1913 Strike Scenes

Exterior of the boardinghouse in Seeberville, Michigan where two men were killed by deputies on August 14, 1913. (Photo courtesy of MTU Archives, Keweenaw Digital Archive)

Today marks the 100 year anniversary of the Seeberville murders. After taking a shortcut through off-limits company property, deputies track down two strikers to a Seeberville boardinghouse. After attempting to arrest one of the trespassers, a bowling pin is thrown by one of the boarders and strikes one of the deputies. The scene turned deadly soon after this as deputies drew their guns and started firing on the house. While the house no longer stands, the memory of the incident looms large in the narrative of the strike.  For detailed information about the events at Seeberville and the murders please see Alison K Hoagland’s article “The Seeberville Murders: Death and Life in the Copper Country in 1913,” available as a chapter in New Perspective on Copper Country History or in the vertical files at MTU under “Crimes -Homicides-Putrich.” Also, in other centennial related news, a few new events have been added to the events page, including two book talks with historical novelist Carol Sheldon (today in Calumet and tomorrow in Houghton).  Be sure to check the updated Calendar of Events page often as new events are being added weekly.