Remember when? for Wednesday, July 15, 2026
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The following was published in the Daily Press on June 29, 1963. A community member recently submitted a copy of a previous “Remember when?” on “Old Calico” to be published.
ESCANABA - Every community has its “colorful characters,” and Escanaba is no exception, suggests Charles Follo, whose appreciation for local folklore recalls from the past men like Joe LeMay, Pat Sheridan and Old Calico.
Follo, a native Escanaban, educator, University of Michigan extension service supervisor in the Upper Peninsula and past president of the Michigan Historical Society, presents the “fact and fiction” that made several of these unusual men a legend in their own time.
Leo Dondelinger was of Luxemburg descent. The story goes that he was of royal blood but had left his home after refusing to marry the woman selected by his parents to be his wife. Others said he owned a sewing machine factory in Luxemburg.
Whence the name?
Whatever his background, he was “Old Calico” in Escanaba. When he first arrived about 50 years ago, he worked in the cinder pit for the Chicago & North Western Railway and later was proprietor of a second-hand store and pawn shop on what is now 1st Ave N. Later in life. He made his home at Danforth and sold apples on the streets of Escanaba, coming to town in a light wagon pulled by a horse or a donkey, and sometimes both, calling out “App-ul! App-ul for sale!”
The apples were windfalls given to him by farmers of the countryside. His clothing was tattered and was worn layer over layer, and his white beard and hair framed a face darkened by the shadow of his old felt hat. He liked dogs, and they liked him. Two or three mongrels followed him about or were tied beneath the wagon when he came to town.
Once in backing the wagon, a wheel ran over and killed one of the dogs. At that time, Escanaba had a chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. There was an attempt to prosecute “Old Calico,” but it never came to court. Escanabans of an earlier generation will all say they remember the shabby old man with his ill-matched team and his cry of “App-ul! App-ul!” But no one recalls why they called him “Old Calico.”
Do you have a "Remember when" photo? Anyone with an interesting old photograph of local interest may submit it for publication. Although care will be taken with the historical item, the newspaper cannot guarantee its safety or return. It is recommended that a commercial copy of the print be made, then sent or dropped off to the Daily Press at 600 Ludington St, Escanaba, along with the information about the photo. Alternatively, images and info may be emailed to life@dailypress.net.