

Alex,I agree,John Dee's journal is really interesting and he always has some good pictures.I read it whenever he adds notes.Hope it is not as cold where you are as it is here.My little pond has about 4" of ice in it. Guess my little "goldies" are either froze or hibernating.

I like to see people trying to do things to help us remember the old times.Would love to see that place sometime.

The stereopticon in the picture is most likely the Holmes Stereoscope, an 1862 patent by Oliver Wendell Holmes whose son was the famed Supreme Court Justice. I'm a bit young to have actually owned a stereopticon but I remember playing with a similar device---the AMF Viewmaster, in the late 1960's. For more on the stereopticon:
www.bitwise.net/~ken-bill/stereo.htm

I grew up with the viewmaster in the fifties, but remember going with my folks visiting and the old folks would have one of those stereoscopes. They were all black and white pics. That would keep us kids occupied for hours.

When we are in Ontonagon we like to stop in and check out the museum. Ruth was a old friend of mine and was so sorry when we read about her passing. She was a dedicated person and easy to talk to. Everyone has sure done a great job on the displays. Each time we go we find something new to enjoy. Would recommend this as a stop for everyone.

I would like to thank frank and miriam for their kind words about my mother,Ruth Ristola.I knew mom was an asset to the museum but to know that people remember her almost a year later after her passing reminds me of how much she knew and cared about the museum and history about Ontonagon.
thanks once again.
Steve ristola

I'm at a 'loss' ... how does one get that colorful 'scroll' button with the 4 arrows on it to operate?? I went to the 'click here' on Charlies message... and it downloaded a large picture with the button in the lower right hand corner... but I'll be darned if I can get it to 'scroll' anywhere!

To dumb bunny in da lower, once you get the big picture, and it sure is big, use the up, down, left, and right arrow buttons to the right of the letter keys.

Karen... well, that couldn't have been simpler...duh! I've fought with that button every time it comes up on my screen! Thank you!

Z-man, thank you for the interesting photo!

To Steve Ristola, Mn. I and my husband (now deceased) were friends of your mother. We stopped at the museum many years ago and met Ruth. She became a good friend and we visited her everytime we got up to Ontonagon. She always said we were the first 'tourists' to stop in to see her every spring. The last several years a lady friend and I managed to get there to see her. We last visited her the Sept. before she died. And I lost a dear friend. She loved the museum and was devoted to doing the history of the area. The last time I saw her she gave me a cutting of her cactus plant. She would love to know that it is doing well, bloomed on the anniversary of her passing and is a wonderful remembrance of a very gracious and loving person. The pictures of the museum are beautiful.