Monthly Archives: December 2020

Coming to the End

Posted on by Posted in Forgotten Places .

This year started out with great expectations. I had all sorts of plans for visiting new places but that all came to an end. I am sure I don’t have to tell you why. I have been lucky this year that my family is healthy and working. I know some have not been so fortunate. I thank you all for taking the time to read my posts, and looking forward to next year with hope that it will be better.

P.S  If you are wondering this is the old Fenton Seminary that was torn down a few years ago. You can see my post about it HERE

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Sleeping Bear Inn

Posted on by Posted in Iconic Buildings .

This pale yellow building in the historic village of Glen Haven is (or was) the Sleeping Bear Inn. It was constructed in 1857 and used as a boarding house for local dock workers and Lumberjacks. The town was a popular spot for passing steamers to get firewood to fuel the boilers. In the late 1800s, as tourism to the area increased, it changed over to become a resort hotel for people looking to take in the beauty of the dunes. By the 1970s the building and town had declined and closed. The inn along with the rest of the town is now part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

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Little Red Depot

Posted on by Posted in Train Depots .

This little red train depot sits in the small town of Sparta north of Grand Rapids. The historical marker proudly mounted to the side of it gives a little history and reads:

In 1888 the Toledo, Saginaw and Muskegon Railway (TS&M) built this depot. It was one of six constructed that year on the line between Muskegon and Ashley. The depot typifies country “combination-type” depots; it sheltered passengers, the station agent/telegrapher, and freight. In 1928 the TS&M became part of the Grand Trunk Western Railroad. The building was vacated in the 1940s. In 1973 the West Michigan Railroad Historical Society purchased and restored the depot.

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The Painted Lady of Coldwater

Posted on by Posted in Houses .

I saw this grand old Victorian house in Coldwater. I don’t know a lot about the house, but I did find out it was built by attorney Frank Skeels in 1886. The woodwork on these old homes are fascinating. A builder today could probably do ornate trim like it, but the labor costs would be astronomical. I wonder what they would have thought of vinyl siding back then.

P.S. there are a lot of beautiful old buildings and houses in Coldwater. I need to get back there again but hopefully on a less gloomy day.

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The Side Doors in the School

Posted on by Posted in Schools, Thumb .

I saw this old school on a farm near Bad Axe. I took this pic from the road and don’t trespass, but the doors on the side have me wondering what they were used for. The entrance is in the front so I am wondering if the side doors were an attached outhouse. One for boys and one for girls but it is only an uneducated guess.

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Michigan’s World Record Fire Station

Posted on by Posted in Fire Houses .

The fire station in Manistee just earned the Guinness World Record for the oldest continuously manned fire station in the world. Manned 24-hours a day, seven days a week since 1889.

The historical marker for the station gives a little bit of its history and reads:

In early October 1888, the Manistee City Council hired Frederick Hollister of Saginaw, the architect of Manistee’s principal school, to design a fire hall to replace the original station, which was constructed in 1872 – 1873 on Filer Street. Later that month the Manistee Democrat predicted that the city’s new fire hall would be “a model of convenience and usefulness.” Constructed of brick, cut-stone and French plate glass and trimmed with galvanized iron, this Romanesque Revival-style building was constructed by the local firm of Brownrigg and Reynolds at a cost of $7,516. The dome is covered with copper. The hall opened in June 1889 when Manistee’s first “fire truck,” a horse-drawn steam engine, was brought from the original hall. It is the oldest continually operated fire station in Michigan

Thank you to all to first responders and the people who work to keep us safe.

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The Nativity Barn

Posted on by Posted in Barns and Farms .

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 am don’t know who’s barn it is but I thought it was a nice scene. It has been really challenging this year but I hope you are having a safe and happy holiday season.

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The Festivus Express

Posted on by Posted in Train Depots .

I was in Grand Haven and I saw an enormous steam locomotive on display and my first thought was, ” that looks like the Polar Express” but I knew it wasn’t since the 1225 is in Owosso. I looked at the number and it was the Pere Marquette 1223. I wondered what holiday that was and looking on Wikipedia it says that December 23rd is Festivus. Maybe someday the old train will be restored to working order and I can air my grievances on the Festivus Express, I wonder what town it would go to on its journey.

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Phelps Bros Mill

Posted on by Posted in Grain Elevators .

One of the first photos I posted on my website was of this old grain mill in Manton north of Cadillac. I posted it back in 2013 and it is nice to see that it is still standing. The hand-painted mural was even repainted. As time goes by some of the places I have posted about are gone. It’s nice to get back to where I started. It is like seeing an old friend.

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Swedish Church

Posted on by Posted in Churches .

This beautiful white church stands in the town of Tustin south of Cadillac. The historical marker standing in front of it gives a little history and reads:

In 1870 the Episcopal Diocese of Western Michigan,, the Grand Rapids and Indiana, and the Evangelical Church of Sweden collaborated in promoting Swedish immigration to Michigan. Through the efforts of the Reverend Josiah Tustin of Grand Rapids, about one thousand Swedes immigrated to west Michigan by 1872. Many settled in New Bleking, present-day Tustin. In 1872 they organized St. Johannes’ Episcopal Church. On April 4, 1874, the Lutherans originally belonging to the Church of Sweden formed the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church. This building dates from 1882. The pressed metal interior, installed in 1921, remains remarkably intact.

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