Q: How did Ontonagon get its name?

A: courtesy of Ontonagon.com:

The name "Ontonagon" is derived from the Ojibway word "nontounagon," which means "I lost my bowl." Local legend surrounding the name stems from the story that a member of Chief O-Kun-De-Kun's band was washing bowls near the mouth of the river when she was startled by an unkempt stranger in a canoe. The woman inadvertently dropped one of the bowls into the river and exclaimed "nontounagon". The white man took her declaration to be a reply to his question about the name of the area.

You know, I was born and raised in White Pine and this is the first time I've heard that story.

I was born in Ontonagon, and I remember my dad having a book on the history of Ontonagon...sorry I don't know the title or author. This is the story that was in the book as to the origin of the name.

It probably really means "bowl-shaped" in reference to the original harbor. Go see the Ontonagon County Historical Society Museum on main street for lots more interesting info.

Is the "Lost Bowl" cafe still in business there?

So, it has nothing to do with somebody's "noggin!" ;o)

The Library Bar used to have a sign for their low doorway on the second floor: Watch out, or you'll get hit Ontonagon!

My strongest memory of Ontonagon was hearing that familiar voice on the Houghton radio station, "This is Jan Tucker in Ontonagon!" Does that strike a bell?

Where does a Finlander wear his chook?
Ontonagan. :o) Heard that one a lonnng time ago.

Sure do remember WMPL radio and the Jan Tucker report.

We departed the UP a decade ago but never forgot the winters. They were great. Thanks for the memories. Your pictures put us back up there.

Youse guys slay me! :o) I think I remember Jan talking about cooking.

As a former White Piner, it is great to see pics of Ontonagon and that area! I sure miss the snow. I well remember WMPL and Jan Tucker, but what I really miss is picking up WLS late at night and wondering what a big city was like.

We listened to WLS on small transistor radios(8 transistors!) because WMPL had no rock and roll and WHDF had Teen Toons and Topics for one half hour per day-weekdays only. I guess they kept out the bad big city ways or something.

Dear Ken from da UP

Cute story about the "Chook", but I think the name of the head covering is from the French word toque, pronounced very much like "Chook", which means a small hat without brim (for ladies), or from the 16th century man's hat with narrow brim with pleated fullness on top, decorated with a plume.( Webster's Dictionary of the English Language.In modern use it usually means a stocking cap or longshoreman's wool cap. My Dad wore them when he was in the UP and in the North Country of Ft. McMurray,Alberta,Canada and our family still refer to these head coverings as "Chook".

Hi catherine from Holland,
you forgot to mention to ask for ruth ristola when you go to the museum for she can answer just about any question based on the history of Ontonagon and the surrounding area.
your favorite bro,
steve

Hei, Nita from CA,
I guess I've seen that French spelling before but didn't 'memper it. Besides, I thought this is da UP so I could get by with 'chook'. Thanks or should I say 'Kiitos', which is 'merci'.

Oh my goodness! I forgot all about WLS. I used to listen to it every night while falling asleep! Loved it! I also remember listening to Jan Tucker. If you had a stain you couldn't get out....Jan would have a solution for it!!! :)

Persha's "Lost Bowl" Cafe has been closed for a _very long_ time.

As a Michigan Tech "toot" starting in 1959, I remember the local "Teen Toons and Topics" on Wif-Dif, plus listening to deejay Dick Biondi on Chicago's WLS, late at night in room 166 Douglas Houghton Hall. Great memories.

I remember the "Lost Bowl", it was our hangout back in the 70's during noon hour and weekends.Anyonefromthe class of 77out there?like to hear from you!chris

The "Lost Bowl" sign is still on the building, but it has been closed for a long time hey.

Bee-Sarasota,Fl Can't miss a nite on the Pasty.com! Learn something all the time. Also, listen to Jan all summer long...get those good receipies from the Houghton station and lots of "thoughts for the day".

A special thank you to Nita Beaudoin-Rowley for the explanation AND spelling of "Chook." My mother is almost 90 years old and was born in the UP. She told me that when she left the UP at age 12, her mother sent her to the store to buy "chooks" for the trip to Detroit. I'm writing her life story and she didn't have a clue how to spell "chooks" - just, "That's what we always called them. Even when we started school in Detroit." I'm trying to be letter perfect for her story and had just about given up hope of finding any reference to these hats.

Interesting that someone who'd lived in Canada would have a word like "chook" for a toque. As far as I knew, all English Canadians called it just "toque" (sometimes spelled "tuque") both pronounced with a long "oo" sound as in "luke". I found this site when searching for "longshoreman's cap" in Yahoo and elsewhere everyone seems to use that term to refer to something that looks like a tam. I had always thought of longshoremen wearing toques with neither tassle nor pompom.

this is so cool i love it

it does mean "lost bowl"

Listening to WLS at night, remember Chris Eric
Stevens, one of the Disc Jocs, he was great!
Jan Tucker, who could forget her! Her garbage in
the freezer thing! WMPL, Bob Olson, those were the days. Now, we don't have Dick Storm on air
anymore! It"s just not the same. Ontongaon will
change too after the new bridge comes in.

Jan Tucker is now on WUPY-FM, 101.1 Fm on your radio dial in Ontonagon. Monday through Friday from 9am to 10am and she has all kinds of things to talk about and report on!! She has a one of kind of voice, very nice person to listen to for all kinds of information around the area!! Kudos to Jan Tucker!!Also the best recipes in the western end of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan!!

I was able to pick up WLS one night while driving in east Texas. I believe it is an all talk station now.

Used to listen to WLS up in Copper Harbor when I worked at Marco's Steakhouse and at McGinty's Resort. Also WBZ in Boston, Mass., and KXEL in Waterloo, IA. I remember Dick Biondi from WLS, too. You could get am radio stations from all over up there at night. In '63 I was sailing aboard the E. L. Ryerson as we were going toward Duluth, watching tv6 from Marquette. Suddenly we were watching a different program. We left it on just to see where it was coming from. It turned out to be another ch6 but from somewhere in Louisiana! It lasted for about 1/2 hour and then we were watching Marquette again. Radio/tv signals must be attracted to the metals in the rock up in the Keweenaw? Hmmm.

persha cafe was bought by scott flaska and he sold it to some guy who is living in the apartments upstairs in the building. the guy said he bought the building from flaska and was going to put in a motorcycle shop there.