September 2020 - Lost In Michigan

Sue Silman House

Posted on September 30, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Historic Places, Houses .

This brick three-story house sits along the St Joeseph river in Three Rivers Michigan. It was built by Arthur Silman. He had a blacksmith shop on the first floor and his family lived above on the upper floors. In 1903 he deeded the home to his daughter, Sue Silliman. She was a librarian and state historian for the Michigan Daughters of the American Revolution. She donated the house to the city of Three Rivers just before her death in 1945. It is used today as a museum.

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Standard Oil Station

Posted on September 29, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places .

I was heading out of Jackson when down the road I saw this Standard Oil Sign. When I drove up to it, I saw the little service station with the old pump. It made me smile and I had to stop and take a photo. It reminds me of being a kid riding in my dad’s Delta 88 and pulling into Skip’s Service Station. Hearing the bell DING DING and a guy in overalls and a rag come out to pump the gas. They had the rack of old school oil cans and the metal spout to jam into them. Thank god they came up with plastic bottles with a screw top. I think I could never do the old cans without making a mess. Anyways, I like seeing the old gas and oil signs, pumps, and stations. They remind me of a time long gone. With many new cars going back to the “retro” look I am surprised none of the current convenience store gas stations have not done a 50’s inspired service station themed look.

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The Pequaming Water Tower

Posted on September 28, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Ghost towns, upper peninsula .

Driving north from the Upper Peninsula town of L’Anse along the Keweenaw bay it is hard to miss the water tower in Pequaming. Unlike most water towers that have the name of the town painted on it the one in Pequaming has the word FORD in the iconic font used by the Ford Motor Company. That is because at one time the town of Pequaming was Ford owned town with a massive sawmill that produced lumber for the model-t. You can see a remnant from the old sawmill on the left side of the photo is what remains of the old powerhouse. At one time Henry Ford had a summer residence in the town. As time went on Ford no longer need the lumber and closed the sawmill. The area is now mostly summer resort homes and a harbor for fishing boats.

You can read more about the town in Lost In Michigan Volume 3 available on Amazon HERE

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Haunted Michigan Road Trip

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

If you want to take a road trip around the Great Lakes State to visit some haunted and historic places I put together a list of locations I have visited. I think you will find them fascinating and a little spooky. If you chose to visit remember some of the places are privately owned and please follow any posted signs and rules. Be respectful and do not trespass.

Click on the link to read a little more about each place. You can find more info and exact locations in the Lost in Michigan books available on Amazon HERE

1a Eagle Harbor Lighthouse

1b Calumet Theater

2 Big Bay Lighthouse

3 Seul Choix Pointe Lighthouse

4 Old Presque Isle Lighthouse

5 Grand Traverse Lighthouse

6 Traverse City State Hospital

7 Pere Cheney Cemetery

8 White River Lighthouse

9 Anchor Inn

10 Potter Street Depot

11 Pointe Aux Barques Lighthouse

12 Kalamazoo Civic Auditorium

13 Witches Ball

14 Felt Mansion

15 Holly Hotel

16a Fort Wayne Detroit

16b Masonic Temple Detroit

16c Eloise asylum

17 Starkweather Hall

18 McCourtie Park

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Huron Lightship

Posted on September 26, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Lighthouses .

The Huron Lightship was commissioned in 1921 and retired in 1970 after years of faithful service on Lake Huron illuminating the way for ships at the mouth of the St Clair River. She is permanently moored in Port Huron and serves as a museum.

P.S. If you are wondering, I had to turn on the light in Photoshop.

P.P.S I have a full story about the lightship in Lost In Michigan Volume 2 available by clicking HERE

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Michigan’s Strychnine Serial Killer

Posted on September 25, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery, Murders .

In a quiet rural cemetery southeast of Fife Lake in Springfield Township’s Clark Cemetery are tombstones for Gertrude and John Murphy. What is not carved into Gertrude’s marker is the name and death of her three month old baby that she is holding in her arms when she was buried. Ruth Murphy was being watched by her aunt Mary McKnight when she suddenly died in the summer of 1903. Shortly after returning home, Gertrude died. Mary McKnight was John Murphy’s Sister who came to live with the Murphy’s on their farm after her two husbands and three children died.

About a week after the funeral for Ruth and Gertrude, John died after suffering from seizures and strand contractions of his muscles. It was a local doctor that thought the description of John’s death seemed peculiar and reminded him of what he learned about strychnine poisoning while in medical school. John and Gertrude’s bodies were exhumed and their stomachs sent to the lab at the University of Michigan where traces of strychnine was discovered.

Mary was tried and convicted for the death of her brother and sister-in-law. The early 1900s trial was a media sensation with newspapers reporting on it nationwide. It is believed Mary was responsible for about a dozen deaths making her one of the first female serial killers in the nation. Her motives for the killings are still being debated. Author Tobin T. Buhk has written a book about the infamous murders titled Michigan’s Strychnine Saint: The Curious Case of Mrs. Mary McKnight. It is a fascinated true crime book detailing the story of her crime and life in Northern Michigan at the turn of the century. If you like true crime books I highly recommend reading it. You can read a preview of it on Amazon HERE

P.S. Her family believed she murdered her victims because she enjoyed attending the elaborate funerals of the period.

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Revealing the Past

Posted on September 24, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Ghost Murals .

It has been a while since I posted a pic from my hometown of Saginaw. I thought I would share this from my Pure Saginaw website since this story fascinates me.

Work crews are in the process of tearing down the old parking ramp next to the former Jacobson’s building in downtown Saginaw. They have revealed two murals hidden from view for years. Unless you have been living on an alien planet you know what Coca Cola is, but I am not sure about the other one. I can make out “Music House” I guess we will see what it is after more demolition happens. I hope the murals will stay after the work is completed.

Now for the rest of the story.

I saw this photo proudly displayed on the outside of the old Jacobson’s building that is currently used by the Historical Society next to the parking ramp that is being demolished. The street signs read Jefferson and Federal so I am assuming that is what the intersection looked like before Jacobson’s was built. I noticed the Michigan Bell building (now AT&T) in the background and to the right is a Coca Cola mural. I think that the same mural being revealed?

I love the old hand-painted advertising murals. They harken back to a time before digital signs and printing back when talented humans with skilled hands painted the artwork instead of slapping up some material printed by a digital printer.

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Michigan’s Deadly Knights Templar Locomotive

Posted on September 23, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Train Depots .

This steam locomotive sits in R.A. Greene Park in Jackson. The Grand Trunk Western 5030 was built in 1912 and proudly pulled train cars along Michigan’s railroad tracks for years. On June 5th, 1923 A train was commissioned to take the Knights Templars of Michigan to a Masonic convention in Flint. The 5030 picked up passengers in Grand Rapids, Ionia, and stops along the way. As it was traveling near Durand the gravel roadbed gave way and the train derailed killing the engineer and fireman and three other passengers. 32 other Knight Templars riding the train were injured.

The locomotive was repaired and continued riding the rails of Michigan. It traveled to Jackson on a regular basis and after it was retired from service in the 1950s it was donated to the city. It is surrounded by chain-link fence, probably to keep people from climbing on it, but it feels more like a caged animal to protect people from getting hurt.

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Whitefish Point Post Office

Posted on September 22, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Historic Places, upper peninsula .

If you have ever driven up to the Whitefish Point Lighthouse you have passed this old building. The historical marker in front of it reads.

This post office opened just six years after Whitefish Point was settled in 1871 as a landing for the then abundant supplies and as a commercial fishery. Permanent residents received their mail from Sault Ste. Marie. During the summer months, mail was delivered by boat three times a week. In severe winter weather, dog teams hauled the mail twice a month. In service for nearly a century, this post office provided a link with days before lumbermen cut down tall stands of pine trees, The office here ceased operations in 1973.

It is privately owned now, but you know you live out in the sticks when you got your mail delivered by dog sled.

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The Davenport House

Posted on September 21, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Houses .

If you have ever driven through Saline along US-12 you have probably seen this big Victorian house not far from downtown Saline. The historical marker next to it reads:

This handsome two-and-a-half story residence, constructed in 1875, was the home of William H. Davenport (1826 – 1909), a prominent Saline citizen. In 1851, Davenport entered into a partnership with H. J. Miller in a general store. He bought out Miller’s interest in 1853 and became a leading city merchant. Later, Davenport started a private bank in 1885. Since 1902 this bank has been known as the Citizens’ Bank of Saline. Well-known Detroit architect William Scott designed Davenport’s elegant Second Empire home, built at a cost of $8,500.

They don’t build houses like this anymore.

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