April 2017 - Lost In Michigan

The Abandoned Quincy Smelter

Posted on April 27, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, upper peninsula .

This complex of buildings on the shore of Portage Lake north of Hancock in the Keweenaw Peninsula is the Quincy Smelter. You can also see the ruins of the old smelter across the lake from Houghton. Built by the Quincy Mining Company, the smelter used heat and chemical processes to turn copper ore into ingots. The ingots were then sold and shipped to factories where they were turned into products such as copper wire or tubing. The Quincy Smelter is the only copper smelter remaining in the Lake Superior Region.

Part of the Keweenaw National Historical Park, the site is not open to the public at this time. The Quincy Smelter site is owned by Franklin Township and is undergoing treatment to remove hazardous materials. Future considerations for the site include stabilizing the structures and possibly adapting some parts into a visitor center. I hope I get the chance to tour the site someday if they open it up to the public, it looks like an interesting place to explore.

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The Ghost Town of Luce

Posted on April 22, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches, Forgotten Places .

This old wooden church stands quietly next to the road among the farm fields near the corner of Burt and Bishop Roads in southern Saginaw County. A couple of hundred yards to the east is where Burt Road crosses over the Fairchild Creek, and that is where the town of Luce once stood. The town was given a post office in 1890 and it closed in January of 1914. The small community was named after the 21st governor of Michigan, Cyrus G. Luce who was the governor from 1887 to 1890. Besides the town, Luce County in the Upper Peninsula was named after him, and he was the last Michigan governor to have a county named in his honor.

I am not sure how old the church is, or if it was built by the citizens of Luce, but it is near where the town once stood. Further down the road is a cemetery. The church and cemetery are probably all that remains of the old town.

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The old Mansion in Bad Axe and the State Police

Posted on April 19, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Historic Places, Houses .

A few years ago I saw this old mansion in Bad Axe, and after I posted a photo of it, some of the locals told me it was the former Michigan governor’s home of Albert Sleeper. I found out some interesting facts about Governer Sleeper and one of them was he created the Michigan State Police.

100 years ago today The Michigan Department of State Police began as a temporary, wartime emergency force for the purpose of domestic security during World War I. On April 19, 1917, Governor Albert Sleeper created the Michigan State Troops Permanent Force, (also known as the Michigan State Constabulary). With Colonel Roy C. Vandercook as the first commanding officer, this new force consisted of five Troops of mounted, dismounted and motorized units, totaling 300 men. On March 26, 1919, Public Act 26 reorganized the Constabulary as the permanent, peacetime Michigan State Police.

I find interesting facts just by traveling around the state and asking questions. I have been waiting a while for this day to come around so I can do this post. I hope you liked it. I am not sure what is happening with the old mansion since I have not been out to Bad Axe in a while, but I hope someone is showing it some love.

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The Beer Drinking Bear of Quanicassee

Posted on April 17, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Thumb .

Standing in a field on Old State Road, near the Quanicassee River, is a monument with a bear drinking from a bottle. If the monument could talk it would have an interesting and sad story to tell. Frank Vanderbilt owned a Hotel and resort in Quanicassee and as a way to attract visitors, he had a small zoo. Sometime around 1910 he purchased a bear cub for his little zoo and named her Jennie. He left her chained up to a nearby tree stump and the visitors to his resort would feed her treats and candy.

One day someone gave her a bottle of beer and she gulped it right down like a thirsty lumberjack. It was not long after that, Frank began selling beer to tourist to give to the little bear. she would climb up to the top of the tree stump and open the beer and drink it down. Her fame grew as word spread of the bear that enjoyed the frosty beverage and people came from all around Michigan to see Jennie. I wouldn’t say life was good for Jennie, but she had her daily routine and the admiration of visitors.

Everything changed in 1920 when Prohibition became law and alcohol was illegal for Americans to own or sell, and that included Jennie. When she was no longer able to get any beer, she became agitated and angry growling at visitors and swiping her paws at Frank. The gave her bottles of pop and other beverages but she was not interested in them since she was addicted to alcohol. A group of men from Detroit was hunting in the thumb and they stopped by the old hotel in Quanicassee. They told Mr. Vanderbilt that they would take care of the distraught bear and he sold Jennie to them. It was later that he found out that they used her for their hunting clubs bear roast. Saddened by the loss of Jennie, Frank built this memorial to the bear with the money he got when he sold her.

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The Bustling Metropolis of Downtown Rhodes

Posted on April 12, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in small towns .

There’s not a whole lot in Rhodes, and it’s kinda in the middle of nowhere, but it must be a nice quiet place to live.Being a city kid I always wonder what it would be like to live in a small town, but then I am used to going to Meijer Thrifty Acres a couple blocks away for a gallon of milk, or anything else, when I need it. The town was named after lumberman Murry Bently Rhodes and he was the first postmaster in 1889.

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The Only Constant is Change

Posted on April 10, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Restaurants .

When I get off the Interstate 75 to head home, I take the exit between Saginaw and Bay City. There is an old abandoned faded orange and blue Howard Johnson’s restaurant, longing for the day when hungry travelers stopped by for a bite to eat. A few days ago I saw an excavator sitting in front of it, so I figured I better take a photo of it before it’s gone. According to Wikipedia, the restaurant chain was the largest sit-down restaurant chain in the united states during the 60s and 70s. I never really ate there much so I guess I don’t miss them that bad but I sure do miss Bill Knapps. As they say, ” the only constant is change” I wonder what will happen to Applebee’s now that it’s the largest sit-down chain.

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I Found Mt. Forest while Lost Among the Farm Fields

Posted on April 5, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches, small towns .

It’s been a while since I had time to go on a road trip, so I took a short one north of Saginaw to see what I could find. North of U.S. 10 is mostly farm land and more farm land, with ranch style houses and more ranch style houses. I meandered along the back roads seeing what I could find. Somewhere between Pinconning and Rhodes, I saw this old building and my first thought was ” I wonder what that is” then I saw the corner-stone Mt Forest Community Church 1933. I guess now I know what it is, and I found the old sawmill town of Mt Forrest, or at least what is left of it, an old Chruch and a few houses.

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The Tower on the House in Fenton

Posted on April 3, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Houses .

I was driving home from Ann Arbor heading north on 23 when it became a parking lot near Fenton. I don’t have the patience to drive in stop and go traffic and decided to get off the highway and take a trip thru Fenton. Yeah I know, it may be longer but at least I am moving. There are several beautiful old homes near downtown, but this old queen ann style home caught my attention. I think it is the tower that I like most on old houses. I am not sure if there is a specific purpose why old houses have towers but they must provide a spectacular view from the windows. I don’t know the history of this house and I was not able to find any but I do like it.

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