In the old days, George Davis, Eddie Richards and Jim Davis would make the music, while the kids at Redridge School cut a rug. Erik Nordberg over at the MTU Archives ran across this memory in Tech's BIG shoebox of a bazillion Copper Country pictures. Looks like Eddie really means business with that accordian. (stand back!)

Polka music has deep roots in the Keweenaw. This coming Thursday, South Range native Brian Juntikka will explore that heritage in another "Fourth Thursday in History" presentation (jointly co-ordinated by the MTU Archives and Keweenaw National Historical Park). Click here to find out more.

Things are really hopping in the Keweenaw this weekend, as today brings the final hours of the Professional Walleye Tournament. Never a dull moment up here in the U.P.

Have a good week!

Good morning from Mishawaka IN. Good picture. The man in the center resembles my uncle. Have a great day everyone.

good morning. I'll have to ask my mother if she knows them or of them...she used to live in Freda...grew up there prior to moving to Houghton

Good morning Y'all from Nocona Hills Texas

My kind of music!!! Being that I have some polish in my blood (Czarnecki) & some French (LaBelle)

First post of the day. Yeah!!!

I grew up hearing Polkas and other Polish music with names Pilas, Pietras, Jankowiak, Cielinski, Ratajak. I am full blooded Polish American. Both sides of my family are orginally from Poland. I am very proud to be part of the heritage.

Guy on the left looks like he could have been holding a shotgun in that same position....sure this trio didn't come out of the wild west?

Good Morning, reminds me of Frankie Yankovich at the Armory and Lodie Mahalich on WHDF. Good memories.

How's the early partridge hunting? Any migratory geese flying in from Thunder Bay? The boys from Illinois and I are packing up for our annual bird hunting-party come this Thursday . . . and we can't wait.

How is it that the polka bands of today still look exactly as these fellas? (GRIN) Great photo.

There is a house tour in Eagle River and 7 mile today for the benefit of the Calumet Theatre Ballroom renovation project. Shouldd be pretty nice.

Mornin'

joliet jake:
Lots of foliage. Sept. 15 start is too early. Should go to old 10/1 start.

I don't know...I like that kind of music, you can't help but want to get up and dance, but, after about the fifth polka (or is that beer?), they all start to sound the same.

George is one good looking mandelin player!! Eddie looks like if you even came near his accordion, he'd smack you one! I like how Jim is wearing his bow tie.

Have a good Fall day, everyone, and "hi" to the sistahs...we are family... I got all my sistahs with me...heyheyheyheyheyhey-ah (everybody sing!)

Top of the mornin' to everyone. Getting ready for our neighborhood picnic. Fun to catch up with all our neighbors and our busy lives. Also how we're all getting greyer and swap grandkids' pictures.

Is there a place that we can go through the bazillion Copper Country photos from the MTU archives?

Good morning to everyone from sunny, cooler Nevada!!!

Rose, the Copper Country Archives on the 3rd floor of the MTU library has tons of old pictures, documents, and old maps from the Keweenaw. If you go up there, speak with Erik Nordburg and he will find what your looking for.

A couple of years ago I got the opportunity to organize and catalog all of C&H's old collections of mining maps and documents for transfer to the Archives; what a treat!! There were maps dating back to to mid 1800's including some of the first reports describing the abundance of native copper on the peninsula, fascinating indeed.........

YAY! BridgeCam is back!

I have some old payroll , expense and nationality ledgers from the C&H and others.Does anyone know of a qualified appraiser for such items?
I also found a painting in Green Bay of the Quincy by an N.JauhT{ot}Iainen.
I also have an old painting of a family camp on mud lake.It is from the 50's or 60's by someone named Maass who I think was from Lake linden. I would like any info anyone you could provide. Please e mail from link above thank you.

Hey, just colorize this pic and it wouldn't look much different than some local mandolin and guitar players I used to strum with in the 1970's and 80's.
Is there an approximate date for this classic photo, Charlie? One of my Copper Country great-grandmothers maiden names was Richards. She lived in Lake Linden, but her Dad lived and worked at the Cliff Mines so some Richards have been in the Keweenaw since at least the 1850's or so. I looked once for their family gravesite at the Cliffs Cornish Cemetery which an aunt of mine told me about but it must have succumbed to the passing seasons by the time I got there.

Hmmm...the accordionist Eddie Richards has more the looks of a present day hard-rock headbanger (and he may even be a distant uncle of mine as our moustaches look eerily similar LOL), but I wonder if he still might've enjoyed my acoustic multitrack rendition of Marten Harbor's Great Sand Bay?

Dash me off an email from the great cyberspace beyond, eh Eddie?

I'm still waiting for my notification that I won the Mustang from the Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly raffle. Or at least the 5th prize of a remote car starter. You can reach me here.

I'm glad someone found one of the many, many thousands of pictures that Billy Brinkman took in his long colorful life. I would like to see some information and reminiscenses written about him. I met him just once. He took a grat picture of my Dad and brother at Schmidt's Bar in Liminga.

These old pics are fun, only it doesn't look like these guys are enjoying themselves! Funny how so many in the pics from the early days of photography were sooo serious about having their picture taken. Bet they were laughing and smiling once they started playing the music, tho.

To Joliet Jake:
The Partridges are in that bus shown awhile back.

There are sprinkles of rain here in San Jose today. Our first since spring. It has turned cold, and I'm sure there is snow in the higher elevations. There are migratory geese landing here, makeing a whole lot of noise as they fly over and land near the lake on the golf course. I'm told they can really make quite a mess on the manicured greens. With this cold spell, I'm sure our trees will soon be putting on a display of color, before their long winter's nap.

Most folks looked very serious in old photos( especially studio portraits ) because the exposure times were very long and any movement would cause it to blur. Also, studio work was very expensive.Getting your picture taken was serious business and it was decades before folks began to *Smile*

ratajczak is common to me

Either Mr. Richards fingered that accordian in a unique fashion or he was missing part of a finger. The fingers on either side also look like they may have been injured. If we only knew the stories that those old photos hold secret!

Thats not an accordian, its a concertina.

"PUSH UM UP TONY"

Hey,I remember listening to Lodi Mihalic on Saturdays. Remember the "PUSH UM UP TONY" also. My Dad used to listen to Lodi's show and he'd say that when the show was over.

Hey Bethecute in San Jose,
Why don't you give up your hi payin job in
San Jose come on back to the Keweenaw, enjoy
a good rainfall , a wonderful Fall , snow in your face and maybe up to your mainstaff, eat lichen,
embrace the explosion of Spring and the comfort of Summer

Does anyone happen know the score of the Bears/ Packer game? I missed it and can't find out who won.

Hmmmmmm, it wasn't the Packers! OUCH!
This is PAIN!

Bears did the underdog win and beat the Pack
21-10 I believe, I couldn't watch until the
end and went out and mowed the backyard.

About the Richards would that be Lina or Did She marry an Aubin as I'm doing the family History
Therese Dimet a cousin to charley

Kinda reminds me of the Backwoods Bandits last night at Mt. Shasta in Michigamme. I was the one with the tenor banjo. I think the program Thursday evening in SR with Brian J. would be a good one. Brian and Kilpela and Friends played onstage together in SR a coupla years ago. What a neat time!!

I remember and loved the polka party on WHDF. Still love the polka music. "Kukeli Ku and Push 'Em Up, Tony!" (Not sure of the spelling above.) Remember, too, my dad calling the Finn Hall in Paavola 'the wobbly hall'. The people would dance so hard, the whole building would shake. Dem kais knew how ta dance!

To Grimace: Main entry: raindeer moss. Function: noun, Date circa 1753 = a gray erect, tufted, and much branched lichen (Cladonia rangeferina) that forms extensive patches in the arctic and north temperate regions; constitutes a large part of the food of caribou and raindeer. Also for human consumption when push gets to shove. Mainstaff: If what I think you are saying - I'm a girl.

Also, it isn't a question of how much you earn, but how much you save and invest that makes a difference in your net worth.

Bthecute1...RAINdeer??? reindeer...as in domesticated....Aw...SMILE will ya? Hope you had a good weekend!

Bears & Packers: It's so darn hard to get those games in Idaho. But, I must tell ya: That Bear, 47, who slid over into the end zone (Bryan Johnson) was one of my Snake River White water Rats...started him when he was 10. Now look at him....beating my Packers....I'm so dang proud of him!! His parents, Chris and Sharon Johnson moved to Michigan. Chris is the head of purchasing for U of M med school now...at least they live in the right state. Of course, I had to yell for Washington when he played there. Next week, back to being a Packer backer just like always!

Troll: I had a great weekend, and I am really smiling. Can't believe I spelled the word wrong. 'Troll' reminds me of that red haired toy I played with when I was a kid. Do you have red hair?

Cousin Jack,
Just read your posting and my grandmother, on my mothers side, maiden name was Mary Richard. She married Joseph Aubin, my grandfather. They resided in Lake Linden. If this sounds like the correct person, e-mail me. Thanks

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY PHOTOS OF THE BAND MEMBERS THAT USED TO PLAY AT THE MIDWAY BAR IN KEARSARGE? IF SO, COULD YOU PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME AT MY E-MAIL ADDRESS.

THANK YOU.

TOMDOODIE@MSN.COM

Better late, than never...Does anyone have any early pictures of the Redridge Band. I am looking for a picture, especially of my grandfather who played cornet(William Michael Holman)?? This was in the early 1900's or teens. I do believe Bill Brinkman would have had some pictures.

Does anyone have any pictures of Studer's German Band from Lake Linden that could be e-mailed .I would sure be greatful for anything you could send.
thanks

dumpitallhere@yahoo.com

I just replied to Chris' e-mail of 9/25 regarding the band members that used to play in the Redridge band in the 10's or 20's. They played in the bandstand. I hope he receives some information. I told him Billy Brinkman was a marvelous photographer/historian.