December 2019 - Lost In Michigan

Ultimate Michigan Road Trip Off The Beaten Path

Posted on December 31, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Uncategorized .

After years of living in Michigan and visiting the popular tourist spots, I wanted to find other places to see. If you are looking for new places to discover and explore this summer here is a list of some of my favorite places throughout Michigan. Check out the list below. Some are really off the beaten path and are challenging to get to like the Rocket Range and Crisp Point Lighthouse. Be sure you use your judgment if you can make it or not. I recommend visiting some in the summer when the logging roads are dry.

1 Rocket Range
2 Quincy Dredge
3 Lake Of The Clouds
4 Ford’s Sawmill
5 Bond Falls
6 Alder Falls
7 Sable Falls
8 Crisp Point Lighthouse
9 Seul Choix Lighthouse
10 Sacred Rock
11 Middle Village
12 Ocqueoc Falls
13 Old Presque Isle Lighthouse
14 Woolsey Memorial Airport
15 Boekelodge
16 Transportation Cairn
17 Pere Cheney
18 Harrisville Depot
19 Iargo Springs
20 Mouth Cemetery
21 Curwood Castle
22 Huron City
23 Port Hope Chimney
24 Fallasburg Bridge
25 Stepping Stone Falls
26 Felt Mansion
27 Climax Post Office
28 War Dog Memorial
29 The Witch’s Ball
30 House Of David
31 McCourtie Park

You can find out more about each destination and the exact location in the Lost In Michigan book series available on Amazon HERE

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The Last Post …. Of The Decade

Posted on December 31, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in autumn, Nature .

Here it is, December 31st, 2019. It is my last post for the decade and I was not sure what to post. I went through some of my photos. I think this one on a back road in Autumn somewhere near Hell Michigan is one of my favorites. Thank you so much for going on this journey around the Mitten State with me. I have created almost one thousand posts since I started this website back in 2013 and hope to surpass the 1k mark soon. I do my best to keep my posts random and from all parts of the peninsulas.

I am not sure where the road will lead next but I have a lot of places I want to visit in the next decade. I hope you will follow me as I explore new places and as always thank you for taking the time to read my posts.

Have a happy New Year and a prosperous decade. See ya on the flip side

Mike Sonnenberg.

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The Red House

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Houses .

I was driving around the historic district in Cadillac admiring the houses when I saw this grand old red house on the corner. I could not find any history or info about it but I thought it was a beautiful looking house. I always enjoy getting off the main road away from the shops and touring some of Michigan’s city’s historic districts. They are usually private homes but there are some beautiful old houses mostly built by lumber barons.

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The Good Shepherd in Southwest Michigan

Posted on December 29, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches .

I saw this old church in Allegan with a historical mark proudly displayed in front of it. I always stop and take pics of the Green and yellow historical markers and read them. This one reads:

On June 15,1858, The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd was organized; its parish was admitted into the Diocese of Michigan two years later. Built in 1866-1869, this Gothic structure was designed by Gordon W. Lloyd and first used for Divine Service on Palm Sunday, March 21, 1669. Bishop McCoskry performed the rite of consecration on April 8 of that same year. In 1886 the parishioners purchased the present tracker organ, which is still in use, and one of the few such organs left in this state today.

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Applegate

Posted on December 24, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in small towns .

Traveling the back roads I go through many small towns like Applegate which is located in the Thumb between Sandusky and Lexington.ne year before Michigan officially became a state George Pack built a sawmill in 1856 where Applegate stands today. The town was named after Jesse Applegate who lead the party which opened up the southern route to Oregon.

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Michigan’s Historic Brick Factory Ruins

Posted on December 23, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Iconic Buildings .

The factory ruins were constructed with brick, but it was a factory that made bricks. The lincoln Brick Factory made 40,000 bricks per day at its peak and many buildings around Michigan were constructed using the bricks it produced. The factory located near Grand Ledge closed in 1947 and in 1975 the property was acquired by Eaton county. The land is now a county park aptly named Lincoln Brick Park. The remnants of the old factory still stand in the park where you can wander around and explore the ruins.

Find Interesting locations throughout the Mitten State with a Lost In Michigan book ON SALE at Amazon by clicking HERE

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Michigan’s Nativity Barn

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

A few months ago I saw this old barn near Lakeview with a nativity scene depicted in the upper window. I stopped immediately and took a pic of it. I figured now that we are close to Christmas today is a great day to share my pic of the nativity barn.

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Newberry Jail

Posted on December 21, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Historic Places, upper peninsula .

Constructed in 1894, this graceful Queen Anne style structure served as the Luce County jail and sheriff’s residence for over seventy years. The peninsular Land Company donated the site. The architectural firm of Lovejoy and DeMar from Marquette designed this sturdy edifice from rough-hewn Jacobsville sandstone. The Luce County Historical Society rescued this building from demolition in 1975 and restored it as the Luce County Historical Museum in 1976.

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The Castle Ruins in Michigan’s Forest

Posted on December 20, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places .

Hidden deep in the forests of northern Michigan is the remains of an enormous castle-like mansion. The house was built by Russell Clifford Durant, known as “Cliff” to all his friends. He was the son of William Durant who founded General Motor. In the late 1920’s Cliff and his wife Lea built this opulent mansion on the banks of the Au Sable River.

Sadly the couple never got a chance to live in the house. In 1931, When painters were adding the final coat of paint to one of the rooms they stopped to take a break. While going to nearby Roscommon the house caught fire and burned. It was believed that some turpentine soaked rags caught fire and created the blaze that destroyed the home. Because of the Great Depression, the Durants decided not to rebuild the house. For years the ruins of the Durant Castle stood in the forest but eventually, everything standing was knocked down and the foundation filled in. You can still see some remnants of the castle protruding from the ground. It is now a picnic area within the Mason Tract. Although there is not a lot to see, it is a fun adventure to search for it.

P.S. I always get asked about detailed locations or directions to the places I post. I figure trying to find them as I did is part of the fun. for the most part, a quick search on google maps will show many of the public places. For private or abandoned places I like to keep the location to a general area because unfortunately a few unscrupulous people trespass and vandalize some of the places. If you want more information and detailed location to public places be sure to order a copy of the Lost In Michigan book series that have exact locations.

If you thought this post was interesting you will love the Lost In Michigan book series available on Amazon HERE

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Tucker Cemetery

Posted on December 18, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery .

Most of the tombstones in Tucker Cemetery are broken or completely missing. This one for Ashel Atherton dated 1884 is one of just a couple that still remains standing. Hidden in the sparsely populated woods in the Ogemaw Hills, the cemetery is left over from the lumbering days. It is northwest of Rose City off a sandy forest trail and forgotten by most people. It is kind of an eerie sight to come across to see this old cemetery so far from civilization if you are out riding the trails in an ORV.

Time to announce the winner of the Camp Michigan books. Thank you to everyone who commented. it was so nice to read all the kind and supportive comments. Congratulations to Elizabeth Dewar she is the winner, please email me at mike@huronphoto.com with your address and I will send out your books.

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