Renovation at the Calumet Theatre box office revealed the original 1900 mosaic tile floor intact beneath carpet, padding and underlayment. (Graham Jaehnig/Daily Mining Gazette)

CALUMET — Major renovations to the box office at the Calumet Theatre have involved removing the worn out carpeting.

During a renovation project currently underway in the box office of the Calumet Theatre, removing the carpeting revealed a hidden treasure: the original mosaic floor tile dating back to 1900 was found to still be intact. Although there is no current documentation dating when earlier renovations to the building were done, the box office is believed to have originally the men’s restroom. Evidence of this is supported by two circular plugged drain holes in the mosaic floor.

Executive Director of the theater, Nathan Jones, said that the tile was discovered after the carpet, padding, and underlayment had been taken out. Although showing 125 years of age, wear and neglect, Jones said the floor can be restored.

“When talking with experts on repairing the tile,” Jones said, “they say we can repair the damaged areas by taking tiles from other areas that will be hidden and use them to replace the damaged ones.”

The areas of the floor not visible will be space covered by new, custom-made cabinets to be designed to match the historical cabinets still in place.

Jones said that originally the men’s restroom mirrored that of the women’s. When that restroom is renovated and repaired, it is now expected the same style of mosaic flooring still remains there also. It may also still be present in the lobby.

“I’m told that in the lobby, underneath the existing tile floor was that was put down in 1971, the original mosaic tile is still in place.”

Although documentation is vague, the building was subject to extensive renovations from March, 1973 through June, 1975, according to a Historic American Building Survey on the building was conducted by the National Park Service in 1975, at a total cost of $118,500.

Included in the list was renovations in the lobby: Removal of a concession area, replacement of walls, installation of the ticket booth, and replacement of floors. It is probably during this renovation period that a stairway next to the next to the men’s room was removed and the box office constructed.

Jones said completion of the box office renovation is projected for the middle of February.