This website was created to preserve the legacy of Herman “Winks” and Barbara Kettle Gundlach, maintain the history of our community, and to inspire the next generation of activists, feminists, and philanthropists.

From captain of the Houghton High School and Harvard University football teams to a captain of industry, Herman “Winks” Gundlach Jr. was a man of many passions. From 1946 until he retired in 1988, his Gundlach Construction company built many of the major structures in the Upper Peninsula. A humble man, Winks gave credit for many of his accomplishments to others. He revered the tradesmen of the area, and Winks stayed up late looking over his payroll, knowing that these names didn’t just represent employees, but local families.

A housewife, a mother, a Harvard alum, a feminist. These are all labels that could describe Barbara Kettle Gundlach. She was an able, intelligent woman whose competence covered a broad range of interests, including music, art, literature, religion, social ethics, and philosophy. You can read much more about her HERE.