April 2019 - Page 2 of 2 - Lost In Michigan

The Sculptures In The Cemetery

Posted on April 16, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery .

I visit a lot of cemeteries while out doing research looking for forgotten places. Many times all that remains of an old lumbering town is the cemetery. When I drove through the Tyrone Memorial Gardens near Fenton I was struck by the beauty of the sculptures placed around the tombstones. Most cemeteries have the standard statues and are similar since they probably purchased them from a monument supplier. I was mesmerized by the beauty and color of the statues that adorn the grounds.

I found out that they are no ordinary statues because they were created by artist and sculptor Robert St. Croix, He was raised in Michigan and graduated from Plymouth High School and Wayne State University. His mother is laid to rest in the cemetery and he was commissioned to create nine sculptures. The most notable is the sculpture of an angel holding up a golden urn towards the sky. It was created in the likeness of the artist’s mother.

Tyrone Memorial Gardens is also home to the Tyrone Sunken Gardens which you can read about in my post HERE

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The Third Reformed Church

Posted on April 14, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches .

Dutch immigrants first settled in Holland, Michigan in 1847, and they immediately established The First Reformed Church with the Reverend Albertus Van Raalte as pastor. Over the next few years, a second Reformed congregation was established, but by the mid-1860s, the continued influx of Dutch immigrants strained the capacity of both churches. By 1866, Van Raalte recommended that the First Reformed Church be split. In 1867, the Third Reformed Church was organized and construction started on a new church building at this site. The church building was dedicated on February 14, 1868.

However, on October 8, 1871, two-thirds of Holland was destroyed by forest fires which had been burning for several weeks in areas surrounding the town. The recently constructed church was one of the first buildings destroyed. The congregation resolved to rebuild, and hired local architect John R. Kleyn to design this building. Despite setbacks, the new church was dedicated on November 25, 1874. The church has been continuously used by the congregation, and underwent a major renovation in 1967-68.

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The Mansion on the Hill

Posted on April 13, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Houses .

This old historic mansion sits on top of a hill overlooking the railroad tracks that pass through Ypsilanti. The second empire style house with its mansard roof was built in 1861 by John Gilbert. He made a fortune in the lumber industry. The house has a four-story tower on the back side that overlooks Ypsilanti. The house sat vacant and boarded up for many years in the 80s but has been recently restored and turned into apartments.

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The Temple of Knowledge in Marquette

Posted on April 10, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Library .

The Peter White Public Library stands in downtown Marquette and its massive stone construction makes it look like a temple. Built in 1903, it replaced the small library that was inside City Hall. The library is named after Peter White a local businessman, postmaster, real estate developer, Michigan state legislator, and philanthropist who lived from 1830 until 1908.

I use my local library often and having a place to go and find information along with people to help with research is invaluable. Happy National Library Week.

“A library is like an island in the middle of a vast sea of ignorance, particularly if the library is very tall and the surrounding area has been flooded.” Lemony Snicket

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Rhodes Barn

Posted on April 9, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Barns and Farms .

I saw this little barn near the town of Rhodes. I am not sure at what point a barn is more of a shed but I liked it so I took a pic of it. I always thought Rhodes was named after the Greek city of Rhodes. Known for the Collosus of Rhodes. The town was actually named after Murry Bently Rhodes a lumberman who was the first postmaster and founder of the town.

It’s been a while since I made T-Shirts and I am wondering if anyone is interested in purchasing a shirt if I have some more made up to sell on my website. Let me know in the comments and if it looks like there are enough people who want them I will get some more back in stock.

Lost In Michigan books are ON SALE this week, you can order them HERE

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Log Cabin Library

Posted on April 8, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Library .

I saw this little log cabin library in the town of Hersey near the center of the state. I thought I was finished posting winter pics, but this week is National Library Week I thought this would be an appropriate pic to post. It’s a “take a book, leave a book” library with a sign on the door for Little Free Library.org I feel fortunate to live in a country where books and ideas are shared freely and protected by the Constitution. I use my local library often as a resource for information. I hope you are fortunate enough to have a good library where you live. With all of today’s technology books are still a needed source of information.

Some of the libraries around Michigan have copies of Lost In Michigan books. If you want to purchase one they are ON SALE but it ends soon, you can order them HERE

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The Striker House

Posted on April 7, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Houses .

This beautiful house in Hastings has a historical marker nearby and reads:

Built in the 1880s by Daniel Striker, this Queen Anne-style building was once considered the “handsomest residence in Hastings.” Born in New York State in 1835, Striker moved as a child with his family to Michigan. He was elected to several offices in Barry County, became a lawyer, and in 1871-75 was elected Michigan Secretary of State. Striker was also widely known in banking circles. He died in 1898, and after the death of his wife in 1915 the house became a hospital, later a convalescent home.

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The Old Church in Elm Hall

Posted on April 7, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches, small towns .

This old church stands in the small town of Elm Hall. The first settlers were three brothers. Michael, Nathaniel and Jacob Strayer came to the area in 1855. The brothers along with their wives lived in a large hall they constructed of elm logs, and hence the name of the town.

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The Ghost Factory

Posted on April 4, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, upper peninsula .

In the early 1900s Henry Ford purchased the mill in Pequaming, and for the most part, the whole town. The town is in the northwest part of the Upper Peninsula near the town of L’Anse. The sawmill and the workers living in the town produced lumber for the model T. The Ford Motor Company purchased the mill and surrounding town for 2.8 million dollars. The purchase included the double band sawmill, lath and shingle mills, 40,000 acres of timberland, the town land and buildings, the railroad, along with towing and water equipment. Ford used the town as a model for his theories on self-reliance and education. He established a vocational school in his summer home during the school year, and also opened four one-room elementary and intermediate schools in September 1935. In 1937, the company built a high school, which contained state-of-the-art home economics food and clothing labs and a library, as well as the first fluorescent lights in a Michigan school. Increased shipping costs and the fact that wood was used less in the manufacturing of Automobiles Ford shut down the mill in 1942. The shell of the powerhouse shown in the photo still remains along with the water tower with the Ford logo painted on it.

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Grand Ledge Barn

Posted on April 1, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Barns and Farms .

I saw this old barn somewhere between Grand Ledge and Eagle. I had to stop and get a pic of it while I was out roaming the back roads. I am no expert, but I assume now that it is April, it won’t be long and the farmers will be planting their crops for the season.

Now it’s time to announce the winner of the Camp Michigan State Park Handbook. Congratulations to David Stellard he is the winner, please email me at mike@huronphoto.com with your address and I will send out your book.

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