Superior Pharmacy

18 Dec 2021, last revised 02 May 2026

Laurium was home to two long-lived pharmacies, Laurium Pharmacy and Superior Pharmacy, but only Superior Pharmacy is known to have had embossed bottles.

MacQueen as Founder

In Sep 1900, "Dr. D. K. McQueen" arranged to rent the larger storeroom of the nearly completed Richetta block on Hecla St. with plans to establish a new drug store (28). He had already ordered a large stock and pharmacy fixtures for the store (28). Later in the month, McQueen and pharmacist James McKenzie went to Chicago to buy stock for their new store (29). In Oct, McKenzie and McQueen were in the process of stocking what would be known as "Superior Pharmacy" but were still awaiting the arrival of the fixtures (19). Finally, the newspaper announced on 10 Nov 1900 that the store was ready for business (20). The 1901 Polk directory listed the Superior Pharmacy at 333 Hecla St., Laurium, but with only "Dr. Donald K. MacQueen" as proprietor (1).

Donald K. MacQueen was born on 06 Jan 1866 in Ontario, Canada (3). After graduating from McGill University (45), he immigrated to the U.S. in 1890 (4) or 1891 (5) and practiced medicine for less than a year in Pigeon, MI (45). He then moved to the Copper Country and became the doctor for the Copper Falls mine (45). It is disputed when he moved to Laurium (45), but he was the health officer for Laurium at least in 1896 and 1897 (31,32).

MacQueen & Sibilsky as Proprietors

Tony Sibilsky of Eagle River (30) joined the Superior Pharmacy as a pharmacist in Apr 1901 (23). Four months later, on 16 Aug 1901, Sibilsky bought half interest in the pharmacy and became part owner (33). The 1903 directory then listed "MacQueen & Sibilsky" as proprietors (2).

Tony W. Sibilsky was born on 21 Apr 1879 (6) in Eagle River, MI (7) to immigrants from Germany (5). In Oct 1897, he went to Big Rapids to study pharmacy at the Ferris Industrial School (40). In May 1898, he accepted a position at the Eagle Drug Store in Red Jacket (41). He graduated in 1899 (47) and was certified as an assistant pharmacist in Mar 1900 (21,22), which would have been at the age of 21.

In Feb 1902, McKenzie, who also formerly managed the Eagle Drug Store in Red Jacket, returned to Pendill's Pharmacy in Marquette (24). "P. J. Furlong" from Muskegon, MI then joined Superior Pharmacy in Mar 1902 as a new pharmacist (25).

Branch in Laurium

In Apr 1902, MacQueen & Sibilsky secured a storeroom in the new State Savings Bank building to open a branch store once the building was completed, with Sibilsky to take active management of both stores (34). The new store would be called Bank Pharmacy (35). The building was completed in early Jun (36) and the storeroom was equipped with new fixtures (37). The Bank Pharmacy opened on 28 Jun 1902 with the C & H orchestra furnishing music (38). Short of two months, however, the proprietors decided that having two pharmacies in the same village was not a paying proposition (42). Accordingly, they closed the Bank Pharmacy and moved its stock to the Superior Pharmacy (39,42).

Move to First National Bank Building

The 1907 directory stated that the store would be moving to the First National Bank building once completed (9). On 27 Jan 1908, the pharmacy moved into its new quarters (26). "Dr. McQueen" also secured a suite of offices on the second floor (43). The 1910 directory then stated their location as the First National Bank building (10), which was located on the southwest corner of 3rd St. and Hecla St.

Branch in Red Jacket

In May 1911, Superior Pharmacy opened a branch in Red Jacket at the location, 100 5th St. (44), that Vastbinder & Read recently vacated (11,12), which was originally the MacDonald pharmacy (1). The Red Jacket store was then sold in Nov 1913 to Uno Montin, who was formally on staff at the Laurium store (13). Early in his career, Montin was employed at Macdonald's drug store (18) and worked at a drug store in El Paso, TX (27). Phil Furlong, who was managing the Red Jacket store, then resumed his previous position as head pharmacist at the Laurium store (13).

Sibilsky as Sole Proprietor

The directories of 1910, 1912, and 1916 continued to list MacQueen & Sibilsky for the pharmacy (10,44,8). However, the 1910 U.S. Federal Census recorded MacQueen as a physician in general practice (5), so he apparently continued his medical practice. The 1916 directory listed Superior Pharmacy as a Rexall Store (8).

In Oct 1919, Sibilsky purchased the interest of Dr. MacQueen and become sole owner (46). MacQueen would continue his practice with the offices in the building (46).

The 1930 directory listed Sibilsky for Superior Pharmacy at 303 Hecla St. and MacQueen as a physician at 301 Hecla St. (14). The 1940 U.S. Federal Census recorded MacQueen as a medical doctor (15). Donald MacQueen then died on 17 Oct 1949 at the age of 83 and was buried in Lakeview Cemetery, Calumet (3). He was dean of the Houghton-Keweenaw-Baraga Medical Association, and member of the Memorial Hospital, the Michigan State Medical Association, and Knights of Pythias (45). MacQueen was the longest practicing doctor in the Copper Country, and two years prior to his death, the Michigan Medical Association inducted MacQueen into its 50-year Club (45).

The Superior Pharmacy was still listed at 303 Hecla St. in a 1947/1948 business directory (17). Tony Sibilsky was still the proprietor (47) when he died on 11 Aug 1969 at the age of 90 and was buried in Lakeview Cemetery, Calumet (16). He had been in business at Superior Pharmacy for 68 years (47).

The Legacy

The drug store started in 1900, and it is unknown when it closed. Their bottles bear the mark of the Western Bottling Manufacturing Co. The first two bottles (#12 and #s32) have a similar design and date to 1900-1907. Their last bottle (#13) has First Natn'l Bank Bldg as the location, so it dates to 1908-c.1910.

Citations

1. R. L. Polk & Co. 1901. Houghton County Directory 1901-02. R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Detroit, MI.
2. R. L. Polk & Co. 1903. Houghton County Directory 1903-04. R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Detroit, MI.
3. Find a Grave. accessed Dec 2021. Dr Donald K. MacQueen. findagrave.com/memorial/213281540/donald-k-macqueen
4. U.S. Census Bureau. 1900 United States Federal Census. accessed on ancestry.com.
5. U.S. Census Bureau. 1910 United States Federal Census. accessed on ancestry.com.
6. U.S. Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014. (accessed on ancestry.com).
7. U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 for Anton W Sibilsky (accessed on ancestry.com).
8. R. L. Polk & Co. 1916. Houghton County Directory 1916-17. R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Detroit, MI.
9. R. L. Polk & Co. 1907. Houghton County Directory 1907-08. R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Detroit, MI.
10. R. L. Polk & Co. 1910. 1910 Calumet, Houghton, Hancock and Laurium Directory. R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Detroit, MI.
11. anonymous. (1911, Apr 11). Branch store in R. J. The Calumet News (Calumet, MI). p. 7.
12. anonymous. (1911, May 23). Laurium briefs. The Calumet News (Calumet, MI). p. 7.
13. anonymous. (1913, Nov 24). Pharmacy changes hands. The Calumet News. (Calumet, MI). p. 8.
14. R. L. Polk & Co. 1930. Polk’s Calumet (Michigan) Directory 1930. R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Detroit, MI.
15. U.S. Census Bureau. 1940 United States Federal Census. accessed on ancestry.com.
16. Find a Grave. accessed Dec 2021. Anton W. "Tony" Sibilsky. findagrave.com/memorial/219531160/anton-w-sibilsky
17. The Daily Mining Gazette. 1947 or 1948. Copper Country Classified Business and Professional Directory. Houghton, MI.
18. anonymous. (1898, Aug 11). untitled. The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 8.
19. anonymous. (1900, Oct 17). Getting things in shape. The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 4.
20. anonymous. (1900, Nov 10). Ready for business. The Daily Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 6.
21. anonymous. (1900, Mar 12). Passed pharmacy examination. The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 5.
22. anonymous. Mar 1900. Boards of Pharmacy. The Western Druggist 22 (3): 149-154.
23. anonymous. (1901, Apr 11). Calumet-Laurium brevities. The Daily Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 6.
24. anonymous. (1902, Feb 11). Personals. The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 4.
25. anonymous. (1902, Mar 10). The city. The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 8.
26. anonymous. (1908, Jan 28). Calumet-Laurium brevities. The Evening Journal (Hancock, MI). p. 6.
27. anonymous. (1904, Jan 15). The city. The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 5.
28. anonymous. (1900, Sep 13). A new drug store. The Daily Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 3.
29. anonymous. (1900, Sep 21). Calumet brevities. The Daily Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 6.
30. anonymous. (1900, Nov 20). Calumet-Laurium brevities. The Daily Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 7.
31. anonymous. (1896, Nov 06). News about town. The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 4.
32. anonymous. (1897, Apr 13). Laurium happenings. The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 8.
33. anonymous. (1901, Aug 17). Another business change. The Daily Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 6.
34. anonymous. (1902, Apr 17). New drug store. The Daily Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 6.
35. anonymous. (1902, May 30). Calumet-Laurium brevities. The Daily Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 7.
36. anonymous. (1902, Jun 03). Moving into new quarters. The Daily Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 6.
37. anonymous. (1902, Jun 15). Calumet-Laurium brevities. The Daily Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 6.
38. anonymous. (1902, Jun 29). Calumet-Laurium brevities. The Daily Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 6.
39. anonymous. (1902, Sep 02). The city. The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 8.
40. anonymous. (1897, Oct 28). untitled. The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 4.
41. anonymous. (1898, May 27). untitled. The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 8.
42. anonymous. (1902, Aug 26). Additional Calumet. Hancock Evening Journal (Hancock, MI). p. 7.
43. anonymous. (1908, Jan 25). Calumet brevities. The Daily Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 6.
44. R. L. Polk & Co. 1912. 1912 Calumet, Hancock, Houghton and Laurium Directory. R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Detroit, MI.
45. anonymous. (1949, Oct 17). Conferees on Dr. MacQueen farm bill face of Laurium, a hectic time dies suddenly. The Daily Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 1.
46. anonymous. (1919, Oct 06). Partnership is dissolved. The Calumet News (Calumet, MI). p. 5.
47. anonymous. (1969, Aug 12). A. W. Sibilsky, Laurium druggist 68 years, dies. The Daily Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 2.