Lost In Michigan
  • HOME
  • Books
  • the Images
  • The Artist
  • The Journey

Monthly Archives: September 2016

Lost in Carson City Michigan

Posted on September 29, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Barns and Farms, Forgotten Places .

carson-city-grain-elevator
Roaming around Carson City, I came across this old building, which I guess is some sort of grain elevator or something. I am a city kid, and not sure exactly how grain is processed, I just know I can buy stuff at the store.  Anyways, I saw this old place, lonely and forgotten, missing the days the farmers would stop by for a visit.

it would really mean a lot to me if you Subscribe to Lost In Michigan

Do you want to know when I post something new? enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, I hate spam, its just an automated system that lets you know there is a new post

[fbcomments]

The Magnificent Michigan Central Station

Posted on September 25, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Train Depots .

detroit-train-station-2-s

Standing tall in Detroit’s Corktown district, Michigan Central Station was the main intercity passenger rail depot for Detroit.. Built for the Michigan Central Railroad, it replaced the original depot in downtown Detroit, which was shuttered after a major fire on December 26, 1913, forcing the still unfinished station into early service. Formally dedicated on January 4, 1914,  At the time of its construction, it was the tallest rail station in the world.

At the beginning of World War I, the peak of rail travel in the United States, more than 200 trains left the station each day and lines would stretch from the boarding gates to the main entrance. In the 1940s, more than 4,000 passengers a day used the station and more than 3,000 people worked in its office tower. Among notable passengers arriving at MCS were Presidents Herbert Hoover, Harry S. Truman and Franklin D. Roosevelt, actor Charlie Chaplin and inventor Thomas Edison.

During the rise of the automobile and the decline of passenger rail service after WWII the train station slowly became obsolete and by 1988 the last passenger train pulled out of the station. The station has been featured in several films Including Transformers , The Island  and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Lost In Michigan wall calendars are On SALE this weekend, they help me with expenses to do this website, I hope you will take a look at them HERE

It would mean a lot to me if you subscribe to Lost In Michigan,

Facebook may not show you everything I post, I promise I wont send you any spam, I hate spam, its just an email that lets you know there is a new post

[fbcomments]

How to do Michigan in Autumn

Posted on September 22, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in autumn .
lupton-shack-2

An old barn near Lupton

Autumn in Michigan is one of the most magical places on earth, and there are lots of ways to enjoy the fall color, but this is what I have learned on my leaf peeping trips.

7-bridges-logo

Seven Bridges Recreation Area near Kalkaska

The fall color map that the tourist and news website use is more of a guideline ( as captain jack sparrow would say), I find that they are a rough estimate, but never seem to be that accurate as to when the leaves peek. I think the temperature and weather controls when the leaves peak, if its a hot dry autumn, the leaves will change different, than if it’s a cold wet fall. I find that looking at current photos on Instagram is a good guide as to how the colors are coming along, you can look at hashtags ( or as us old school people call it, the pound sign) and see what photographers are posting, just makes sure they are current photos and not ones from previous years.

One thing we know is the color starts from the north, and works its way down to the southern part of the state last. So obviously head north at the beginning of the fall and then work your way down the state to maximize your leaf peeping potential. I am not fortunate enough to live in northern Michigan and my budget is a little tight, but I find that if I stay in less popular cities, I can find a good deal on a hotel room. Like Munising instead of Marquette, Cheboygan instead of Mackinac City or Acme instead of Traverse City. I find I am gonna be traveling around to find color anyways, so where I stay is not that important. Another option is camping in one of Michigan beautiful state parks, and yes I have roughed it like Matt Foley, living in a van down by the river, but it was a beautiful river in Michigan, so it was priceless.

mount-hope-church-s-logo

an old church in Mt Hope

I know a lot of Michiganders like to go wine tasting, and play golf, but I that ain’t my thing, so while I am up north, I like to go exploring. You could just drive around with no particular place to go and see what you can find, but I think it’s a little more enjoyable to have a few places to visit on your trip. My favorite places to visit are Lighthouses, most are usually open to the public, and some of them for a small donation, will allow you to climb the tower. If you are in da U.P. there are plenty of waterfalls to find. Michigan historical markers can be found in every county in Michigan, and you can do a little research and find some interesting places to see, I suggest checking out www.michmarkers.com for a list and location of all of Michigan’s historical markers.

Now that you have a few places to check out on your trip the secret is how you get there, sure you could take the most direct and popular route using the interstate highway system, but I suggest taking a less direct route on back roads, and going thru some small towns along the way. One benefit of back roads is there are usually little traffic, and its not a problem if you want to stop and take a pic. Yeah I know M22 is a nice drive, but there is a lot of traffic and it’s hard to stop or ever slow down to see the sights without someone breathing down your tailgate trying to pass you.

mcgulpin-point-light-2-logo

McGulpin Point Lighthouse near Mackinaw City

Going out and finding peak fall color is kinda like going out on the lake and finding fish, I have never been fortunate enough to go up north, and had peak color in a large area like is shown on the color maps. It’s more like small patches of color and some places may still be a little green and others may be past peek, but if you keep driving around and exploring, you will find some spectacular color in places, and that is when it’s time to stop and take a photo. I have learned if the color ain’t to good then don’t try to make something that ain’t there, just keep moving on and see what is down the road.

Now lets talk about weather, my kids are still in school, and I am limited as to when I can get out and go leaf peeping. It seems like when I do get a chance to go its raining, but that’s ok, I have learned on overcast and even rainy days, that when you want to get into the woods and take photos, it the perfect time to get pics of waterfalls ( a tripod is helpful if you have one). If it’s a nice sunny day, that’s when it’s good to get some nice landscape photos with a lot of sky in the photo. It’s best if you can have the sun behind you instead of taking photos into the sun. one more tip, I find that if you bump up the saturation in your photos, it really brings out the colors in the pics.

Also remember, if you live in Michigan, you don’t have to go far from home to enjoy fall. You can always go to a nearby state park or county park or metropark. Take a nice Sunday afternoon drive to get some cider and doughnuts, and if you live in the big city like me, you can always take a drive out thru the country side, and see the barns and farm fields. I bet you will even find some nice places to get some pics not far from home.

it would really mean a lot to me if you Subscribe to Lost In Michigan

Do you want to know when I post something new? enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, I hate spam, its just an automated system that lets you know there is a new post

[fbcomments]

A Dam Photo from Escanaba

Posted on September 20, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Dam .

escanaba-dam-number-3

It’s been a while since I posted a dam photo, so here is dam number 3 on the Escanaba River. It is the 3rd, and final dam, as the river flows into Lake Michigan. I saw it while traveling down U.S. 2, on my drive into Escanaba, and I found a nice place to stop and get a pic. I can’t explain why, but I like stopping and visiting some of the old dams around Michigan.  I especially like it when the spillway is open, and you can see hear and feel the power of the rushing water as it exits the spillway. I am no dam expert, but I would imagine it is still one of the best sources of generating electricity. I wonder if they knew we would have so many electronic devices to power when it was built.

Lost In Michigan Calendars are now in stock and on sale, they help me with expenses to do this website and i would really appreciate it if you took a look at them HERE
it would really mean a lot to me if you Subscribe to Lost In Michigan

Do you want to know when I post something new? enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, I hate spam, its just an automated system that lets you know there is a new post

[fbcomments]

 

I hope you will sign up for Email Updates so You Won’t Miss Any New Posts

Posted on September 16, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Uncategorized .

Michigan Landscape PhotosMake sure you don’t miss any new posts from Lost In Michigan. I only share older posts on Facebook and social media. Many people tell me they enjoy seeing my daily emails and look forward to receiving them.

If you’re coming over from Facebook, I hope you will sign up for email updates. I won’t send you a bunch of junk emails, it just an automated email that lets you know I just posted something new. and I don’t like to post more than once a day.

If you have already subscribed to updates thank you very much, you have no idea how much it means to me. 

It would mean a lot to me if you Subscribe to Lost In Michigan

enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, it's just an automated email that lets you know there is a new post

The Old Hector School House

Posted on September 15, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Schools .

hecter school house cadillac
I found this little red school house while traveling along M55 south of Lake Cadillac. The sign out front said Hector School 1908, and it was the Clam Lake District No.5 School. Other than that, I could not find anything else about it, but I had to stop and get a pic of the little red school house.

it would really mean a lot to me if you Subscribe to Lost In Michigan

Do you want to know when I post something new? enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, I hate spam, its just an automated system that lets you know there is a new post

[fbcomments]

I Think I Have A Serious Problem

Posted on September 12, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Houses .

old Michigan house
I was going thru some of my old photos, and I cam across this pic of this old house, or shack, or whatever it was, but I don’t remember even taking this photo. It was in with my photos from Cross Village and Levering, so it must be somewhere around there. I take a lot of photos, and I mean a lot, I can usually remember taking all the photos I have crated, but It’s rather strange that I don’t remember this one, maybe the aliens did it.

P.S. thank you for reading my posts and following me on my journeys around Michigan, even if I am loosing my mind.

it would really mean a lot to me if you Subscribe to Lost In Michigan

Do you want to know when I post something new? enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, I hate spam, its just an automated system that lets you know there is a new post

[fbcomments]

 

The Continental Fire Company

Posted on September 10, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Fire Houses, upper peninsula .

houghton michigan fire hallThe Continental Fire Company organized in 1860 in Houghton built their new fire hall in 1883 and occupied the basement, which housed horses, and the main floor, which stored fire engines. Village offices were on the second floor. The Michigan Mining School, now Michigan Technological University, held its first classes on the second floor and in the basement from 1886 through May 1889. In the early 1900s, the building was extended to the north to store more oats and hay for the horses. In 1916, an addition was built on the western side to store two more fire engines.

The city moved its offices out of the fire hall in the 1930s. On August 5, 1966, a bronze plaque was unveiled commemorating the building as the original home of the university. In 1974, the fire department moved to a new, more centrally located fire hall along Sharon Avenue in order to accommodate larger modern equipment. The fire bell was removed in October 1975 and transferred to the new location.

The fire hall was listed as a Michigan State Historic Site on August 6, 1976.In 1978, the university purchased the building from the city to use as storage.It was sold in 2010 to a private group who renovated it into an entertainment venue, called the Continental Fire Co., which opened in February 2012.

it would really mean a lot to me if you Subscribe to Lost In Michigan

Do you want to know when I post something new? enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, I hate spam, its just an automated system that lets you know there is a new post

[fbcomments]

Ingham County Courthouse – Michigan Historical Marker

Posted on September 8, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in courthouses, Michigan Historical Markers .

ingham county courthouse

Named for Samuel Ingham, Secretary of the Treasury under Andrew Jackson, Ingham County was organized in 1838. In 1840 Mason became the county seat. The town’s wide public square had been designed as the county’s political and business center. The first county offices were on the sides of the square until 1858, when a courthouse was built at this location. The present building, completed in 1904, was described as a “temple of justice.” Governor Fred Warner, speaking at the dedication, called it “a meeting place for farmers, mechanics, business and professional men.” The courthouse has been the center of Ingham County’s activities throughout the twentieth century. In 1971 the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

it would really mean a lot to me if you Subscribe to Lost In Michigan

Do you want to know when I post something new? enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, I hate spam, its just an automated system that lets you know there is a new post

[fbcomments]

Tags: courthouse, ingham, ingham county, michigan historical marker .

The Remarkable Thing About The Clarkston Union

Posted on September 6, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches, Restaurants .

clarkston union

I was watching Diners Drive Inns and Dives with Guy Fieri, and Bob Ritchie took him to the Clarkston Union Bar and Kitchen. The food was really good, well actually better than good, it was “off the hook” as Guy would say, but the remarkable thing about the Clarkston Union, is the fact that it’s in an old Church built in the 1840’s. Traveling around the state, I see many Churches that are empty, I would not say abandoned, but they are no longer being used, and I like it when I see a church that is re-purposed, to use a current buzzword.

clarkston union churchThe interior of the old church is enthralling with the sunlight coming thru the stained glass windows, and the old pews are converted into seating for the tables and booths. An old bingo board hangs on the wall, and where the altar was is the kitchen preparing foods that are like a religious experience to eat.

 

 

clarkston union mac and cheeseThey are most well known for their mac and cheese, and the crispy toasty layer on top is to die for, I guess what better place then an old church. If you really want to kick it up to the next level, you can get the mac and cheese with ham or lobster. It will probably be busy when your there, but it’s not a problem if you have to wait for a table, since they have a general store next door to the restaurant, and you can do some shopping while you wait.

P.S. I don’t plan on doing many restaurant reviews on Lost In Michigan ( there are people way better than me that do them already) but I do like old churches and history, and I hope more entrepreneurs will consider converting old churches, schools and old buildings into beloved places in the community instead of them being left forgotten.

it would really mean a lot to me if you Subscribe to Lost In Michigan

Do you want to know when I post something new? enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, I hate spam, its just an automated system that lets you know there is a new post

[fbcomments]

Next Page »

Subscribe to Blog

Enter your Email to receive new posts notifications

Categories

  • Artesian Springs
  • autumn
  • Barns and Farms
  • Bars and Restaurants
  • Benchmarks
  • Bridges
  • calendars
  • castles
  • Cemetery
  • Churches
  • cities
  • courthouses
  • Dam
  • Detroit
  • Fire Houses
  • Forgotten Places
  • General Store
  • Ghost Murals
  • Ghost towns
  • Giveaways
  • Grain Elevators
  • Haunted Places
  • Historic Places
  • Houses
  • Iconic Buildings
  • island
  • Landscapes
  • Library
  • Lighthouses
  • Memorials
  • Michigan Historical Markers
  • Michigan State Parks
  • Mills
  • Murders
  • Nature
  • Parks
  • people
  • Photography Tips
  • presentations
  • Restaurants
  • Schools
  • Ships and Boats
  • Sleeping Bear Dunes
  • small towns
  • SP March Madness
  • State Parks
  • Thumb
  • Train Depots
  • Uncategorized
  • upper peninsula
  • Water Tower
  • Waterfalls
  • Winter Wonderland

Archives

Pages

  • Books
  • Cart
  • Checkout
  • My Account
  • Shopping Cart
  • Store
  • the Images
  • The Journey
  • The Artist

Archives

  • July 2025
  • June 2025
  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013

Categories

  • Artesian Springs (8)
  • autumn (79)
  • Barns and Farms (103)
  • Bars and Restaurants (5)
  • Benchmarks (2)
  • Bridges (29)
  • calendars (12)
  • castles (11)
  • Cemetery (79)
  • Churches (131)
  • cities (7)
  • courthouses (28)
  • Dam (17)
  • Detroit (25)
  • Fire Houses (26)
  • Forgotten Places (245)
  • General Store (28)
  • Ghost Murals (3)
  • Ghost towns (76)
  • Giveaways (21)
  • Grain Elevators (38)
  • Haunted Places (73)
  • Historic Places (139)
  • Houses (272)
  • Iconic Buildings (46)
  • island (1)
  • Landscapes (10)
  • Library (28)
  • Lighthouses (122)
  • Memorials (3)
  • Michigan Historical Markers (78)
  • Michigan State Parks (23)
  • Mills (5)
  • Murders (15)
  • Nature (35)
  • Parks (26)
  • people (48)
  • Photography Tips (5)
  • presentations (12)
  • Restaurants (12)
  • Schools (108)
  • Ships and Boats (28)
  • Sleeping Bear Dunes (6)
  • small towns (102)
  • SP March Madness (5)
  • State Parks (15)
  • Thumb (90)
  • Train Depots (70)
  • Uncategorized (169)
  • upper peninsula (244)
  • Water Tower (11)
  • Waterfalls (38)
  • Winter Wonderland (25)

WordPress

  • Log in
  • WordPress

CyberChimps WordPress Themes

© Lost In Michigan