Italian Hall Tragedy 110th Anniversary: Remembering 73 Lost Lives
Luminaries line the pathway to Italian Hall's remaining brick archway. Courtesy of the National Park Service.
CALUMET – This Christmas Eve marks the 110th anniversary of the Italian Hall Tragedy. That night, 73 people lost their lives trying to escape a downtown building after someone reportedly yelled “fire”. The announcement caused a panic as folks rushed to escape down a stairway from the second floor, where their Christmas party was being held. The exodus of people pushing may have prevented the doors from opening, leaving many to be trampled or suffocated to death on the stairs. Of the 73 who died, 59 were children. You can see their names here.
The attendees were all involved with mining or were family members of miners. In 1913 there was a district-wide miners’ strike happening, which stoked divisions between workers and managers. Tensions were high. This raised questions about who called out “fire!” that night. Some reports claimed the aggressor may have been wearing a badge for Citizen’s Alliance, an organization that opposed trade unions and strikers. But, his identity has never been proven.
Anna Klobuchar Clemenc or “Big Annie” was a local labor leader who led the Ladies Auxiliary of the Western Federation of Miners, the organization hosting the party. Within days of the tragedy, Big Annie led a funeral procession to Lakeview Cemetery in Calumet to lay the victims to rest.
Today all that remains of Italian Hall is a path to a brick archway that reads 1908 on its left pillar. The building was demolished in 1984 and made into a park to mark the site of the tragedy and to honor the victims. It includes an interpretive sign explaining the 1913 event, a state historical marker and a memorial naming the victims. There is a luminary service where volunteers light a candle for each victim at the hall site every Christmas Eve.
This significant 110th anniversary reminds us that those who died at this tragic event will never be forgotten in the Copper Country. These people have relatives alive to this day. At the Keweenaw National Historical Park Visitor Center, you can still share personal thoughts in a remembrance book. The Village of Calumet maintains the Italian Hall site, which is open to the public.
Read more about this tragedy to draw your own conclusions and discover more about Big Annie’s involvement in the 1913 Copper Country Strike. The Keweenaw Area Community Foundation is fundraising to erect a statue in Annie’s honor in Calumet. Help set her in bronze to honor her historic legacy as a leader who fought for workers’ rights and involvement in mining union movements.
