Lost In Michigan
  • HOME
  • Books
  • the Images
  • The Artist
  • The Journey

Monthly Archives: December 2020

Christmas in Lyons

Posted on December 19, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Winter Wonderland .

I went through the small town of Lyons near Ionia and I saw this little white building with a Christmas tree inside. I thought it looked charming and I had to stop and take a photo. I am not sure what it is or was with a hand-painted sign reading WOMEN above the door. It looked like a small depot of some kind but I am not sure.

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

enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, it's just an automated email that lets you know there is a new post to read

Leave a comment .

The Christmas Mall

Posted on December 18, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in upper peninsula .

Just to be clear, it’s the Christmas Mall, not the mall at Christmas. The little town near Munising got its name when Julius Thorton built a factory in 1938 to make holiday gifts. I am confused as to whether he named the town Christmas or his factory. Unfortunately, in the summer of 1940, his business burned down and he never rebuilt. although the workshop is gone the area still kept the name Christmas.

The Christmas Mall was closed when I went by on my road trip. I like to stop at these eclectic shops to see what kind of stuff I can find, but I usually don’t have time since I am busy looking for places to photograph. I figure when I run out of sites to see it would be interesting to do posts highlighting some of these stores around Michigan. I see a lot of them all over the states, and mostly in small towns.

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

enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, it's just an automated email that lets you know there is a new post to read

Leave a comment .

Driving Across Michigan’s Dam Road

Posted on December 17, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Dam .

At the time of its construction in 1929, the Hardy Dam was the largest earthen dam in North America east of the Mississippi River.  It is located on the Muskegon River north of Newaygo. A road passes over the top of the dam, similar to the Hoover Dam between Nevada and Arizona. I have never driven over the Hover Dam, but the road on the Hardy Dam is an experience to traverse. It is rather narrow with a concrete wall on one side and a guardrail and dropoff on the other. If you are ever in the area you need to drive across it. A park on the east side of the river has some parts of the dam on display and gives some history of it.

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

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

enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, it's just an automated email that lets you know there is a new post to read

Leave a comment .

Lost near Romeo

Posted on December 16, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places .

Roaming around the back roads near Romeo I came across this old house or building or whatever it was. I like the green roof and faded and peeling yellow paint. I am not sure what this place was but it seems a little tall for a house but I don’t know. I stopped and took a pic from the road and kept on moseying along.

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

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

enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, it's just an automated email that lets you know there is a new post to read

Leave a comment .

A Downtown Christmas

Posted on December 15, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Winter Wonderland .

I turned on to Main Street in Downtown Ionia and was surprised to see an enormous Christmas tree standing in the intersection.  It seemed rather strange to drive around the illuminated tree like a traffic circle, but it was a beautiful sight.

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

enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, it's just an automated email that lets you know there is a new post to read

Leave a comment .

Newaygo’s Factory Ruins

Posted on December 14, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places .

The town of Newaygo sits on the Muskegon River at the southern end of the Manistee National Forest. Vising the riverfront park that sits between the old train bridge and the bridge for M-37, you may notice some ruins and a small waterfall that sits on the opposite side.

This is what remains of the Henry Rowe Manufacturing company. Joseph Henry Rowe and his brother were successful businessmen in Newaygo when Joesph built this factory on the banks of the Muskegon River in the early 190s. The factory produced wooden products like tools, furniture components, and architectural trim. The enormous factory shipped products worldwide and was powered by the Penoyer Creek that still flows through the ruins to this day. You can see the small waterfall where it cascades from the manmade trough into the Muskegon River.

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

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

enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, it's just an automated email that lets you know there is a new post to read

Leave a comment .

The Stone Church on Lake Huron

Posted on December 13, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches, Thumb .

I was passing through the town of Lexington and I saw this majestic stone church. It is St. Denis Catholic Church and construction was started in 1880. It took two years to complete and it was dedicated in 1882. It still stands on M-25 looking toward Lake Huron and it’s hard to miss the incredible stonework as you drive past it.

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

enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, it's just an automated email that lets you know there is a new post to read

Leave a comment .

Alma Schoolhouse

Posted on December 11, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Schools .

I saw this old building outside of Alma. I am not exactly sure what it was but it looks like an old schoolhouse. I love the row of windows or at least openings for them on the side. It faces east so the morning sun must have shone through on the students as they started their day.

It looks as if someone is cutting the grass so I assume it is not abandoned and I took this pic from the road since I don’t trespass.

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

enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, it's just an automated email that lets you know there is a new post to read

Leave a comment .

Ken-Tuck-U-Inn

Posted on December 10, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in autumn, Historic Places .

Nestled in the woods off M-22 in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a light yellow house. It was built by Bertie and Donna Bancroft in the late 1920s as a boarding house for travelers visiting the area. On Sundays, the inn was a popular destination for tourists to enjoy one of Donna’s chicken dinners. During the peak season in summer, she would serve over 100 tourists using the chickens she raised at the inn. Bertie lived in this house until his death in 1963. Donna died the following year.

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

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

enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, it's just an automated email that lets you know there is a new post to read

Leave a comment .

Red Jacket: the Biggest Town in the U.P. You Never Knew About

Posted on December 8, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in upper peninsula .

If you have never heard of the town of Red Jacket in Michigan you are not alone. I was doing some research and I came across the town of Red Jacket and immediately I thought of the Red Jacket fire station in Calumet. ( you can see my post about it HERE ) I just assumed it was called the Red Jacket fire station because the firefighters wore red jackets.

I later found out my assumption was completely wrong. The city of Calumet in the Keweenaw Peninsula was settled in 1864, originally under the name of “Red Jacket”, named for a Native American Chief of the Seneca tribe.  The nearby town of Laurium was originally called Calumet, a Native American name for a clay bowl used on a peace pipe. Present-day Laurium was started by the Laurium Mining Company and changed its name to Laurium in 1895. The Calumet and Hecla Mine was in or next to the town of Red Jacket. I assume because of the influence and dominant presence of the mind Red Jacket became known as Calumet.  Present-day Calumet was not legally named so until 1929. I hope what I wrote makes sense, but it is still a little confusing to me and it must have been really confusing for the post office.   Next time you are in Calumet and you see references to the name of Red Jacket, now you know why.

P.S. I wish the Keweenaw was not so far away from my home in Saginaw. It is one of my favorite places in Michigan to visit with its incredible history and natural beauty.

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

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

enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, it's just an automated email that lets you know there is a new post to read

Leave a comment .
« Previous Page
Next Page »

Subscribe to Blog

Enter your Email to receive new posts notifications

Categories

  • Artesian Springs
  • autumn
  • Barns and Farms
  • Bars and Restaurants
  • Benchmarks
  • Bridges
  • calendars
  • castles
  • Cemetery
  • Churches
  • cities
  • courthouses
  • Dam
  • Detroit
  • Fire Houses
  • Forgotten Places
  • General Store
  • Ghost Murals
  • Ghost towns
  • Giveaways
  • Grain Elevators
  • Haunted Places
  • Historic Places
  • Houses
  • Iconic Buildings
  • island
  • Landscapes
  • Library
  • Lighthouses
  • Michigan Historical Markers
  • Michigan State Parks
  • Mills
  • Murders
  • Nature
  • Parks
  • people
  • Photography Tips
  • presentations
  • Restaurants
  • Schools
  • Ships and Boats
  • Sleeping Bear Dunes
  • small towns
  • SP March Madness
  • State Parks
  • Thumb
  • Train Depots
  • Uncategorized
  • upper peninsula
  • Water Tower
  • Waterfalls
  • Winter Wonderland

Archives

Pages

  • Books
  • Cart
  • Checkout
  • My Account
  • Shopping Cart
  • Store
  • the Images
  • The Journey
  • The Artist

Archives

  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013

Categories

  • Artesian Springs (3)
  • autumn (73)
  • Barns and Farms (91)
  • Bars and Restaurants (5)
  • Benchmarks (1)
  • Bridges (23)
  • calendars (11)
  • castles (10)
  • Cemetery (65)
  • Churches (120)
  • cities (8)
  • courthouses (26)
  • Dam (16)
  • Detroit (22)
  • Fire Houses (26)
  • Forgotten Places (213)
  • General Store (24)
  • Ghost Murals (3)
  • Ghost towns (63)
  • Giveaways (21)
  • Grain Elevators (34)
  • Haunted Places (69)
  • Historic Places (122)
  • Houses (246)
  • Iconic Buildings (37)
  • island (1)
  • Landscapes (9)
  • Library (27)
  • Lighthouses (116)
  • Michigan Historical Markers (83)
  • Michigan State Parks (22)
  • Mills (4)
  • Murders (15)
  • Nature (28)
  • Parks (20)
  • people (32)
  • Photography Tips (5)
  • presentations (12)
  • Restaurants (13)
  • Schools (99)
  • Ships and Boats (23)
  • Sleeping Bear Dunes (3)
  • small towns (79)
  • SP March Madness (5)
  • State Parks (13)
  • Thumb (71)
  • Train Depots (68)
  • Uncategorized (154)
  • upper peninsula (199)
  • Water Tower (11)
  • Waterfalls (36)
  • Winter Wonderland (24)

WordPress

  • Log in
  • WordPress

CyberChimps WordPress Themes

© Lost In Michigan