Italian Hall Historical Marker — Attraction in Calumet Township

A painter I met one night in Calumet wrote these words.

Annie Klobuchar Clemenc (1888-1956) was one of the most notable women labor activists from a pivotal early period in the history of the U.S. labor movement. Annie was the heroine and most visible leader of the 1913 copper miners' strike on the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan. Often called the "Joan of Arc of Calumet," she was known as 'Big Annie' as she was 6'2"! Annie led the daily mass marches in support of the strike, carrying an enormous American flag on a ten foot staff for miles through the Copper Country. Despite multiple arrests, physical attacks against her by deputies, strikebreakers, cavalrymen, and jailings, she never wavered in her support for the fifteen thousand copper miners, and their right to unionize. Born in Calumet, Annie was the daughter and wife of immigrant Slovenian copper miners. She knew all too well the grave dangers and long hours for low pay of the miners. Typical of the hard working immigrant families, who did the most difficult or menial jobs as they forged their way in America, Annie worked as a domestic, and also helped care for injured miners. In an era where women could not vote, and no women worked in the mines, Annie had to overcome deep-seated prejudices to rise to her leadership role in Copper Country. Active behind the scenes as well as in the front of the marches, Annie worked tirelessly to provide supplies or other assistance for the desperately poor families of the miners. Annie also went on a multi-state speaking tour to raise public awareness, and funds, for the strikers. Although the Keweenaw copper strike proved to be a terribly bitter struggle in which more than eighty people were killed, there were some signal achievements. The local leaders of the Western Federation of Miners that included Annie were able to unite the highly disparate community into a disciplined and spirited force, fighting for the betterment of their lives. Michigan's labor movement evolved drastically as a result of this strike. Although the strike was broken, Annie's words and deeds later helped bring safe and fair working conditions for miners and workers. Since the families of the miners were too impoverished to celebrate Christmas in 1913, Annie, as president of the WFM Women's Auxiliary, organized a Christmas Eve party for them, attended by nearly 700 hundred people, principally children. In one of the most heinous disasters in Michigan history, a man sought to break up the party by falsely yelling "Fire," setting off a stampede for the stairway of the Italian Hall that Annie and others could not hold back. 59 children and 14 adults perished on the staircase. For her role as a labor activist, Annie was selected for the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame. Her likeness is included on the medallion given to their inductees. In 2013 she will also be an inductee into the International Labor Hall of Fame. She has been the subject of numerous books and magazine and...

If you do not know the story behind the Italian Hall Tragedy, you should look it up. There is a documentary available on YouTube, and one on Amazon Prime as well. Never forget. This is a very sad place to visit, knowing how many people, mostly children, lost their lives at this spot. The building was torn down in the 80s, which makes it even more sad. I feel like it should have been saved, for the memories of the families, and turned into something. The only remaining part of the building is the archway that was on the front of the building. When you are here, be sure to take a moment to reflect, and a moment of silence for those who lost their lives when someone yelled Fire, when there...

We first discovered the history of this place at the National Parks Service visitor site in Calumet. Once we understood what happened, we easily found the site. It is a moving, sobering memorial and tribute to those who tragically lost their life that Christmas Eve. We were touched by the beautiful memorial with the names and ages of those who died. As we departed, we found the Woody Guthrie song, "1913 Massacre" and...