30 years ago

MARQUETTE – Renovation began on the 107-year-old Rosewood Inn Thursday, ending years of disagreement between building owner Rhys Mussman of Hebron, Ind., and the city of Marquette. Mayor Jack Leadbetter said, “It’s been an ongoing battle, but now they’ve hired an architect and have plans in the works.” “The plan is to get the building up and running,” said Rob Christie, construction manager for Royal Developments of Hebron, Ind., general contractor for the project. Christie said the top floor will be used for office space. The main floor will have a lobby entrance, three street-side retail stores, a deli and Doc’s Corner store, which will remain open throughout the project. Current plans call for a nightclub to be constructed in the basement at a later date. Final construction plans are being prepared by U.P. Engineers and Architects of Marquette and should soon be submitted to the city for permits. “Barry Polzin of U.P. Engineers and Architects is very sensitive to historic renovation and saving historical structures,” Leadbetter said. “It’s good to see the groups involved finally come together,” said Linda Jenner, administrative director of the Downtown Development Authority, “They showed us their drawings and explained their plans. It’s exciting that we’re finally moving forward.”

60 years ago

ISHPEMING – John D. Voelker’s eighth book, a novel about a court case, will be published in October, according to McGraw-Hill, and titled “Laughing Whitefish.” McGraw-Hill says it deals with a young Indian Woman who, “cheated out of her claim to the richest iron ore lode in Michigan,” goes to the courts for redress. The result is Traver at his courtroom drama best. Robert Traver is Voelker’s pen name. Voelker was born in Ishpeming 62 years ago and has lived here his entire life except for time spent in Ann Arbor obtaining his law degree from the University of Michigan and a brief period in Chicago as an attorney He returned to Ishpeming and was elected Marquette County prosecuting attorney, an office he held for 15 years. Voelker later was appointed to the Michigan Supreme Court. He then resigned to devote full time to writing and trout fishing. His first book, a collection of short stories about a Northwoods prosecutor, was titled “Trouble Shooter.” His subsequent books, in order of publication, were “Danny and the Boys,” “Small Town D.A.” “Anatomy of a Murder,” “Trout Madness,” “Horstein’s Boy,” and “Anatomy of a Fisherman.” “Anatomy of a Murder” was made into a movie filmed entirely in Marquette County in 1959.