August 2020 - Lost In Michigan

The Haunted Cadillac House

Posted on August 31, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Haunted Places .

The Cadillac House was built in 1860 and is one of the oldest hotels in Michigan. It stands in the small port town of Lexington along the Lake Huron shoreline about 30 miles north of Port Huron. It stands to reason that an old hotel with several rooms have had a guest or two die in one of the rooms. That is believed to be the case for paranormal investigators who claim the old hotel is home to spirits who have checked in but never checked out.

One of the ghosts has been given the name George. He is believed to be a guest that was murdered and his spirit is trapped inside the hotel until his killer has been brought to justice. Another theory is that he likes the broiled chicken and hangs out for his final meal. I am not sure if any if it is true or if the old hotel is haunted but I do know if you are traveling along M-25 along the Lake Huron shoreline the beautiful little town of Lexington is a great place to visit. While you are there be sure to check out the historic Cadillac House and tell George hello.

P.S. Yes I had US-23, I had a brain fart. I was thinking the road that run’s along Lake Huron north of Tawas, I forgot M-25 runs along the shoreline in the Thumb

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Hanka Homestead

Posted on August 30, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Historic Places, upper peninsula .

Finnish Immigrant Herman Hanka homesteaded this farm after being fired from his mining job. An explosion in the mine killed one of his fellow workers and left Hanka deaf and disabled. He built this farm northwest of Baraga in the 1890s. Generations of the Hanka family lived on this farm until the 1960s. It is now a historical museum and restored to look like it did in the 1920s. You can learn more about it on their website HERE

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Out To Pasture

Posted on August 29, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Barns and Farms, Landscapes .

I saw these old combines sitting in a field on the back roads somewhere near Shepherd. It looks as if they have been sitting there a while. They remind me of the bull in the movie Cars.

Since I don’t have a story I want to take the time to thank everyone who commented on my post about hay in the Upper Peninsula. I never realized it was such a big crop and is shipped around the midwest. I am always amazed by what I learn from the comments.

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How Michigan Started with a Mistake

Posted on August 28, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Historic Places, State Parks .

Located in the woods are two markers where Michigan got its start about two centuries ago. They mark the states Meridian, (north and south line) and the Baseline, (east and west line). All of the townships and counties in Michigan’s two peninsulas are surveyed from these two points. The markers are located in Meridian Baseline State Park about 15 miles north of Jackson.

The state has two points because there were two surveyors. On April 28, 1815, Benjamin Hough began surveying the Michigan territory. He started heading north from Fort Defiance in Ohio and about 70 miles north he set the first initial point in Michigan and began surveying sections 1 and 2. A second surveyor by the name of Fletcher surveyed sections 3 and 4 but his work was grossly inaccurate. To correct Fletcher’s mistakes a second initial point was established. One point is used for the east side of the state and the other is used for the west side of the state. Michigan is the only state to use two initial points for its public land surveying.

For years the twin initial points sat in a landlocked section of woods surrounded by private land. No one was allowed to visit them. In 2014 the state was able to create a parking lot and a trail to the two markers. It is about a mile and a half hike round trip to see the markers. If you do visit I recommend bug spray since they are in a rather swampy area.

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Saginaw River Lighthouse

Posted on August 27, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Haunted Places, Lighthouses .

The Saginaw River lighthouse stands about a mile from the mouth of the river. The lighthouse works in conjunction with a beacon closer to the mouth. When sailors in the Saginaw Bay align the two lights they know they are in the channel entering the river. The Saginaw River lighthouse was one of the first lights to use this “range” technique.

The lighthouse has been decommissioned for years and is currently owned by Dow and is surrounded by property owned by the company. Visitors are not permitted to visit the lighthouse except for special occasions like the Tall Ship Celebrations.

Coasties who were stationed at the lighthouse before it was abandoned have said they have heard strange noises while living in the old building. You can read more about the hauntings in my post HERE

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The Barn in the Soo

Posted on August 26, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Barns and Farms, upper peninsula .

I saw this old barn ( and truck ) not far from Sault St. Marie and I had to stop and get a pic of it. For those of you that have been following my posts for a long time, you know that I was raised in the big city and no expert on farming. I found it curious that most of the farms in the easter U.P. were growing hay. Where I live in central Michigan most of the farms grow, corn, beans, and beets. I was surprised to see many farms in the U.P. bailing hay. I am wondering what all the hay is for. Do they ship most of it for the horses on Mackinac Island? If you know please leave a comment, I am curious.

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Volume 4 Coming Soon

Posted on August 25, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Uncategorized .

Many of you have been asking about Volume 4 and I am happy to let you know it will be available soon. I just ordered my proof books and barring some unforeseen natural disaster, ( at this point what is the worst that could happen) I hope to release it sometime around the middle of September.

Thank you all for your support over the years and all the kind comments on my books. I am looking forward to releasing Volume 4, if you liked my other books, I am sure you will enjoy this one.

St Louis Train Depot

Posted on August 25, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Train Depots .

This old train station stands in St. Louis in the center of the mitten on the pine river. The town’s popularity grew in 1868 when two men drilling for salt, found mineral water instead. People came from all around to bathe in the water. The old train station is now used by the St Louis Historical Society.

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Downtown Alba

Posted on August 24, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in small towns .

Not a whole lot remains in downtown Alba these days. It was once a bustling community when the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad came through the area in the 1870s. The village was plated in 1878, and as legend has it, the town was named after Alba Haywood, a local entertainer. The town still gets a lot of traffic since US-131 passes through the old town and many motorists take Alba Road over to Gaylord.

I find it Ironic that the town was supposedly named after an entertainer because I remember the name of the town where I need to turn to go to Gaylord by the remembering the actress’s name Jessica Alba.

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Watching Over The Asylum

Posted on August 23, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Nature .

Behind the old state hospital ( which is now the Village at Grand Traverse Commons) in Traverse City is an old round building with a face painted on it. It sits up on a hill and I think it was a water tank for the old hospital. I enjoy shopping at the commons but if you get a chance be sure to hike the trails behind the buildings. It is a beautiful wooded area with trails winding through the trees. There are also a few unique and interesting places like the old water tank and the Hippie Trees. You can see my post about them HERE.

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