George's Eagle Harbor Web An unofficial source of Eagle Harbor, Michigan news, views and information. Messages What George's Eagle Harbor Web viewers are sharing with the Editor

January-February, 2002

When I opened the "electronic mailbox" I found:

"Greetings from "Snowy Re-Creations Of Worldly Destinations." Winter carnival 2002 is off and running during the winter that wasn't, then it was, wasn't was etc. Jennifer Bura danced her way to the Carnival Queen title doing a rendition of, "The Peanut Polka." Last night was the all nighter and yesterday, to say the least, felt more like spring than the beginning of winter carnival. The snow was melting all day long. I rode the bus home and the driver let me off on the hill beside the Douglass House up the street from the Library Restaurant. I discovered I still can ski even without skiis! The hill was solid ice and I slid down to Shelden Ave wondering if I was going to stop. I waited until 10:30 PM to start the trek back to campus. The scene along College was disappointing compared to last year. The Sig Tau's had what appeared to be Cinderella's Pumpkin and a castle and that was nice. The Sig Pi's had a giant Sphinx they were carving with a chain saw. It reminded me more of a "horror movie" with the chain saw hacking it out! Once I got to campus the scene was very festive and things were "jumping." The front end loaders were still hauling snow in to all of the statue sites. Every organization was hawking their usual goodies to raise money for charity. "Come on Sue have a brat," somebody yelled to me. At 11 PM? I don't think so! As usual, the Sig Eps were working on their beauty with a gang of fraternity members behind the Tech Library and as usual, it's a beaut depicting the canals of Venice. This year they were playing music I couldn't stand, real "head banging" stuff. I didn't stay around like last year. I walked over to the Delt Sig's statue next to Wads.......WOW!! It's a Chinese scene and it is just fantastic, detail incredible. There is another beaut right in front of DHH , "Disneyland," built by the football fraternity and outlawed "TKE" (Teeks) fraternity. Because the TKE fraternity was banned from any snow statue building on campus I'm not sure it will be judged in the top five. I missed the heavy snow falling like it was last year. Everyone was definately in the "Party Mode" and as usual every strain of dog was out and about on leashes from an Irish Wolfhound to a Chihuahua. On the way back downtown in front of the MUB a student organization advertised, "Have your picture taken in the dark." No, I think I'll pass! Now, I'm going to quick end this for now so I can get a seat for the annual "Grundy Run." The Sig Tau Gamma fraternity raises money yearly for "Little Brother's Friends of the Elderly." It's one of the biggest fund raisers on campus. This year Steve Tyrell, the associate dean, has pledged to run if the brothers raise $1,500 and the rumor is they have.......got to go and get a place to watch!" (Susan Harvey-Adams./7)

"I am doing a project in school about baseball in the U.P. and I am having some trouble finding information. I saw something about baseball on your website.Could you please tell me all you know about baseball in the U.P.?" (Matt Vertin, birdy098@hotmail.com)
I know nothing about UP baseball. Can anyone help Matt with his project?

"I sure enjoyed the latest journal story. About the sentence diagraming... I was fortunate to have been taught those skills in Catholic grade school. I think I was one of the few who actually found it fun. I would be willing to bet that some of your excellent writing ability comes from the knowledge of how to build proper sentences. If it were up to me, I would bring it back in a minute along with Phonics (which I also learned in the same grade school). Wonder what the world would be like if everyone understood Nouns, Verbs and Adjectives. I suppose we have the "adjectives" down pretty well (really speaking). We could even get briefly into prepositional phrases if things got slow. From there, we could go right into Homonyms, Synonyms and Antonyms. (WHEW!) Oh well, when's the next session? I'm pretty rusty, but count me in!" (Jim Wachowski, 1/28)

"I was just viewing your photos on the harbor walkabout page. I must say, your photos are simply awesome. I love the Summer photos with the fog. Could you please tell me what kind of camera you use. If I didn't know who took the photos, I would say Steve Brimm, they are that good!!" (Lyn, 1/23)
Steve and I are worlds apart in photography skills, Lyn, but thanks for the comparison. To see what a GREAT photographer can do, go to Brimmages. I use a Kodak DC280 camera. Except for cropping, what the camera sees, you get. It's pretty easy to take great photos up here - it's sooo beautiful!

"My husband & I visited an unbelievable 5-1/2 years ago. Now with children ages 2 & 4 we're just waiting for them to be a little more "campy". We stayed at the Lake Breeze, loved it and enjoyed the wonderful bookstore where I should have bought a book I saw about enjoying nature w/ kids!!! I will NEVER FORGET waking up at 3am and seeing the lighthouse light move through the fog...the most incredible sight I have ever seen (newborn babies notwithstanding). Our hike through (sp?) Estevant Pines was the most satisfying ever...and who could forget being chased by one particularly pesky and large mosquito all the way to the end of the world...(the beach at the end of the path at the END of THE road. ) A few years ago I saw a picture of the Keeweenaw pennisula taken from the space shuttle...the pride awe & joy I felt having been THERE!!! Thanks for giving me a place to share this joy, some people just do not understand." (Stephanie Max Brefeld, 1/20)

"George, best web site on the Internet. We enjoy this very much. It's always been my husband's dream to come up that way. We live in Virginia, keep up the great work we enjoy." (Judy, 1/19)

"The First Responder is a huge committment. I did this for many years after taking the EMT class in 1979. Delivering the baby was quite an experience. Just glad I had ordered an OB kit when we bought all the equipment for the fire hall. The baby was born in the house that Fred Kellow's neice Linda has now. Next to the Catholic Church. First baby born in Eagle Harbor in 48 years. Anna Royce was the child born in Eagle Harbor before this child and she is 68 now so that would have been 20 years ago. A bit of history for you. Doubt there has been another baby since that time born in Eagle Harbor." (Nancy Lee Wakeman, 1/19)

"Just a reminder that everyone can take a plunge in the Portage today at 2:30 PM. All you need to do is show up at the Ramada in your bathing suit (no nudity) for the polar bear dive!!!! This is in conjunction with the Finnish ice festival. Then after you can go and spend the afternoon in the ice house in Hancock!" (Susan Harvey-Adams. 1/19)

"The correct name is Hieki Lunta, not Heika. Heiki (hay-kee) is the finnish name for Henry. I have known several Heikis, but never a Heika." (Robert Tiura, 1/18)
Robert's correct, I goofed. Actually, the correct spelling according to my impeccable source, Da Yoopers, is Heikki. Would anyone name a Snow God, Henry!

Have you wondered how the Heikki Lunta thing got started? Here's what the local rag (Mining Gazette) reported.
"Heikki is the creation of radio salesman Dave Riutta. Riutta concocted the character to rally support for the 1970 Range Snowmobile Club’s race, which was in danger of being canceled due to a lack of snow. Riutta wrote the words and music for the “Heikki Lunta Snow Dance Song” and took the song to radio station, WMPL, where he worked with station owner Bob Olson to create the Lunta legend."

"Is that your tongue firmly planted in your cheek that I see, George, when you talk about all the excitement in Eagle Harbor?
I am interested in the ice in Eagle Harbor, and a bit puzzled: at the time they were harvesting 12" thick blocks, my end (east) of Copper Harbor was showing open water! It was just for a while (while the sun was out), and today it has clearly frozen over and is covered with snow (the way it ought to be at this time of year). (Sharon Smith, 1/16)
Thick, clear, best of show ice is just one more reason Eagle Harbor is the jewel of Keweenaw. Sharon has a nifty pasty powered web cam on the deck of her new Copper Harbor home. Go to Copper Harbor Cam to check out ice and snow conditions up the coast.

"Thank you so much for the incredible Eagle Harbor Website!!! I am a resident of Wisconsin and enjoy spending my summer vacation in Eagle Harbor and Copper Harbor. I am not sure why I am so smitten with the area.. but I first visited in 1985 and have come back just about every year since...(some time off to have my kids) I have had to convince people to go along with me, but once there. they too feel drawn back to the area. I received a small knick knack that resembled the Copper Harbor Lighthouse for a Christmas gift.. So that prompted me to dust off all my Eagle Harbor memories and check out the internet... Thank goddness I found your website!! I log on every day just to view the pictures... Not only do I visit the website daily for inspiration but I am planning my 2002 summer vacation to Copper Harbor and to Eagle Harbor... This website has also convinced my mother to join me and my family as well... She also has been bitten by the same "Eagle Harbor" bug as I...At first she was hesitate because the fact my family has grown to include 3 kids!! As you know it is a LONG car ride... but after checking out your website I think she has changed her mind!! My last visit was in 1997 and my twins were one year old... this year my twins are going to be 7 and their baby sister will be 5... I can only hope that they too will enjoy all the wonderful things your "neck of the woods" has to offer!! Please keep the journal entries coming.... You do not know how wonderful they truly are... Sorry to hear about your pup... I do have one question to ask... Among my journeys to Eagle Harbor I would always stop at the the Agate Shop to purchase dusty post cards and a few agates and I think some drift wood I still have in my basment... Is the shop still there and is the elderly lady who ran the shop still working behind the counter? Thank you again and I am so excited to be planning my vacation already!!" (Dawn Abendroth, 1/15)
The Agate Shop has been closed for several years, although it still seems to be loaded with all the treasures you remember. The shop was owned and operated by Ed Filsinger and his sister Eleanor Mello. They continue to live in the quarters above and behind the shop.

"I'm shocked! I never win anything but this could be the best. It's been three years since our last visit to the U.P. so I've been going through Pasty withdrawal." (Mike Moore, 1/14)

"Just stumbled across your website - was preparing a presentation for some finance students at Michigan Tech and somehow linked over to your site. The lighthouse picture is just awesome - I visited with my 8 year old this July and he could not believe the ice at the lighthouse in the picture.
We took the lighthouse tour and a nice older lady who used to be a teacher gave us a great tour and even played the music machine in the lighthouse for him (I think her name was Ann but I don't quite recall - I think she also owned some rental units nearby). Great pictures of the buoy at the lighthouse covered with snow.
And to top it all off, Mark Rowe was working on the Chrysler exhibit last July with the car that came off the ice laden boat - I had not seen him in over 20 years! Incredible. He is a real nice guy, or at least was 20 years ago. :)
Again George, just an awesome pictorial site! Just awesome. You don't know how much I appreciate your efforts. You are now "bookmarked." (Joe Dancy, 1/6)

".I am an old retired Great Lakes Sailor...35 years without missing a day with Columbia Steamship, now Oglebay Norton...I used to corespond with a retired policeman who lived there ...He went by the CB handle "Old Blue"..I know he passed away a number of years ago...I still have a Christmas Card with his picture...he loved Eagle Harbor...I do too...always wanted to visit...I have now...thanks to you and your wonderful sites and photographs...I envy you for your eye for beauty...I also take a few "pictures" from time to time. I have shared your site with a my Dear Friend, Bettye, and she asked me what I meant when I said "Windrowed ice" that we experience on Lake Superior. I have tried to describe that to her...to no avail...I thought I had some photos of mine, but, alas, can't find them. I am hoping that in your wonderful collectuon that you might have a good one of some execellent windrows that you could share with me to show to Bettye. I will be most grateful for your help...keep up the wonderful work." (Duane Bartlett...The Old Lonesome Sailor... 1/5)

"How's your winter been so far? This is Kris from the Bemidji, MN area. Pretty crazy, eh? I was Just up to Grand Portage, MN (stayed in Grand Marais, MN) and there is Zero snow there. Just our 3 rooms (work related) plus 6 others that were occupied at the Best Western in Grand Marais. They are hurting. The Grand Portage sled dog race is probably going to be cancelled if it dosen't snow by the 11th. Talked to a Grand Portage Band member and he said he has never seen a winter like this in his 57 years. I know you guys got dumped on last week but what do you think?...time to start building condos?" (Kris Knutson, 1/5)

"First let me say how much I enjoy your website, it is wonderful to be able to stay atop of all the news of the Harbor.
I don't know if you can help me or not, but I was wondering if you knew of any web site or association that would be able to help me contact people that used to be stationed at the Calumet Radar Station.
My ex-husband and I were stationed at the site from 1977 - 1979, and made many dear friends, however as with a lot of military when rumors began circulating that the site would be closed, my ex-husband cross trained into another field and we moved away. Over the course of many years we lost touch with a lot of dear dear people and I am trying to find them and possibly organize a reunion of sorts if possible.
My new husband and I visited the area 2 years ago and were surprised that the site was now a "Correction Facility" I had wanted to show him around which of course was not possible. Anyway I would like to try and contact some of the people that I knew way back then and see how their lives have gone. I fell in love all over again with the area and was hoping that changes had occurred regarding employment opportunities, however, they don't appear to be much better than they were 20 years ago. Too bad for me." (Debby Johnson, garrydebby@vaughns.com, 1/4)

"Daniel (12) shot his first deer 12/29/2001 at 4:00 PM...a 200 yard shot with a 30.30 Savage... he was just 1100 miles south of the Stamp Sands." ( Phil Boggio, 1/2)

"It's been about 25 years since we sold our Eagle Harbor cottage, but once you've lived there you always have a special place in your heart for Eagle Harbor.
The Nobles (Jean and Ralph) have finally joined the 21st Century and gotten a computer. Our son, Steve, led us to the Eagle Harbor site and it has been fun looking at the pictures and reading about what's happening. We appreciate the news.
For us, we retired to Lewisburg, PA, but spend the winters at Gulf Shores, AL. Life has been good and continues to be so; we are blessed.
Happy New Year to All" (Jean and Ralph Noble, 12/31)

"Been visiting your site for a little over a month, now. Came across the link on John Dee's page whilst checking the weather back home (I'm away at sea right now). Though i never met her, I was very sorry to hear of Abby's passing. She was obviously much loved by one and all.
So, I have read all the suggestions concerning the tie-breaker dilemma and I think I found something Abby would really appreciate. Take the biscuits down to the animal shelter in Houghton and brighten up some poor pooches day, letting them choose.
Anyway, you have a great site and it warms my heart to have such a wealth of information, news, gossip, images and love for the area, available to me while I pass the lonely hours at sea, waiting to come home to the Copper Country. Thanks a million."