Baraga Landmark Falls

One of the village of Baraga’s most notable structures no longer stands.

Late last week, a demolition crew leveled the building on Superior Avenue that, for many years, housed the Side Track Bar.

Built in 1879, the building was home to the Side Track since at least the mid-1930s. It also housed other businesses, and apartments.

The Side Track fell on hard times as bar traffic slowed over the last couple of decades. The business changed hands several times before closing for good in 2019.

The condition of the building deteriorated. Ownership eventually fell to the Baraga County Land Bank, after no one purchased it at a tax foreclosure auction.

The Land Bank received a grant from the state of Michigan to cover the cost of the demolition. At the April Baraga County Commission meeting, officials said the bill was expected to be around $128,000.