About Jake Menghini
August Menghini was
born in 1913. As a
young boy, he picked
up a whiskey jug ...
empty, of course ...
and it was the first of
many items from the
past that he collected
and saved throughout
his lifetime.
He had a small log
building on his
property, which was
filled with treasures.
He wanted his things
to be preserved for
others to see in the
future, so donated it
all to the City.
The building housing
the museum today is
located on the
property of another
historic Norway site,
the former Odill pop
factory. Work is
underway to bring a
historic sawmill to the
museum grounds.
Made with Xara
What’s Inside the Museum? Here’s a Preview!
The museum has
a central area with
a variety of items
and photos from
Norway’s past.
In its early years,
the town thrived
on mining and
logging. It was
a bustling town,
with all the kinds
of businesses
you’d expect to
serve a growing
population.
Some displays
are set up as
businesses or
offices, and you
can see some
of these in the
photo galleries
at left.
There are also
a lot of photos,
documents, and
things like tools
of the various
trades found in
Norway’s early
years.
Some of the Displays at “The Jake”
Hardware Store
At left you will see a display of items you’d find
in a hardware store in years gone by. Tools,
household items, sporting goods, and other
items can be spotted if you click on one of the
small “thumbnail” photos below left, then use
your mouse to “zoom” in on details in the larger
view which appears above the four thumbnails.
Can you identify all the objects you see?
Come on into the museum for a closer look,
and to learn more about these items!
When you first come to the hardware store,
you’re looking through the doorway into the
display area.
Click the second picture below to get a closer
picture of the stove. Clicking the third will give
you a better look at the old copper still. Yep,
we must have had moonshiners in Norway.
This probably came via mail order on the train
from Chicago!
The fourth picture is a closer look at an early
washing machine. Click the picture to bring it
up in the larger frame above, then point at
details with your mouse and you’ll get a much
larger view .. it’ll cover this text!
Elementary School
Another display is an elementary school room.
The photo at left shows a copper or bronze
sculpture that stood outside the old Central
School, which was torn down in ???
If you click on the second thumbnail below,
you’ll be looking in the doorway to a room
furnished with some of the things common in a
bygone era. Those desks are REALLY small,
but they sure looked big to kids arriving for their
first day of school!
The third picture shows the interior of the room
in more detail. Remember blackboards and
inkwells? This is sure to look familiar to those
who attended McKinley School!
The final photo in this group shows a teacher
and student in clothing that’s another reminder
of “how it used to be.”
Norway’s school system has grown with the
community, and none of the old buildings are
still standing. Today, there’s a beautiful,
modern campus on the site of the old high
school and the East and West Grade schools.
The football stadium, Ronberg Field, sits in a
natural bowl south of the schools.
Various Scenes Inside Museum
We’ve got displays of various businesses,
offices, and other places in old-time Norway.
Here you’ll find an ice cream shop, a furniture
display (undertakers and furniture stores were
a common combination in years gone by), a
dentist’s office, and the city jail.
There are many other aspects of Norway’s
small-town history and way of life to explore in
our museum. We look forward to having you
visit in person. We’ll be glad to show you
around, answer questions, and make you feel
welcome in our community!
The Odill Farmhouse
Our museum is located on the Odill family’s old
farmstead, on US-2 at the west end of town.
We’re restoring the old brick home, which also
housed the Odill Pop Factory. These photos
will show some of the work in progress, and
some areas which look as though they’re ready
for company.
When you visit the museum, be sure to include
time to see this wonderful old home.
Norway Industries
Norway owes its existence to the iron mining
industry, but has been the home of a variety of
other industries. Norway Needlecraft, which
was housed in the old Lake School building in
the third ward, made lingerie.
There was a bowling pin factory in Vulcan, our
“eastern suburb.” Northland Distributing was
the supplier of a large chain of grocery stores in
the upper midwest.
LoDal, a national manufacturer of refuse
handling equipment, got its start here, and is
now located a few miles west, in Kingsford.
St Vincent Log Homes, Inger-Teco, Asselin’s
Creamery, Anderson Manufacturing, Norway
Gravure, and a number of other businesses
made products that were sold throughout the
area, the US, and the world.
Site design by Kenneth J Anderson & Associates
(click photos to enlarge)
© 2011-15 The Jake Menghini Museum
Made with Xara
What’s Inside the Museum? Here’s a Preview!
The museum has
a central area with
a variety of items
and photos from
Norway’s past.
In its early years,
the town thrived
on mining and
logging. It was
a bustling town,
with all the kinds
of businesses
you’d expect to
serve a growing
population.
Some displays
are set up as
businesses or
offices, and you
can see some
of these in the
photo galleries
at left.
There are also
a lot of photos,
documents, and
things like tools
of the various
trades found in
Norway’s early
years.
Some of the Displays at “The Jake”
Hardware Store
At left you will see a display of items you’d find
in a hardware store in years gone by. Tools,
household items, sporting goods, and other
items can be spotted if you click on one of the
small “thumbnail” photos below left, then use
your mouse to “zoom” in on details in the larger
view which appears above the four thumbnails.
Can you identify all the objects you see?
Come on into the museum for a closer look,
and to learn more about these items!
When you first come to the hardware store,
you’re looking through the doorway into the
display area.
Click the second picture below to get a closer
picture of the stove. Clicking the third will give
you a better look at the old copper still. Yep,
we must have had moonshiners in Norway.
This probably came via mail order on the train
from Chicago!
The fourth picture is a closer look at an early
washing machine. Click the picture to bring it
up in the larger frame above, then point at
details with your mouse and you’ll get a much
larger view .. it’ll cover this text!
Elementary School
Another display is an elementary school room.
The photo at left shows a copper or bronze
sculpture that stood outside the old Central
School, which was torn down in ???
If you click on the second thumbnail below,
you’ll be looking in the doorway to a room
furnished with some of the things common in a
bygone era. Those desks are REALLY small,
but they sure looked big to kids arriving for their
first day of school!
The third picture shows the interior of the room
in more detail. Remember blackboards and
inkwells? This is sure to look familiar to those
who attended McKinley School!
The final photo in this group shows a teacher
and student in clothing that’s another reminder
of “how it used to be.”
Norway’s school system has grown with the
community, and none of the old buildings are
still standing. Today, there’s a beautiful,
modern campus on the site of the old high
school and the East and West Grade schools.
The football stadium, Ronberg Field, sits in a
natural bowl south of the schools.
Various Scenes Inside Museum
We’ve got displays of various businesses,
offices, and other places in old-time Norway.
Here you’ll find an ice cream shop, a furniture
display (undertakers and furniture stores were
a common combination in years gone by), a
dentist’s office, and the city jail.
There are many other aspects of Norway’s
small-town history and way of life to explore in
our museum. We look forward to having you
visit in person. We’ll be glad to show you
around, answer questions, and make you feel
welcome in our community!
The Odill Farmhouse
Our museum is located on the Odill family’s old
farmstead, on US-2 at the west end of town.
We’re restoring the old brick home, which also
housed the Odill Pop Factory. These photos
will show some of the work in progress, and
some areas which look as though they’re ready
for company.
When you visit the museum, be sure to include
time to see this wonderful old home.
Norway Industries
Norway owes its existence to the iron mining
industry, but has been the home of a variety of
other industries. Norway Needlecraft, which
was housed in the old Lake School building in
the third ward, made lingerie.
There was a bowling pin factory in Vulcan, our
“eastern suburb.” Northland Distributing was
the supplier of a large chain of grocery stores in
the upper midwest.
LoDal, a national manufacturer of refuse
handling equipment, got its start here, and is
now located a few miles west, in Kingsford.
St Vincent Log Homes, Inger-Teco, Asselin’s
Creamery, Anderson Manufacturing, Norway
Gravure, and a number of other businesses
made products that were sold throughout the
area, the US, and the world.
Site design by Kenneth J Anderson & Associates
(click photos to enlarge)
© 2011-15 The Jake Menghini Museum