This weeks column features a collection of pictures I have scanned over the years. The photo above shows a group of ladies at leisure from Munising (some dressed in swimwear somewhat similar to the tank suits we had to wear at the Mather swimming pool). Noting that my mother is in the picture it had to have been taken in the 1930’s and some in the photo who’s last names I remember are: Korriveau, Corey, Shampine and Leach. Looks like a great picnic day and fun had by all.The photo at right shows a retired ladder off M-58 in Munising leading to Tannery Falls. This used to be a beautiful falls to hike into from two locations. For some reason the falls are no longer accessible and it’s not uncommon see frustrated tourists trying to locate the area since it may still be on some tourist guides. The ladder itself was quite unique.

Belos is an article I wrote years ago for the newspaper involving a deer camp escapade involving my husband even though he wasn’t a hunter himself. It has been retyped below.

A Halifax Story

Many years ago when the funeral home use to do all the ambulance work for Alger County, the Bowerman-Halifax Funeral Home used to be a lot different.

Anyway, deer season was a big deal Alger County, and there used to be a group of Lower Michigan businessmen who used to come up for deer season. They had a friend at Doe Lake area where a Munising lady would be hired as a cook for a few weeks. The men would drive up from Lower Michigan to have a great week of hunting, playing cards, renewing their friendships, etc.

This group always used to hire either Dick or I to go their deer camp to take a few pictures of the group and some of their deer. This particular hear, Dick took time out to go take the pictures and as he was ready to leave the camp, the fellows all encouraged him to stay a few more hours to visit and have dinner with them. So, as he was enjoying dinner with the fellows he happened to notice one of them appeared to be in physical distress, so the fellows suggested he just lie down for a bit.

However, Dick said he felt they should perhaps bring the fellow to the hospital to be checked out, as Dick had the station wagon with him, he decided to bring the gentleman in the wagon (which occasionally had been used as an additional ambulance when needed)

When they brought the gentleman into the Munising Memorial Hospital and it happened he died during the night. So the fellow hunters were quite grateful that Dick had insisted on bringing him to medical help, at least it had been the right move.

So, as they went to the funeral home midmorning to make arrangements to get the gentleman back to his home in Lower Michigan, there appeared Dick, of course, they were somewhat surprised. However, he explained that he indeed was the funeral director.

Then, since it was a sudden death and unexplained in those days, you have a coroner to give and opinion as to the cause of death. It later became a job for a medical examiner so they said they would have to call the coroner and low and behold, as indeed Dick was one of the local coroners.

So, let’s retrace a bit, first Dick was the photographer, then the ambulance driver, then the funeral director and low and behold the coroner. In this earlier time in Alger County, folks wore many hats.