June 2021 - Page 3 of 3 - Lost In Michigan

Downtown Dansville

Posted on June 10, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in small towns .

The small town of Dansville is southeast of Lansing. In 1844 Samuel Crossman came to the area and a few years later opened a store. He sold the store to his son Daniel who plated the town in 1857 and called it Dansville. The town prospered with the nearby railroad and some believe the citizens were trying to be the home of the state capital after it was decided to move it to the middle of the state. A series of fires destroyed many of the businesses downtown and most were never rebuilt. The town was destined to remain a small town and not the state capital if it was even considered for the honor.

It would not be surprising if the town was considered for the capital. Many towns lobbied for the distinction and it is an interesting story as to how Lansing became the capital. You can see my post about it HERE

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The Notch of Michigan

Posted on June 9, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Historic Places .

The southern border of Michigan has a pronounced notch where Indiana and Ohio meet up to form the border for all three states. Near the tri-state intersection is a boulder that reads: I30 feet south is the point where Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio meet. This marker was erected by the Hillsdale County Historical Society in 1977

Michigan ended up with an odd notch in the border because Ohio which had already become a state in 1803 refused to relinquish Toledo to Michigan. After years of debating and even a short-lived “war”, it was decided to give Toledo to Ohio and the Upper Peninsula to Michigan. This stone marks the southernmost point in Michigan. Well, almost the southernmost point. I am not exactly sure why it is 130 feet from the tri-state point but when I visited it the exact location is in a low spot and drops off quickly from the road. I am thinking they placed the marker because it was a nice spot on a grassy knoll.

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Passenger Cars at the End of the Line in Yuma

Posted on June 8, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Train Depots .

I was roaming the back roads near Yuma, ( Michigan not Arizona) and I came across these old railroad passenger cars. You can’t see it in the photo but the railroad tracks end a few hundred feet from the rail cars. It seemed peculiar to see them way out in the middle of nowhere. I can only assume they parked them until they are needed again.

P.S. if you are wondering Yuma (Michigan not Arizona) is south of Mesick near the Manistee National Forest.

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If Walls Could Talk

Posted on June 6, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Houses, Thumb .

I saw this old house somewhere near Port Austin. I don’t know its story and wonder what it would say if walls could talk. It is sad to see these old houses but they are a reminder of the people that came before us and the hard work they endured. I get frustrated when my cell service goes out I can not imagine how hard it was growing up a century ago.

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Hamlin School No. 15

Posted on June 5, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Schools .

This little red schoolhouse in Hamlin Township near Eaton Rapids was built in 1873. Because of its proximity to the Tri-County Electrical Cooperative formed in 1938, it was one of the first rural schools to receive electricity. The school closed in the 1970s but has not strayed to far from its roots. It is now used as a private children’s preschool

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The Amazing Ephraim Shay House

Posted on June 4, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Houses .

The many-sided house in Harbor Springs was built by Ephraim Shay, In 1891 he designed and built a hexagonal shaped house with six wings opening off the central core with a tower on top, still extant. The interior and exterior walls were stamped steel. He is the inventor of the Shay Locomotive Patented in 1881, and operated by a gear-drive mechanism. Its great traction and ability to operate on tight curves made it a favorite with logging and mining firms. Built in Lima, Ohio, thousands of Shays were operated by railroads throughout the world. Several were used on Shay’s Hemlock Central railroad which began here and ran about fifteen miles to the north. Shay, born in Ohio in 1839, was an inveterate mechanic. He built the Harbor Springs waterworks and later donated it to the city. His firm experimented with boats and automobiles, and one winter he built sleds for the children of the town. In 1888 Shay moved to Harbor Springs where he stayed until his death in 1916.

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Peter’s Mansion

Posted on June 3, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Houses, Thumb .

The Michigan Historical Marker in front of this grand old home in Columbiaville reads:

This structure, completed in 1896, was the home of William Peter (1824-1899). Peter, a prominent Columbiaville businessman, was a rags-to-riches character. Around 1847 he came to the area from Germany via New York state, a penniless immigrant. Immediately he began working in a local sawmill. He invested his earnings in large tracts of land and platted the village of Columbiaville in 1871. From 1879 to 1899, Peter developed the community. He built a gristmill, a woolen mill, houses for his workmen, a school, a church and several commercial buildings including the railroad depot (see my my post about it HERE). Most of Columbiaville was owned and dominated by him. His wife, Roxanna, planned this Italianate residence, which still displays its original hardwood floors and decorative woodwork in oak, mahogany, walnut, cherry and maple.

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Comins Old Red Caboose

Posted on June 2, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Train Depots .

This old red caboose sits in the small town of Comins on M-33. In 1985 the caboose was donated to the town from its owner in Monroe. It was given to the town as a reminder of its railroad days. The history of the old rail car is unknown but it was painted red and made to look like it was used by the Detroit and Mackinac Railroad. The other side has a ramp to a door and the caboose is used as a museum. Next time you are driving down M-33 in Northern Michigan be sure to stop and visit the old red caboose in Comins.

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Service on the Border

Posted on June 1, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places .

I saw this old building way down near the border of Michigan and Ohio. From looking at it I can only assume it was a service station at one time. I am thinking it has been a long time since anyone got a tank full of gas here but it looks like someone is taking care of this old building since the grass has been mowed.

As always I only take pics from the road and do not recommend trespassing.

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