Lauvaux Pharmacy

02 Jul 2022, last revised 14 Jun 2026

A bottle from Lauvaux Pharmacy was discovered after the publication of the bottle book in 1978. The local newspaper mentioned Leon Lauvaux having a pharmacy in Houghton. Interestingly, the drug store itself had a history that started with Shelden & Sheffer.

History of the Drug Store

Shelden & Sheffer opened a drug store in Houghton in Oct 1864 (2). Sheffer then purchased Shelden's interest by Mar 1869 and continued the store (3). Based on having the same location, Graham Pope presumably was the one to reopen the store in 1869 after it had been closed for a few months (13). Pope then sold the drug store to Hebert & Deschamps in Feb 1872 (4). In Dec 1876, they moved the store two doors east of Isle Royale block (5,6). Hebert & Deschamps dissolved in Mar 1881 and Hebert continued the store (7,8).

Lauvaux as Proprietor

In Feb 1883, "Leon Lauvaux of Copper Harbor" purchased the drug store from Sam Hebert, including the building and the stock of drugs (1). He was to take possession in the next month with Paquet being in charge of the drug business (1). In Mar 1883, Dr. E. H. Paquet took over the business from Hebert (9), and in the following month, he received a full line of fancy goods and medicines (11).

Strangely, the newspaper announced in May 1883 that Lauvaux had sold the stock of drugs and fixtures back to Hebert, who intended to open a drug store in Superior City (10). It was expected, however, that if Lauvaux could make the proper connections, he could open a first-class manufacturing chemical laboratory and drug store in the Hebert stand (10). The newspaper then announced on 13 Sep 1883 that "Leon Lauvaux's new drug store, at Hebert's old stand, on east Shelden street, is now open for business..." (14). It is unknown when the store closed, but their ad in the Portage Lake Mining Gazette last ran on 09 Oct 1884. Thus, Lauvaux operated the drug store for at least a year.

We could not locate genealogical records for Lauvaux, but he was from France, since he vacationed there to visit "his home and friends" (12). His one bottle is one of the oldest embossed pharmacy bottles of the Copper Country.

Citations

1. Local jottings. (1883, Feb 15). Portage Lake Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 3.
2. Drug store. (1864, Oct 15). Portage Lake Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 3.
3. Corner Drug Store. (1869, Mar 25). Corner Drug Store [Advertisement] Portage Lake Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI).
4. Sold out. (1872, Feb 15). Portage Lake Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 3.
5. Hebert & Deschamps. (1877, Jan 11). Hebert & Deschamps [Advertisement]. Portage Lake Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 1.
6. [Untitled]. (1876, Dec 14). Portage Lake Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 3.
7. Local jottings. (1881, Mar 31). Portage Lake Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 3.
8. Notice of dissolution. (1881, Mar 31). Portage Lake Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 3.
9. Local jottings. (1883, Mar 08). Portage Lake Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 3.
10. Local jottings. (1883, May 03). Portage Lake Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 3.
11. Local jottings. (1883, Apr 05). Portage Lake Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 3.
12. Personal. (1886, Jun 10). Portage Lake Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 3.
13. A. J. Scott sells out. (1904, Mar 29). The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 3.
14. Local jottings. (1883, Sep 13). Portage Lake Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 3.