Now, if this isn't a good shot to show how much snow we've been getting in the Copper Country, I don't know what is! Michael and Patricia Forgrave snapped this shot of the Luoma Ins. building in Laurium, MI. The double snow roof sounds like a good idea, perhaps insulating the building a bit, but the added burden of the snow up there out-weighs that benefit. Thus, another great winter activity has been developed... shoveling the snow off our roofs!

That reminds me of the time the roof of the Lake Linden Arena had too much snow on it and caved in. There were several folks inside and realizing what was happening, they started running for the door. As the roof caved in with all the snow, they were blown clear out the door! No serious injuries occurred.

Mary,
"out-weighs" is a very good choice of words. Neet picture, but where's the rake

First Post!
Beautiful...but get that snow scoop up there asap!

Brrr....looks wonderful from down here in Fl..can't wait to retire...15 years and counting to the wonderful UP!

My husband just called me from the other room saying, "Who just sent you a form letter in the mail, warning of the dangers of not raking off your roof?" I came in the room, saw the picture and said, "Yep, that's them."

I wonder if they have insurance ....

Drove by there last night, it is now cleared of snow. This photo is a display of Natures perfect art.

12 inches of snow forms 1 inch of ice. The ice causes most damage, with water backing up to leak in.; epecialy gully-gables. The old co. houses were architecturally better with 45 deg. roofs.

Almost looks like a pagoda!

Nancy from Burtchville: No, I didn't get the e-card as yet. I will check later:)
I just love the photos at the top of the pages! At least you still get to live in MI. For me it is corn and soybean fields! We actually have snow this year...last week it was a wappin' 12" on the ground. Wah!
Hi to Betty from Wash. state. Almost moved there near Seattle, a couple of years ago as hubby works for a company based out there. Beautiful.
Mary-Ella (a 1970 graduate of dat dere higher school in Lake Linden, yah)
it's Iowa, NOT Ohio!

Reminds me of the time I had a car get crushed by ice & snow on the roof of the house we lived in on Florida St. in Laurium. My wifes parents were coming for a visit so I cleared out some room next to the house to part one of my cars. Well the next day was a bit warm and what is normaly a good thing turned into a bit of a mess. The metal on the roof of the second story warmed enough to loosen a large chunck of ice and it slid off the roof, just like it was suppose to do. Only my '68 Saab was parked there and it was crushed beyond repair. Because it was front wheel drive we cut the back off of it just behind the front seats and mounted a trailer to it. We had a homemade pickup.

i remember clearing more than my share, as my parents thought i should offer to clear the kolka's,jule & bea's,&pearl stoor's cottage. we lived off the beaten path so it was the neighborly thing to do.

Not only is Mother Nature an artist, she also has a sense of humor. This picture made me smile and chuckle. too.

And Dave, Laurium, good one! You're funny!

Does anyone know what kind of trees are on the left side of this picture.

To B.S.M. - They look like Lombardy Poplars to me. They are not native but planted randomly around the peninsula. There is even a patch of them at an old, fallen down commercial fisherman's location near the tip of Keweenaw Point. Lots of them up on Quincy Hill, too, which can be seen on the skyline from Houghton.

Does anyone remember when this was the
Laurium Spur gas station? It lived here in this
little building for years, happily taking care of
the neighborhood. It was owned by Paul
"Tonto" Goulette, who passed away too young,
10 years ago on Valentine's Day.

Lombardi poplar?

I think you are mistaken....my last visit to Laurium was in 1996....this building was a landmark long before then!!! We passed this building for quite a few years before then. A suggestion..Contact Luoma's and ask them what they know, I can bet they've got records!!!

Personally, I think the trees are linden trees and not poplars, however, I am not a tree expert.
Nanc, got it, thanks:)

Deep in Houghton-
Funny you mention Quincy Hill, I was on my way to work this morning and I noticed the same trees up there. I am glad there was a photo of them today because I always wondered what they were. Thanks

There are also lots of Lombari poplars on
Calumet Avenue, and along the road down to
Sedar Bay. And, I remember the Laurium
Spur. I used to go there to get gas when I was
a young driver in the 60s -- very nice man who
owned the place. I think he had brothers who
worked there, too.

My next question is about a bird that I see everyday in my backyard. It is very large and has beautiful markings. I would like to get permission before I upload to this page. I know nothing about trees and birds, so I hope if I post it someone can identify it.

Use to hang out at the Spur station,,,was owned by the Lepisto family and managed by a son-in-law, joe giachino. Brings back lots of memories,
tonto,, one of the mukavetz's and on and on it could go!

Yup, them there's Lombardy Poplars. Planted a slew of 'em out back a few years back.

Just received two phone calls, Bill Jackson and John Ryan who gave me the photo alert on the Luoma Insurance building.Great picture!I shared it with son Eric and daughter Kristina who have only heard about the snow stories from Bill Jackson and others.We don't get much snow here in the Arizona desert.

B.S.M. Tell me more about this bird... I'll help you out.

Do you live in the area?
Is the bird around this time of year?
Do you live in town or are you rural?

How big is "very large"

I remember the Spur gas station in the late 60's and early 70's, but it was on Depot St. in Laurium; this insurance company is on Lake Linden Avenue, I believe, and has been there a long time.

try lake linden ave and osceola st! no?

Laurium Spur was on the corner of Osceola
and Lake Linden Avenue in Laurium -- it's now
the Luoma Insurance Agency building. One
gas station on Depot Street was Doc's
Standard Service Station; it was on the corner
of Depot and Calumet Streets, just a block
down from the Calumet Baptist Church. That
building became Dr. Bouwkamp's office and
is now the Torch Lake Credit Union. On the
corner of Third (Depot St. in Laurium) and
Osceola was another gas station, kitty-corner
from Leo's Drug Store and Dave Heinonen's
accounting business. Laurium Spur was in
the Luoma building from the 60s until Paul
Goulette sold it in 1979. Eino Kauppi (father of
Dennis, who owns the Kauppi station on 41 in
Osceola outside of town) was the local Spur
gas distributor.

Sacred Heart school used to be across from
this gas station. now its the Laurium Senior
Citizens

this picture is in laurium. it is by my old friends house stefan poyhonen.
hey luoma insurance, i will shovel your roof for a few bucks and yes i do have insurance.

wade pietila is actuallly curtis best friend i will shovel that roof off for few bucks also.i am bored

This was Freemans gas station long before it was Paul Goulettes.

The Lombardy Poplars are an ornimental tree that was once very popular in the Copper Country. They appear in neat rows in just about every settlement or location - sometimes they are all that are left. Generally if you find them, there will be a foundation nearby. Apple trees are another marker for houses or trails. Around houses they were planted on purpose; along trails, roads, or old railroads they were "planted" by people throwing the cores away. I think the Lombardy Populars were planted for two reasons, one, the locations were clear cut so there were no trees, and two: the neat rows of Lombardy's gave the mostly immagrant population a sense of order and reminder of home in the Copper Country wilderness.

To Wade: How does one ever have time to be bored? There are not enough hours in the day.

I didn't remember the Laurium Spur station, but when someone mentioned Freeman's the bell went off. I went to Sacred Heart High School, so Freeman's was kind of a hang out. I remember Paul well. lived across from school and was the last to arrive for class. LOL.

Boundary Waters Nut In Calumet-
I do live in the area and I have never seen this bird at any time of the year. I have a photo of the bird and I can send it to you. Let me know...

Thank You

Boundary Waters-

One more thing.....the bird is about 3 times the size of a mourning dove.

Hey!! Russ-do you give people a snow job!! You must have good insurance as you test mother nature's abilities. Dan Riutta only charges $40/hr and is in the snow removal business.You businessmen aught to get together!!
chk

My family had two giant poplars in our backyard on kearsarge strret in Laurium. They were the tallest I've ever seen. They surround Aggasi field as well

B.S.M. Send me the bird......
maguzek@jamadots.com

Thank you, so much, for this site.

Very cute picture, at first I thought it was a painting and not a photograph.

B.S.M.
Go ahead and send it.

Ray, you are correct. It was Freeman's Standard station before my brother Paul and Spur Oil took it over. I worked there all through high school in the mid to late 60's. I remember when Dennis Barrette worked there when he was going to Tech.
Lots of good memories there for me.

Spur station on Lake Linden Ave. The Goulette that owned it had two younger brothers I believe. One had dark hair and one was lighter hair. I think the brothers may have lived across the street from the station at one time.

It looks like that rooftop, er, frosting, needs a few
gumdrops, Neccos and sprinkles....

I think that's where my friend Debi works! Hi Debi!

Butch, you are right. Paul (the owner of the
Spur station) had one older brother, Ed, who
lives in Hancock, and two younger brothers.
Michael (the dark haired one and my
husband) lives in California and Jim (the
youngest) lived in Florida until he passed
away several years ago. The family did live
across the street from the station, on Osceola,
then later, next to the old Sacred Heart school
site on Lake Linden Avenue, next to the
People's Choice salon.

B.S.M.
In case you didn't get my email the bird in the photo you sent was a Chukar. Not a native species, most likely raised by a local hobyfarm or gamefarm that got away. Nice looking bird though.

Candy- sorry to hear of the passing of the Goulette brothers. Seems they were so young.

Thanks, Butch -- they were too young. Paul was only 52 when he passed away 10 years ago of a heart attack, and Jim was only 47 when he succumbed to pneumonia three years ago.

I go to Calumet every summer lots of our family live there.I'd like to at Christmas and see a real U.P winter but that's to much snow.I went at Thanksgiving when there was about a foot and a half of snow.

As the wife of the former owner of the Luoma Insuance Agency, I can tell you that the old Laurium Spur Station was sold by Dennis Kauppi to Jim Bouchey, son-in-law of Arvo Luoma, in 1980 & was remodeled as the Luoma Insurance Agency. It was then sold to Russ Messner in Jan. 1997.
Jim & Kay Bouchey now live in Phoenix AZ.

Down here in the mitten, wish we were gettin it like that. someday ill be up with u guys!

ACTUALLY IT WAS PURCHASED JANUARY 1, 1996. NONETHELESS, IT IS QUITE THE PICTURE, THIS ACTUALLY OCCURS EVERY WINTER! IT IS DECEIVING TO LOOK AT IT, AS IT APPEARS THAT THE ENTIRE ROOF HAS A TON OF SNOW ON IT. BUT THE SNOW YOU SEE FROM THIS DIRECTION IS GATHERED ON A SMALL SECTION OF ROOF AT THE END OF THE CANOPY WHICH EXTENDS OUT. WITH THE CONTINUOUS WINDS FROM THE WNW IT GATHERS THERE & IT POSES NO REAL DANGER. AS FOR THE REST OF THE ROOF, IT MAY COLLECT A FOOT OR SO BY THE END OF THE SNOWIEST PART OF THE SEASON BECAUSE OF THE WIND. JANUARY ALONE THIS YEAR BLESSED US WITH 110 + INCHES OF WHICH WE HAD 34 CONSECUTIVE DAY'S OF CONTINIOUS SNOWFALL. COME TAKE SOME! WE HAVE PLENTY!
CRAIG MESSNER / LAKELAND-LUOMA INSURANCE AGENCIES.

OOPS..old age is catching up on us...Craig reminded us we sold to his Dad on Jan 1996 not Jan 1997....Looks like we gained another year of our retirement.

GOOD TO HEAR FROM THE BOUCHEYS, MISS THEM HERE IN THE COPPER COUNTRY

hahahahaha! ur so funny Kay Luoma Bouchey.