221 5th St. Caesar Block

221 5th St. in downtown Calumet, MI.

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Location:

Calumet, MI

Significance:

Contributing Structure to the Calumet National Historic Landmark District

MANAGED BY:

Private Property

Amenities

2 listed

Cellular Signal, Parking - Auto

For most of its history the Caesar Block was occupied by clothing stores. It was built sometime around 1890, and it was occupied by a clothing store as early as 1893, and probably before. By 1898, it was occupied by Hosking and Company’s dry goods, clothing, and men’s furnishings (accessories) store. Annie M. Hosking was the proprietor of the store; her husband, William, managed the store as well as serving as postmaster of the Calumet post office. Sometime around 1906 the Hoskings sold the store, and it continued in business as the Red Front Store. By 1916, Ed Haas & Company had taken over the building for the Calumet branch of their Houghton store, which sold men's clothing. Vertin Brothers Department Store later bought out the Haas store and built a connecting addition across the alley between their buildings. When Vertin’s closed in 1985 nearly a hundred years of clothing sales in this building came to an end.