Laurium Manor Inn in Laurium
The year was 1908 and all over the Keweenaw Peninsula mansions were being built by the wealthy copper mine owners. But here in Laurium the largest and most opulent of them all was just being completed. Built for Thomas H. Hoatson, owner of Calumet & Arizona Mining Co., no expense was spared building this 13,000sq. ft., 45 room mansion. At a time when miners were making 25 cents per hour, this house was built at a cost of $50,000 and $35,000 of furnishings were added. Some of the unique features include silver leaf covered ceilings of the music parlor; embossed and gilded elephant leather wall coverings and stained glass in the dinning room; grand triple stair case of hand carved oak; wall size built-in icebox made of marble, tile, and oak in the kitchen; panoramic landscape mural and gilded tile fireplace in the den; 1300 sq. ft. ballroom on the third floor; two room size cedar closets; 10 bedrooms (some over 500 sq.ft.); and the turntable in the two story carriage house.
