November 2019 - Lost In Michigan

Michigan’s Abandoned Echo Valley Resort

Posted on November 30, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places .

Hidden deep within the northern Michigan forest is an old stone motel style building. It looks as if it has not been used for a long time with the moss-covered steps and roof. The forest motel is the remains of the old Echo Valley Resort on Johannesburg Lake. It is in the back of what is now the Louis M. Groen Nature preserve near the town of Johannesburg. I did not go into the building as it was roped off with a no trespassing sign. Hopefully, the nature preserve will eventually be able to do something with the old building.

Lost In Michigan books are ON SALE this weekend on Amazon HERE

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The House on Stewart Ave

Posted on November 29, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Houses .

Senator Charles Stewart purchased land at the far western edge of Kalamazoo. He built his house and then divided up the rest of the property and encouraged his friends to build houses near his. Newspaper editor Edgar Bartlett built this magnificent house on Stewart Avenue in 1886. It is now used as a bed and breakfast . You can see some pics of the inside on their website HERE

Lost In Michigan wall calendars are now IN STOCK and ON SALE. I sold out of them by December last year so now is a good time to get one. you can order them from my website HERE

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Grateful

Posted on November 28, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in autumn, Barns and Farms, Houses .

I was not sure what to post today since it is one of the most important days of the year. A day set aside to reflect on our good fortune and be thankful for the blessing we have been given. I have been blessed with a kind and supportive family. I live in the United State of America and in my favorite state of Michigan.

I am grateful that you take the time to read my daily posts. I do my best to post something random and interesting. I hope to post something in your area or city where you live. And if not you will find someone else home to be worth learning about. What makes this journey of mine through the mitten state is that you get to experience it with me through the world wide web.

I hope you and your family had a wonderful thanksgiving. I am not sure where I am going next or what I will post tomorrow but I hope you will enjoy reading it.

P.S. I saw this old house somewhere near Gaylord. I am grateful for all those Americans who have worked so hard over the years to provide us with what we have today.

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Hillsdale Poor Farm

Posted on November 27, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Barns and Farms, Historic Places .

This old cobblestone house served as the poor farm in Hillsdale from 1853 to 1867. It housed people in the county who could not take care of themselves financially or mentally. The Poet Will Carleton who graduated from Hillsdale College was inspired by this house to write the poem. “Over the Hill to the Poor House” which captured the nation’s attention to the plight of the elderly in American society.

Lost In Michigan wall calendars are ON SALE. They are more than half gone for the season. They will probably be gone by Christmas so now is a good time to get one. you can order them from my websiteHERE

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Ruins of Assinins’ Orphanage

Posted on November 26, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Ghost towns, Schools, upper peninsula .

Only a small portion of the orphanage is still standing hidden behind the trees. The building once stood three stories tall and housed several children. Located in the small town, which is almost a ghost town, Assinins Is near US-41 a few miles north of Baraga.

Assinins was founded in 1843 by Bishop Frederic Baraga, who came to the area at the invitation of Chief Edward Assinins. Baraga built the Old St. Joseph Orphanage and School on the site in 1860. Over the years the orphanage was expanded and other buildings including a school were built. The structures were last used in the 1960s and in recent years they have collapsed.

This is a pic from Wikipedia of what the building looked like in 2009

The area is now a National Historic District and next time you are traveling along US-41 it’s worth a quick stop to check out the area and old cemetery.

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Caseville Church

Posted on November 24, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches, Thumb .

It’s Sunday and time for another historic church post. This is the tall and graceful Methodist Episcopal Church in Caseville. The historical marker standing nearby gives a little history and reads:

In 1868 the Reverend Manasseh Hickey and twelve settlers organized a Methodist Episcopal Church in Caseville. Services were held in a schoolhouse until the present church was built. Upon its dedication on November 15, 1874, the Gothic-inspired structure, with its 70-foot-high steeple, became a focal point for the community. Local contractor William Ormiston built the church, which contains stained-glass windows by McFadden and Reed of New York City. In 1907 a basement was excavated, and in 1940 the memorial windows were installed Over the years the steeple, which provided a landmark for Saginaw Bay boaters, was racked by structural problems and lightning, and had to be continually repaired. In 1974 the spire was replaced with a duplicate of the original.

I have never gone out fishing from Caseville, but I imagine back before GPS many fishermen would look for the steeple to help find the entrance to the Caseville harbor. I also wonder how long the pine tree has been growing next to the church. It is almost as tall as the steeple reaching into the sky.

Don’t forget to order your copy of Lost In Michigan Volume 3. t makes for a perfect Christmas gift for the person who loves Michigan.

Thank you for Subscribing to Lost In Michigan, If you have not subscribed yet, It would mean a lot to me if you did.

Ghost Town of Hagensville

Posted on November 23, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Ghost towns .

After stopping at a roadside park to read about the devastating fire in the small town of Metz, northwest of Alpena. ( can read my post about Metz HERE) I wanted to go to the Presque Ilse Lighthouse (you can read my post HERE) and I knew it was northeast from where I was, so I just started heading north. A few miles from Metz I saw this old building that looked like it had been a boarding house, or saloon, or general store, or probably all the above. I stopped and got a pic but I really had no idea of where I was.

When I got home I found out on google maps that I was in Hagensville, or at least what was left of it. An old building and some modern day farms. According to records, I found the Post Office was open from 1886 to 1912 and that William Hagen was the first postmaster. He and Wilson Pines owned the local sawmill.

I can only imagine at the turn of the 20th century that travelers would stop by on their arduous journey across northern Michigan while at the turn of the 21st century travelers whizz by at 55 miles per hour, and if they blink, they will miss it.

Lost In Michigan books are ON SALE this weekend on Amazon HERE

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Better Days

Posted on November 22, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Barns and Farms .

I saw this old barn somewhere east of Grand Rapids. It looks like it has seen better days but it is still standing. I am not a farmer and have been a city kid my whole life, but I am thinking this season of rain and snow must have been challenging for the farmers.

If you are reading this you are among the first to find out I finally received my first shipment of Volume 3 books. I have a limited supply so I will do an official announcement at a later date. I will take some to the Handy Bazaar In Bay City Nov 23rd. You can order them from my website HERE or from Amazon HERE Thank You all for your support and patients It took me longer than I thought to get them published.

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City Hall in Bay City

Posted on November 21, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Iconic Buildings .

I love the clock tower on the Richardsonian Romanesque city hall building in Bay City. It was built in 1894 and the tower has been standing over Bay City ever since.

Reminder: This Saturday ( Nov 23rd ) I will be at Handy Middle School in Bay City for their annual bazaar. I will be selling books, calendars, and T-Shirts. I hope you will stop by if you are in the neighborhood.

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Frontier Castle

Posted on November 18, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in castles .

In the heart of downtown Saginaw is a century-old castle. William M. Aiken designed this stately “French chateau” castle and the corner towers represented the defensive feature of frontier life. It was built for the post office and opened in 1898. At the time the post office was trying to build buildings that reflected the city they were constructed in. This is one of the few extravagant buildings the post office built probably after the cost of such buildings was unnecessary.

The post office outgrew the building and built a new one in the 1960s. Believe it or not this magnificent building faced demolition a few times but was saved and turned into a museum for the Saginaw County Historical Society.

If you live in Saginaw I will be giving a presentation on Tuesday, November 19th at 7:00 pm at the Zauel Memorial Library on Center Rd. If you are in the area I hope you will come out and listen to my story.

Thank you for Subscribing to Lost In Michigan, If you have not subscribed yet, It would mean a lot to me if you did.