March 2014 - Lost In Michigan

Irish Hills Towers

I can just imagine a family in the 30’s and 40’s living in Detroit loading up in the old car (new at the time, but old to me) and driving west down Michigan Avenue. Heading out to the Irish Hills for the day to see the sight at the top of the Irish Hills Towers. With the interstate highway system and how easily you can drive long distances quickly to parks with “Extreme” rides like Cedar Point, people stopped visiting the Irish Hills. This is just one more tourist destination that is slowly fading away like Deer Acres and so many other roadside atractions. It seems like everyone is in such a hurry to get places, and plugged into there electronic devices, no one ever looks out the window and stops to enjoy the journey, If they were open I would climb to the top, the view must be better than anything I would see on an ipod or gameboy screen.

p.s. I think they should be saved, just because the second tower was built out of “spite”

Championship Match-up Michigan State Park March Madness Poll

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Michigan State Parks .

Congrats to Ludington State Park for Winning the March Madness Poll

It’s been a long road with over 100 state parks competing, but we are down to the final two parks voted into the Championship Round. They are definitely worthy of being in the final round, and it will be hard to chose.

Vote for your favorite and Sunday April 6th we will crown the Michigan State Park Champion for 2014.

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The Clifford Elevator

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Grain Elevators .

It’s hard to miss this beautiful red grain elevator in the small town of Clifford in the middle of Michigan’s Thumb. I was doing a little research on it. I did not find much, but I found this pic of what it used to look like HERE. Amazing what a little hard work and some paint will do. I hope I can get back there when the weather is better and the grass is green.

Click Here for the Before Pic I found on Flckr

There was a sign next to the road that said “HALL RENTAL” it looks like it has been restored and renovated and used for banquet space. I know some other old elevators around Michigan that could be done to. Like the Phleps Bros Mill in Manton

Final Four Round of Michigan State Park Madness Poll

Posted on March 23, 2014 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Michigan State Parks, Uncategorized .

Voting for this round is complete, vote for the Champion HERE

Now we are down to the final four parks from the winners of the Top 8 round, thank you to the thousands of you that voted. These matchups should be interesting, it’s gonna be hard to pick between them, they are all such incredibly popular and beautiful parks.We will see who goes onto the final matchup next Sunday.

Thank you for voting and share with your friends.

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Michigan Spring

Posted on March 20, 2014 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Uncategorized .

It’s the first day of spring in Michigan, I am hoping we have some nice weather since it was such a long cold winter. I took this pic a few years ago at Dow Gardens in Midland.

Top 8 Michigan State Parks March Madness Poll

Posted on March 16, 2014 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Michigan State Parks, Uncategorized .

Now we are down to the top 8 Michigan State parks that won the Sweet 16 round of voting. it’s going to be difficult to choose between them but we will work our way down to the final four for next weeks poll,

The Polls are closed for this round, vote in the final four round HERE

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K9 Veterans Day – March 13th

Posted on March 13, 2014 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Uncategorized .

The United States K9 Corps was started on March 13^th 1942, and there is an effort to make this national K9 Veterans Day. And although it is not recognized nationally Michigan and a few other states has declared March 13^th K9 Veterans Day to honor all dogs that have served in the military, police and civilian search and rescue.

Michigan War Dog Memorial in South Lyon

The Michigan War Dog Memorial and Cemetery is in South Lyon, on Milford and 11 Mile Road. It is a beautiful memorial and final resting place for the dogs of Michigan that have served our country and state so faithfully.

Michigan War Dog Memorial Cemetery

Thank You to all the handlers trainers and dogs that have served so loyally

Michigan War Dog Memorial website

K9 Veterans Day Website

The Significance of the James Shearer House In Bay City

Posted on March 13, 2014 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Historic Places .

When I was in Bay City I saw this old house on Center Ave near downtown and thought it looked majestic, it reminded me of the older homes in Detroit. Without knowing anything about this house I would find out just how significant it was. A few days after I took the pic I was roaming around the world wide web and a saw a photo of a house that looked familiar and then I realized, it’s the house in Bay City that I found so remarkable. Normally I take a photo of a house I know nothing about, I try to research about it and I can’t find any information, but this house was different.

I found out James Shearer built this house in 1876 and lived in it with his family. James Shearer was a builder and besides building this beautiful home, he built several buildings in Michigan, including the building Mill End was in that was recently raised to build new condominiums. He also was chosen by the Governor of Michigan in 1871 to supervise the construction of the state capital along with two other men.

If you’re in Bay City this weekend running the St Patrick’s Day road race you will run right past this magnificent old house. Or maybe you will see it while you are there watching the parade.

you can read more about James Shearer Here and Here

Coal Mine No 8 – Michigan Historical Marker

Posted on March 11, 2014 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Michigan Historical Markers, Uncategorized .

Located at the Hartley Outdoor Education Center coal mine No8 was one of the longest operating coal mines in Michigan.

the marker reads

Coal Mine No 8 located at Hartley Education Center

Coal was discovered in the St. Charles area in 1896. On this site in 1917 the Robert Gage Coal Company sunk a shaft 200 feet beneath the surface. The main entry off the shaft was about three miles long. At times, the mine employed as many as four hundred men, who worked in pairs. In 1919 a miner earned sixty to seventy cents per ton. After undercutting and blasting coal from seams 22 to 64 inches thick, miners shoveled it into cars that were pulled by mules and electric motors to the cage, where it was lifted up the shaft to the tipple. It was then sorted, weighed and loaded into railroad cars. The highest grade of bituminous coal in Michigan was mined here until 1931, when the shift to other fuels and competition from higher grade coal in other states made it necessary to close.

Photo of workers at Mine No 8, photo courtesy of Harley Outdoor Education Center

To view the mine contact Hartley Outdoor Education Center, because Hartley is and education center they usually have students visiting and you need to check in with them at the office before you can have access to property. Contact info can be found HERE

Remnants of the tipper used to tip coal out of the coal cars coming out of the mine

remnants of the processing plant used to clean and sort the coal

Sweet 16 Round Michigan State Park March Madness Poll

Posted on March 9, 2014 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Michigan State Parks .

Voting is over for this round, now we are onto the top 8 click Here to vote

Voting for the first round is over and now we are onto the sweet 16 round. Some of these matchups are going to be difficult to decide all of the parks in the running are very popular. in group 15 from the last round Mill Creek and Burt Lake tied so we have 3 parks in the last matchup. Voting for this round will end Sunday afternoon March 16th

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