Downtown Crystal Falls

The shops and architecture of downtown Crystal Falls are full of surprises for visitors: a community arts center, sausagemaker-deli, super-quaint shoe store and custom leather shop, antique shop. To the left, Crystal Manor, once a hotel, then senior housing, soon to be vacant awaiting a creative developer.

One of Michigan's most picturesque towns has many noteworthy features. It stretches down along the long Superior Street hill from the courthouse to the Paint River and the park and golf course beyond it.

A good deal of Crystal Falls' commercial energy has migrated west of town around the intersection of U.S. 2 and U.S. 141. But lately some visitor-oriented businesses have opted for this charming setting, joining many established businesses.

Just east of the courthouse lawn, at the head of Superior Avenue, are the Lutheran church and the 1935 post office. In the post office's WPA mural an idealized farmer and wife plow a field.

Plowing by Finnish homesteaders in Iron County was akin to the scene in the WPA mural in the Crystal Falls post office.

Downtown highlights include (from hilltop to river):

• The CRYSTAL FALLS CONTEMPORARY CENTER holds classes for adults and children in yoga, dance, woodcarving, and pottery. Of interest to summer visitors are one-day drop-in sessions like the open pottery studio held some evenings and the summer clay camp and art camp for kids, two hours a day. For a current schedule, visit www.crystalfalls.org and click on "culture." 200 Superior. (906) 875-4595. Wheelchair-accessible.

• The CRYSTAL MANOR, an impressive three-story former hotel, is now a senior citizens' home but will soon be vacated. City leaders would love to see a creative use for this key downtown building.

• The three-story brick building with a central tower at 401 Superior looks like an old brewery. It is actually the CITY HALL, built in 1914 as a community center with a fire house, an auditorium, and a library. (The Crystal Falls District Community Library, a good source of information on the area's mining history, has now moved into a new building at 237 Superior. (906) 875-3344. It's open Mon-Thurs 9-7, Fri to 4, Sat 10-2 Central Time. Wheelchair-accessible.

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Theater organ buffs restored the Crystal Theater and installed an impressive theater organ.

The CRYSTAL THEATRE is a beautiful and intimate theater from 1927-28 with 574 seats. It has been restored through the Herculean efforts of 11 theater organ buffs. They repaired the abandoned movie/vaudeville theater, repainted its elaborate multicolored geometric plaster work, and installed a 21-rank Moeller theater organ, much larger than a theater this size would originally have had. The summer organ concerts draw from farthest away, but the June variety show sells out. Half the town's in it and the other half comes to see it. The theater hosts traveling concerts and local theater groups. For events info, call (906) 875-3208 or (906) 875-6052 or visit www.crystalfalls.org and click on "culture." 304 Superior.

• Peninsula Title & Abstract at Superior and Fourth has a leaded glass window bearing the name of an original occupant, the CRYSTAL FALLS CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY. It was one of many co-ops common in Finnish settlements centered on mining or agriculture. Mines recruited heavily for workers in Finland. One local recruiting agent was so well known that letters addressed only to his name and USA would find their way to him in Crystal Falls.

• At SOMMERS SAUSAGE SHOP & GROCERY, Pat Sommers makes outstanding snack sticks and fast-selling beef and chicken jerky, both needing no refrigeration and thus a boon for campers. He prepares bacon, ham, smoked chicken, and more. Fresh sausages made here range from bratwurst, kielbasa, and cheddarwurst, to Italian sausage, Cajun andouille, and chorizo. Sommers learned the trade from the founder of Lewandoski's Market on Grand Rapids' Polish west side. Lunch specials, soups, sandwiches, and deli items are a welcome new addition. As yet there's no seating. 132 Superior. (906) 875-6032. Mon-Fri 8-6, Sat 9-3 Central Time. Wheelchair access: one large step.

• BICIGO'S CRYSTAL FALLS SHOE SHOP has all the original shoemaking equipment used to make boots for miners when the business first started in the early 20th century. Now, assisted by his wife, the son and nephew of the original owners keeps the store partly as a living museum of bygone shoe advertising, partly as a store for work shoes, and partly as a specialty shoe repair and leather shop. It's a time trip not to be missed. Today Bicigo's makes the radio collars used in wolf studies, among other things. 40 Superior Street. (906) 875-6741.

• THE ART BARN. A former feed barn houses the painting studio/gallery of Packy Eckola, Iron Range native, transplant from Oakland County, and local arts dynamo. She started the very popular and professional annual June variety show, now done by others. "You could go to any community and do something like this. Honey, there's talent everywhere," she says. Her web site, www.packyeckolasartbarn.com, conveys her publications and ideas about the importance of art as an alternative route to problem-solving, accessible to people of many intellectual abilities. 33 1/3 Fourth, behind Crystal Interiors. Open by appointment. 875-4179.

• BARGAIN BARN ANTIQUES is now in the old Nelson Hotel down the Superior Street hill. It has installed its attractive (and attractively priced) mix of antiques and collectibles, large and small. With 22 upstairs rooms to fill, outside dealers have been added. New owners take over in spring 2005. 60 Superior. (906) 875-3381. Call for current hours.

• NYLUND'S PASTIES. Pasties made here are sold, frozen, in groceries across the U.P. But they can also be purchased fresh from the plant. Seconds, available frozen, are much less. . 1 Superior at the bottom of the hill. (906) 875-4440. Plant hours Mon-Thurs 7 a.m. to 2 p.m, Fri 7 to noon.

Frozen pasties and pierogi made at Nylund's, at the foot of the downtown hill, are widely distributed in the U.P., but they can be purchased fresh at the plant — with bargains to be had.

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