Palatka Michigan: A Ghost Town.

PALATKA
WHERE ARE YOU?
A 1903 WALL MAP OF IRON COUNTY

Recently, on an Iron County website, someone asked where Palatka was located?
The answers were all over the board. There was no consensus.
Younger people from the area are unfamiliar with the name.
Older people are familiar with the name but less sure as to exact location.
It’s neither here nor there
It’s either there or here.
My mother was born in 1920 and doesn’t recall the exact location of Palatka.
That makes sense as Palatka was just about gone by the time she was born.
The name of Palatka lived on long after it’s official demise.
The Palatka name is confusing because the journey of the name is confusing.
Hopefully this presentation will make it less confusing,
but that’s not a promise.

Who’s History?
The best way to learn history is to
hear it from the folks who lived it.
Diaries, letters or other written
records are not always available.
One written record that is
ubiquitous from a hundred and ten
years ago is the old fashioned
“penny post card”.
A 1908 Palatka - marked post card
from a newlywed paints a picture
of our mining country for us.
“Am sending one picture of the
many many mines near each other.
Two stories here and we can see all
kinds of shafts from here. A sight it
is indeed.”

MINING IN THE 1800’S
THIS IS A STEREOSCOPE CARD OF A MINE OPENING IN THE
FLORENCE AND COMMONWEALTH AREA
A RARE VIEW OF 1880’S IRON MINING
ON THE MENOMINEE RANGE

“NOT MUCH EQUIPMENT”
The ten men pictured here may have moved on to Iron River

MORE NINETEENTH CENTURY MINING
This stereoscope card was produced in Neenah Wisconsin
Picturing Florence and Commonwealth
ANOTHER RARE VIEW OF 1880’S MINING

“HAND SHOVELING”
SEVEN MEN STAND POSING FOR THIS VERY EARLY IRON MINING SCENE

• The MacKinnon and Seldon brothers arrived in
Iron River around 1878-80.
• A.W. Quirt arrived in 1880. Iron River was laid out
in 1881, with Stambaugh following in 1882. He
was Mayor from 1908-1913.
• In 1882, the Iron River and Nanaimo Mines
shipped the first ore as the Railroad arrived.
• From 1893-1898, there were no mines operating
due to a national recession.
• The area survived on lumbering, settlers, &
business. However, the white pine was depleted
by 1900.

RELICS FROM THE PAST PERMIT US TO
TOUCH IT
The Iron River or Riverton was the first
mine in the area.
“I arrived at what was to be Iron River in August 1880.”
A.W. (Arthur) Quirt
(Alex.’s brother)
This was a locker/tool tag when changing
clothes
In operation 1885-1903 by Alex Quirt
Ben operated it from 1910-1953

KROM’S STORE BUILDING 1909-1948
A spring operated system for moving
purchased items.
One of the baskets.
Barney purchased the
Carrie Jacobs Bond family store in
1897
1912 Business letter envelope Barney Krom.

“A MINED PIT, IRON RIVER”
“PERSON IN THE PIT IS
EDWARD WESTPHAL”
 The oldest mines were open pit. By 1900 they were mostly mined out. The new mines would have
to be underground mines.
 The exploitation of the Mesabi iron range in the 1890’s reduced ore prices 50%.
 Andrew Carnegie, JD Rockefeller, and JP Morgan jousted to form America’s first billion dollar
industry in 1901: US Steel.
 This fueled the expansion of iron & steel exports and US manufactured exports because of the
abundance of iron on the Mesabi. (2001 Douglas A Irwin Dartmouth College paper).
 Each succeeding year the mines found it more difficult to meet the demand for low phosphorous
ore. Open hearth steel manufacturing developed at the expense of the Bessemer process. ( 1910
Mich. Geo. Survey Pub. 2 Series 2)
 Our local phosphorous ore could now be profitably utilized in the steel making process.
 Between 1895 and 1913 Us iron ore production went from 15,000 tons to 60,000 tons.
The seeds of Palatka are planted

The Pickands Mather Co (known
as “The P.M.”) was a major player
in the iron mining, shipping, and
steel business.
It consolidated smaller properties
in the early 1900’s and was
important in the development of
Palatka and Caspian.
The P.M ‘s Verona Mining
Company was formed and
opened the Baltic Mine in 1900
and the Caspian Mine in 1902-03.
We are now at the roots of
“Palatka”
This was an identification badge used
by miners. This is my father’s badge.

A VERY EARLY VIEW OF THE CASPIAN
AND DOBER MINES
“A SOUVENIR OF IRON COUNTY” A c.1902 BOOK.

A CLOSE UP OF THE 1902 CASPIAN
MINE

A CLOSE UP OF THE
1902 DOBER OPEN PIT

A VERY EARLY VIEW OF THE BALTIC
“A Souvenir of Iron County” c. 1902

ANOTHER 1902 BALTIC CLOSE UP
Notice the boy and girl among all the miners.
The homes were right next to the mine.

“CLOSE-UP OF KIDS”
PALATKA’S SEEDS ARE SPROUTING FAMILIES

ROGERS MAP
IRON COUNTY 1903
THIS IS A 3’ BY 4’ FOOT WALL MAP

1903 Map
“Pulatka”
The cemetery in Stambaugh is “a ways”
out of town
The railroad runs through Caspian
except Caspian is not there yet. There is
just the Caspian Mine (there is a RR
spur from the Dober Mine) on the other
side of the Iron River.
“The trail leading to Spring Valley
meandered through the present town
site of Caspian in a southeasterly
direction from the bridge on the south
end of the canal (Hiawatha No 2) to the
bridge near the Calliari Hotel (424
Bridge)”
Jack Hill “ A History of Iron County Michigan”*
There are two roads leading to the
Baltic. The one through the future
Caspian and one from Stambaugh,
through the Caspian Mine to the
Baltic

PULATKA?
1903 Map
Mr. Donald MacKinnon is
credited with the discovery of
the Spring Valley deposits. State
geologist C Rominger: “He
traced the section line south
from the Isabella workings for
about a mile, where he struck
east to the Baltic Area for the
return trip.” (1880)
The railroad came through in
1882. The map shows a spur line
to the Baltic Mine (opened
1900/first shipment 1901) and
the Pulatka depot was put up
around 1901. Railroads picked
names for their junctions “out of
a hat” at times.
There is a Palatka in Florida. The x in the circle is a school house.

IRON RIVER DISTIRCT
PROMOTIONAL POSTCARD
1907
The Verona Mining Co began building homes at the Baltic Location c. 1902-03, the Old
Caspian Location in 1904, and the Fogerty Mine in 1907. By 1911, the Baltic would have
44 dwellings and Old Caspian 68 dwellings.
At this point, the Iron River population was 2500, Stambaugh was 1250, and Spring Valley
was 1000. The population in the southern part of the Iron River District had exploded.
But, there still was no Caspian and it would not begin for a year(1908).
The Pickands Mather & Co is listed here. They operated the Verona Mining Co.

“THE COMMERCIAL”
12 MINES EMPLOY 1200 MEN
1 MILE OF CEMENT SIDEWALK
SWEDISH LUTHERAN AND SWEDISH
BAPTIST CHURCH(Mission
Covenant).
200 FARMERS WITHIN 10 MILES
LUMBER INTERESTS EMPLOY 300
MEN
NEW $30,000 SCHOOL HOUSE.
FLORENCE IRON RIVER MINING CO.
BOTH ST. PAUL & NORTHWESTERN
RAIL ROADS RUN IN FROM THE
SOUTH.

SPRING VALLEY LAID OVER
PALATKA LAID OVER
THE BALTIC & OLD CASPIAN
LOCATIONS

CLOSE UP 1907 MAP
To include 1000 people in
Spring Valley , all of these
locations had to be included
in that total.
OLD CASPIAN
PALATKA POST OFFICE
SPRING VALLEY
BALTIC LOCATION

1907 Iron River District Map
IN 2018
Old Caspian
Palatka Post Office
Spring Valley
Baltic Location

1909 GEOLOGIC MAP
OF THE IRON RIVER DISTRICT

BIRDS EYE VIEW
1909 IRON RIVER DISTRICT
There are ore locations in Mineral Hills
that are marked.

1909 VIEW OF WHERE THE ORE IS FOUND
THE PRINCIPLE IRON FORMATION (THE DARK BROWN) OF THE
MENOMINEE RANGE IS THE VULCAN IRON FORMATION

ORE BODIES
1909
Arrows mark ore bodies in 1909. The Baker Mine has houses (see slide
40/42). The foundations are still there.

WHAT HAPPENED TO SPRING VALLEY?
1909
SPRING VALLEY HAS MOVED TO GAASTRA AND CASPIAN HAS APPEARED AS
THE PLAT OF THE VILLAGE OF PALATKA NEAR THE RIVER WITH NEW CASPIAN
(TOWN) TO THE NORTHWEST OF IT.
Notice 2 crosses for churches S.W. edge of Gaastra

SO, WHAT HAPPENED!
FROM 1906-7 T0 1909?
Old Caspian is almost completed. Only
“Big Shot Row” does not appear on
the map.
“spurred by the development of the
Berkshire (1908)” 40 acres adjoining
the Fogerty on the west were laid out
for a village to be known as Palatka. It
failed. Only the Calliari Hotel was built
at that time.
In (1909) Caspian Realty developed 40
acres as the village of New Caspian.
In October (1908) Douwe Gaastra
acquired the site of Gaastra and
completed the Palatka School that
year.
Spring Valley being moved to Gaastra
Indicates that it was a generic name
for the valley not a specific location.

CASPIAN/PALATKA
OLD CASPIAN TODAY
DOUWE’S PALATKA SCHOOL

Foundation of Douwe’s 1908 Gaastra/
Palatka / Berkshire/Baltic School
It went by all four of these names at different times.

1909 MAP VIEW OF PALATKA
CALLIERI HOTEL
Down Town Palatka
The Palatka Post office was one half mile north of
the Fogerty Mine. (1913 Sanborn Map)
The post office was located in the Caspian
Location in 1913
The 1907 Iron River District Map gives an
approximate location
Jack Hill states it was on N/S section line
Fogerty Mine
Baltic Mine No 2
Youngs Mine
Baltic Mine No. 1
Zimmerman Mine No. 1
Youngs (Smugglers) Location?
Baltic Location

PUZZLES??
1909
• Why did Spring Valley move to
Gaastra? In 1915, Gaastra
arranged to get their water
from the Spring Valley mining
company and their
Zimmerman Mine No 2.
• Spring Valley(Deposits) was a
generic name & the name was
moved to Gaastra for
convenience. The name
disappeared in subsequent
maps.
• Why no Palatka? Palatka was
developing its generic name.
People just started called the
area Palatka.

1909 MAP OF PALATKA
2018 VIEW
• The pits in the lower
right were mainly from
the Zimmerman #2
• The Palatka Business
District.
• The Baltic Location.
• The Fogerty Mine.
• The Young’s Mine.

THE 10 MINES
1911 MAP
 There are seven mines in the 2 sections that will become Caspian & Gaastra.
 There are three mines in the 2 sections to the north.
 The Bella was in the middle of Dober Location. The McGilis(Cottrell) was just west of the Berkshire. The Baker
mine had houses to the east (1909 Geo map slide 31/42)
 Most of the mines had 2 shafts and some had three like the Caspian Mine.

Why our young bride(slide 3)
Could “see so many shafts from here”
Many of the mines had 2 shafts and some had 3 like the Caspian Mine.

“THE THREE SHAFTS OF THE CASPIAN MINE”
Old Caspian
Baker Mine & Location
Old Caspian
Baker Mine & Location

Left THE SPRING VALLEY HOTEL c.1910
Right THE SPRING VALLEY HOTEL 1912
IN PALATKA
Looking south. Spring Valley can still be
seen on the hotel (second Building on
the right) in Palatka. First building on left
with horse and buggy is likely the
William Young Livery Stable.
Looking west. The building on the right in the
1910 photo is the first building on right in the
1912 photo.
Few buildings on the west side of the street.
Man on ladder at second floor window and two
horse and buggies.
Post office

PALATKA MAIN ST
1912
(looking north)
The back says: “What do you think of Palatka’s main street; quite a busy looking place Eh! 7 wooden buildings”
The first store on the left is Prosser & Loo Grocery. The second is the old Spring Valley Hotel and could be either
the Sherrard or Berquist Hotel. “Willie” has it marked Boarding House.
On the right the post office is closest, and then the Peter Costa operated shoe shop. Next would be the William
Young Livery Stable. Farthest away is the Andrew Webber Saloon.
This business center was located “on the section line -- along the eastern limits of the Fogerty Property”

UNKNOWN MINE?
(looking north?)
Perhaps the Berkshire?
There is a large wooden shaft above
the saloon.
There is a smaller wooden structure
and a (ore)pile to the right of the
second telephone pole. The wooden
tower looks like a support to the
trestle for cars to dump on the stock
pile.
That could mean that the houses in
the left background are the Caspian
Location. (if direction is correct)
Sign says Post office

If we assume this is looking North, we can
see the Caspian Location
The ore pile and wooden trestle support tower. There is frame building in front of it.
Verona Club house? Drey’s or another Store?

Palatka looking toward Old Caspian.
Building on left is the same store seen
in slides 43 and 44.
This orients down town Palatka as Old Caspian would have to be north. Other photos
confirm the southern perspective. This image is limited in quality as it’s a copy.

The Berkshire Mine
outside Palatka
The previous slides 44,45,46, show
mining structures north and east of
the Palatka Business District. The early
Berkshire Mine.
This 1909 Geologic Map close up
shows the Berkshire Mine between
the Business District and Old
Caspian(Caspian Location).
The 1913 Sanborn Map says the
Berkshire Mine was 800 feet south of
the Post Office (Old Caspian Arrow)
This marks the intersection of Baker
Road and CR. 424. At that intersection
stood the large building visible in
slides 43,52,63. It stood at the north
west corner of the intersection as
marked here.
Berkshire Mine
Palatka Business District
Old Caspian

THE PALATKA
POST OFFICE
1907
The Baker Mine traces the section line
south through Old Caspian and there
picks up the road from Stambaugh
through to the intersection with Hwy.
424 south of the Palatka Post Office
The road continues south into the
Baltic Location.
Notice the two different railroads, the
Northwestern and the St. Paul.
The post office dot is on the west side
of the road. I believe its an error or
unintended. The photos put the post
office on the east side.

TODAY’S VIEW OF
PREVIOUS SLIDE
 Top arrow shows location
of Baker Mine at the end
of the Baker Road in Old
Caspian.
 Next arrow down shows
Old Caspian location at
junction of Berkshire Road
and Baker Road.
 Next is the approximate
location of the post office
and business district of
Palatka
 The bottom arrow is the
location of the Baltic
location and clubhouse.

1910 IRON RIVER GEOLOGICAL
SURVEY - PALATKA MINES - PHOTOS
Underground in the Baltic Mine
Three men in circle standing near a stope.
The Baltic Club House.
Later known as the K. C. Club House.

SURVEY - PALATKA MINES – PHOTOS 2
The Youngs Mine in September 1908. The circled buildings are at the junction of
Hwy 424 near the Palatka Business section.
Caspian, Stambaugh and Iron River hills in
background. See slides 43 and 63.

SURVEY-PALATKA MINES –PHOTOS 3
Fogerty Mine looking north to Stambaugh.
You can see the Caspian mine in the distance.
Houses circled left center might be the
Fogerty Location.
Caspian Mine

MINERS’ CLUBHOUSE
BALTIC MINE
PALATKA, MI
 The photo is from the Lake Superior Mining Institute Proceedings in 1911.(members at
steps)
 The Baltic “is the pioneer of the district around Palatka”
 “W.H. Jobe is superintendent of the Baltic, Fogarty, Caspian and Bengal mines, all of which
are located near Palatka in the Iron River district.”
 “The village of Palatka where the Clubhouse is located.”
 Charles E Lawrence (of Iron Mountain, and later Old Caspian & P.M. Co. Menominee Range
Superintendent) presented a paper Social Surroundings of the Mine Employee to the
Institute. It focused on the “European workers” and how the Baltic Mine Club helped them
(baths etc.).
 There’s a (W.H.) Jobe Street in the Palatka Addition. It connects Baker Ave. to Hwy. 424.
THE P.M. & CO. CALLS THIS THE
“MINERS’ CLUB HOUSE OF PALATKA MICH.“
“The voices of the
mining bosses speak”

BALTIC CLUB HOUSE STORIES
Source photo- 1955
“Vein of Iron: The Pickands Mather Story.
“It was more like a hearse than a rescue wagon”.
“This is a picture of the Club house,
where we have been to 3 sleigh rides.
There is going to be another next week.
Wish you could be here to go.” Lenore.

Guess which one is I.R. Photo and
which one is postmarked Palatka?
Left 1910 right 1913
The Iron River photographer still thought
everything south of the Iron River valley
was Spring Valley.
The Baltic Club House was also referred
to as the Palatka Club House.

1908 BALTIC CLUB HOUSE
ON PROSPECT AVE
PALATKA
Looking east towards the
ZIMMERMAN NO 1 MINE SHAFT
with engine house to the right.
The houses on the left are smaller
salt box style. The houses on the
right are larger.
There are larger buildings (boarding
houses) farthest away on the left.
See why we believe these are
boarding houses on the next slide.
Note the wooden ditch in front of
the clubhouse…and only the
clubhouse.

1913 CLUBHOUSE- 1914 ZIMMERMAN
“We are boarding close to the
club house” “its a good deal
better than the Tully”
“Arrived last night went
underground this noon. Lots of
water below”
Both postcards are marked Palatka. The quotes above are from the cards. The Tully
was a mine east of Dober.
For reference, see slides 31,41 and 42.

PALATKA RESIDENCE SCENE 1908
The houses in the center and on the right are larger. Likely, these were Homes/Offices for the
mine managers or shift bosses.

RESIDENCE OR OFFICE?
In A History of Amasa, Michigan
1891-1966, Doris Peryam records the
history of the Hemlock Mine in Amasa.
It was the pioneer mine for the
Pickands Mather Company in Iron
County.
C.E. Lawrence & William Jobe arrived
there in 1890. Lawrence was
Superintendent by 1892.
The Articles of Association Hemlock
River Mining Co. 4/13/1888 were
amended 5/1913 and listed: Office In
Michigan: Town of Palatka – Iron
County.
So where would the business office be
in Palatka in 1913?
We offer this building as an office
choice because of its similarity to the
Caspian Mine office Building..
And the following:

THE TERRACES TELL THE STORY
The Terraces are visible left front
of this photo close up.
The satellite view(looking south)
shows the Terraces in blue circle.
The Baltic Club House was located
near the house on the left.

THE TOWN OF PALATKA’s P.M. & CO.
MINING OFFICE ON RIGHT
Cropped photo of Baltic No.1
and the Club House.
The blue arrows mark the
same house on both photos.
The Terraces are typical of a
company owned public
building.
Like those at the Verona Club
House in Old Caspian.
Baltic No. 1 Baltic Club House
Terraces
Terraces

SMUGGLER MINE
MAY HAVE BEEN THE YOUNGS MINE?
CENTER TOP IS MARKED SMUGGLER
MINE – PALATKA, MICH 1908
POSTCARD MARKED
“SMUGGLER WATER WAGON”
PALATKA MICH. 1908
Probably Looking south from Palatka
business district. The building and
bridge can be seen in slide 43 (1912
photo) and slide 52.
There is no Youngs Mine on this card.
Both Baltics, Fogerty and Caspian are on
this card.

CLOSE UP OF BARREL,BOYS AND DOG.
Note the huge barrel behind horse. Look at the tiny bicycle the boy is using.

SO, THE “SMUGGLERS MINE” IS THE
YOUNGS MINE?
This is from the multi-view postcard on slide
63/69 and is marked “Smuggler Mine
Palatka 1908”
This 1908 Youngs Mine photo has several
reference points with the one at the left.

BARE FOOT AVE PALATKA MICH.
There are chairs (one is a wheelchair) on the first porch to the left. Two kids are on the porch on
the third house on the right. There are more people visible in the street and in front of the houses
on the left.
Possible locations can be found on slide 37 (1909 Map).
Back of card: “THIS PLACE IS JUST DOWN UNDER OUR HOME HERE”

THE BALTIC LOCATION 1908 PALATKA
The houses in Slide 57 (Prospect Avenue Photo) are on the left.
Notice the ore car in the foreground.
The Zimmerman
Shaft
The Baltic Shaft
The Baltic
Clubhouse

CLOSE UP OF THE BALTIC LOCATION
 The Zimmerman shaft is on the extreme left, with the engine house just to
its right.
 There are four Boarding Houses to the right of the engine house.
 There is a row of little white “outhouses” in the foreground behind the row
of houses.
 There is steam rising from the Baltic Mine No. 1 on the right.
 The Baltic Clubhouse is to the right of the Baltic Mine (foreground, right)
 Note the trestles that surround the Baltic mine, connecting it to the ore
piles in the foreground.

IT’S ALL PALATKA?
A 1913 Multi-View Postcard
This card includes Caspian, Berkshire, both Baltics, Zimmerman, Youngs and
Fogerty locations as part of “Greetings from Palatka.” The next slide makes the
case for Gaastra and Caspian also being a part of Palatka.
Caspian Mine
The Baltic/Palatka
School
(labeled “Grade School”)
Baltic 1
Baltic 2
Business District
Fogerty Mine
Smuggler Mine
Baltic Clubhouse

1913 PALATKA LOOKING EAST FROM
GAASTRA
Marked
Business street in Gaastra
Palatka Mich.
Looking west
Back Post marked Palatka 1913
“I am at my home in Palatka”

Close up of Gaastra/Palatka Card
Looking West
Baltic No. 2 shaft near left. Fogerty mine shaft far right.
Notice steam and smoke stacks.

Baltic School / Baltic Mine
Also called Palatka, Gaastra,
Berkshire, and Grade School.
Baltic No 2 looking east.
For a view looking west, see slide
71
Steam shovel

Baltic School/Fogerty Mine shaft
Palatka School & water tower Fogerty shaft 1922
By 1922, the name “Palatka” has faded, and the Fogerty
shaft is now labeled “Caspian, Mich.”

CASPIAN AS PALATKA
Caspian Mine No.2 Palatka District
Stambaugh Mich 1908
Same Caspian Mine No.2 Photo dated 1917
The “Palatka Dist.” has been obscured.
“They are beginning to erase Palatka.”

Houses on Hill beyond Caspian Mine.
This is marked No.2 Mine.
This view is looking
north.
The steepness of the
hill appears to be the
hill where the
Richards(Mine
Super.) House is
located.
That would support
this as the northern
most of the three
Caspian Mine shafts.
The No. 2?
See slide 42 for shaft
locations.

CASPIAN AS
PALATKA AND SPRING VALLEY
NEW CASPIAN LOCATION
PALATKA MICH. 1913
Image is marked Spring Valley, again by
an Iron River photographer.
However, it is is still postmarked
Palatka in 1908
“This is great mining country”
(back of card)
“Caspian Mine Spring Valley, Mich.”

Close up of 1913 Caspian and Old Caspian
Caspian Mine to Old Caspian far right
Club House and water tower
Horse grazing with empty buggy behind
Berkshire Location is visible just out of image upper right. Details of Old Caspian buildings
visible and some not yet built.

More close ups
From City Hall (not there)
To the Verona Clubhouse
Residential Caspian to Berkshire
to southern Old Caspian
Caspian Hotel in foreground.

OLD CASPIAN AS PALATKA 1913: THE BEGINNING OF THE END
In 1913, Jacob J. Drey moved his store from
the Palatka business section to Old Caspian.
The PALATKA Post Office also moved next
door in Old Caspian.
The horizontal road is Caspian Road and the
vertical road is Baker Road.
The Post Office was 800 feet north of the
Berkshire Mine.
So, was Old Caspian now “Palatka”? The
Post office didn’t change its name! It was in
Old Caspian, but still postmarked as Palatka.
If you are very troubled by this, the problem
resolved itself soon enough. Drey’s store
and the post office in Old Caspian would
burn to the ground in 1915. The new Post
Office and Drey’s business moved to New
Caspian, across from the movie theatre.
(1913 SANBORN MAP)

Old Caspian Today
Post office site

Caspian as Palatka Post Office 1915-
1919
Two views 1922 Sanborn Map.
Post office Gay Theater top right
Christian Garage lower right

1913 VIEW OF THE PALTKA
HOTEL AND OPERA HOUSE
The Calliari family erected a large
boarding house, hall, and bakery in the
extreme southeastern corner of the first
section (1908) of Caspian, the Palatka
Village plat near the river.
The Hotel was at the northeast corner of
HWY 424 and Baker Street.
In the 1950’s, kids hitchhiking to
Chicagoan Lake would walk the track
from Old Caspian to 424 and would come
across the hotel, which was still standing.
They would occasionally explore the
vacant-eyed sentinel that loomed over
the junction of the tracks and highway.
The bakery was already closed by 1913.
(1913 Sanborn Map)

THE PALATKA HOTEL IN 1922
The Hall or Opera House has been torn down.
Several outbuildings are also missing, including the bakery building.
McGillis Ave. (named for a nearby mine) does not go through today.
(1922 Sanborn Map)

The Palatka (Calliari) Hotel Site Today
Approximate location of the Fogerty Mine.
Approximate location of the Youngs Mine.

BALTIC LOCATION 1913/1922
(see previous Baltic 1908 photos)
1913 Zimmerman shaft No 1
“not operating”
1922 “Formerly site of
Zimmerman Mine No 1” (houses moved)
Water tower & two-inch pipe to street.Notice the “outhouses” moved along
with the houses on the right.

BALTIC MINE CASPIAN MICH. 1922
By the time 1922 rolled around, the
Baltic No. 2 is just “The Baltic”, and the
Baltic No. 1 is no more.
The 1st Presbyterian Church and the
Gaastra Junior School are visible in the
background.
Gaastra was founded in 1908 and
Caspian in 1909.
In 1918, Caspian was incorporated and
C.E. Lawrence (of the Verona Mining
Co.) ruled with an iron hand until 1932.
(he oversaw 1200 men)
1922 “The road west to Caspian was
completed to augment the winding trail
used to enter the village by way of the
Palatka School”.
Like North Milwaukee vanishing into Milwaukee,
Palatka vanished into Caspian and Gaastra

Close up Gaastra
and the Zimmerman Location
The 1st Presbyterian Church
and New Gaastra Grade School
New Grade School
and the Zimmerman Location

PALATKA WHERE ARE YOU?
(1922 Sanborn Map)
CASPIAN & GAASTRA
NO PALATKA
Gaastra School and Gaastra Junior School.
The Duca Degli
Abrauzzi Italiano
Society was formed in
1909 and its building
was erected in 1914.
in Caspian. Note the
pin to the left still
acknowledged they
live in “Palatha”, or
Palatka. The pin is
dated September
1909 for its founding
date, when Palatka
was still in its heyday.

PALATKA? WHERE ARE YOU?
PALATKA IS GONE!
CASPIAN MINE
CASPIAN LOCATION
Italian Society
FOGERTY MINE
PALATKA HOTEL
BALTIC NO2(Baltic 1 gone)
YOUNGS MINE
BALTIC LOCATION
Berkshire Mine and
Location
Gaastra School
Gaastra Junior School
Zimmerman Location
Zimmerman No. 1
Zimmerman No2
1922 Sanborn Map close up

Dober No. 3 Shaft Stambaugh, Mich.
1924
Berkshire Location
Berkshire School
Gaastra City Hall
Zimmerman Location

CLOSE UP
Berkshire School, City Hall/School, and
Zimmerman Location

GAASTRA SCHOOL AND ZIMMERMAN LOCATION
BALTIC LOCATION (c.1940 visible through trees)
Caspian Schools are visible center right.

CLOSE – UP
Gaastra School, Zimmerman Location
and The Baltic Location
Caspian Schools center left. Community Center center right.
The Buck Mine was the surviving remnant of the Baltic Location. The Buck finally
closed in 1961.

PALATKA DEPOT & STILL THE
BALTIC LOCATION 1949

THE ZIMMERMAN LOCATION IN 1949
Michigan Department of Conservation Map

PALATKA: A SUMMARY.
Caspian Mine 1902-1937
Berkshire Mine 1908-1950
Baltic Mine 1900-1950
Zimmerman Mine 1907-1950
Fogerty Mine 1907-1949
Youngs Mine 1904-1928
The Caspian/Berkshire Mine in the Northern Valley produced 10.7
Million tons, while the “Buck Group” in the south Spring Valley area
produced 8.4 Million tons.
These two areas began building homes and building population north
and south of Palatka, starting in 1902. By 1911, the northern Caspian
Mines had 68 dwellings, versus the southern Baltic Mine’s 44 homes.
Palatka sprouted between these two thriving communities as early as
1904-05, right along the section line that divided plats 1 and 6. These
businesses were authorized a post office in 1906, which became the first
official recognition of Palatka. (Other than the Palatka Railroad Junction
which was established in 1901)
6.6
4.1
2.5
3.6
1.5
0.8
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Caspian Mine Berkshire Mine Baltic Mine Zimmerman
Mine
Fogerty Mine Youngs Mine
Total Tonnage of Iron Ore Produced
Old Caspian
Palatka

The business section reached its apex from 1908 to 1913, based on the post card series of
1908, as well as other cards through 1912. This is also based on prominent mention on
maps and in other publications.
During this period, “Palatka” became a generic name for much of the valley (particularly
the south), much the way that “Spring Valley” had been since the 1880’s. Even after the
town itself disappeared, “Palatka” continued as a generic name for the area until most of
the mines closed by 1950. We can still find remnants of the use of “Palatka” until the Buck
closed in 1961.
PALATKA’S DECLINE
Palatka’s central location soon began to work
against it. The larger population in Old Caspian to
the north was beckoning business owners away,
including Jacob J. Drey, who moved his store and
the Palatka Post Office to Old Caspian in 1913.
More upstart communities also surrounded
Palatka, such as New Town Caspian to the west.
Caspian started in 1909, it had 300 people by
1913, and 1,860 by 1917. Likewise, Gaastra, to the
east, cropped up in 1908 and had 1,000 people by
1913. The exodus followed Drey out of Palatka.

CROSSING PATHS WITH PALATKA AND JACOB J
DREY
1913: Moved business and post office and his
business from Palatka to Old Caspian
1915: Drey’s business and the Old Caspian Post
Office burned down. The post office moved to
Caspian, while Drey opened an apparel store in
Caspian.
1926: Closed apparel store, opened a store at
219 Genesee Street in Iron River (next to movie
theatre)
1936: Went out of business and went to work
for Barney Krom (see slide 10)
1945: Opened another store in Iron River
After just two years in Old Caspian, J.J. Drey’s business and the post office burned down.
The Palatka Post Office was moved to the Mascotti Building in Caspian. The Palatka Post
office officially ended in 1919, a year after Caspian was incorporated. From then on,
“Palatka” disappeared as an established location, and became a generic term for the area
southeast of Caspian. Finally, it became the stuff of legend.

In 1930, my mother, Marguerite, won a contest
by dancing on her roller skates at the movie
theater. She was just ten years old, and was so
proud. Her prize was to go next door to Drey’s
apparel store, and there she picked out a pair
of pink pajamas. She shared this story 88 years
later in 2018, a childhood memory that burned
clearly in the mind of a 98 year-old.
Palatka may have not been around long, but it
has remained a part of our lives in Iron County
in innumerable ways, like the small girl who
won pajamas from a former Palatka Business
operator, and remembers it fondly almost a
century later.
This presentation was researched and created
by Jon Angeli. Please contact him with any
questions at jrangeli@tds.net.

Palatka Michigan: A Ghost Town.

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