EDITOR’S NOTE: Superiorland Yesterdays is prepared by the reference staff at the Peter White Public Library in Marquette.

30 years ago

HOUGHTON — A growing number of area business owners say they’re considering banning smoking – even at risk of offending their smoking customers. Kurt Helminen, owner of the Copper Kettle Restaurant in Calumet, said he has banned smoking for about 14 years. He finally lifted the ban last summer because of a fairly slow tourist season but said he got complaints from both sides anyway. “When I switched to nonsmoking, I antagonized a lot of people who thought I was picking on them,” he said. “Now that I have smoking again, I have some people saying they can’t come here because I allow smoking, yet they can go to other restaurants that allow it.” The Kaleva in Hancock has many smoking patrons, owner Jim Kirkish said, but a ban would be all right with him. “I do provide a non-smoking section, but it’s ridiculous, really, because it’s all in the same building,” Kirkish said. “I would be very pleased to see the government tell me ‘no smoking,’ because it would be a nice way for me to get out of it.”

90 years ago

MUNISING — Munising’s new coast guard station on Sand Point is completed and is awaiting final inspection by D.K. Robinson, associate civil engineer in charge of the Milwaukee office. The Milwaukee office is headquarters for the Great Lakes coast guard district. The total cost of building the Munising station was $27,455, not including the cost of furnishings. The largest of the new buildings is a 30 by 40-foot frame structure and will serve as living quarters and office building. It has two stories and large basement. The boat house, large enough for three boats, measures 38 by 55 feet. A 128-foot launchway extends from the boat house to the lake shore. There will be no wireless receiving or sending station on Sand Point. Arrangements have not been made for construction of a telephone line from East Munising to the station. Structural steel is at hand for the look-out tower that will be constructed in the spring. A crew of 10 men will move into the station when navigation opens in the spring. Until the regular members of the coast guard arrive, a watchmen will be placed in charge of the station. A shipment of equipment for the station has been received here by Inspector Day.