May 2023 - Lost In Michigan

Decoration Day

Posted on May 26, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery .

After the Civil War, American began decorating the graves of loved ones killed in the war. An association of Union Civil War veterans, the Grand Army Of the Republic, began promoting May 30th, as Decoration Day. A day to remember the soldiers that gave their life during the war.

By 1890 each state had officially declared Decoration Day a holiday. After the two World Wars most Americans began calling the day Memorial Day and a day to remember the fallen Military heroes. In 1968, the U.S. government passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which put major holidays on specific Mondays and officially declared the last Monday in May as Memorial Day.

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The Old Burial Ground

Posted on May 24, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery .

A few blocks north of Downtown Monroe on Monroe Street is and old cemetery known as The Old Burial Ground. It was established in 1794 and is the oldest cemetery in the city and one of the oldest in the Great Lakes State. The cemetery is home to the graves of many early settlers, including soldiers who fought in the War of 1812. It is also the final resting place for some of Michigan’s earliest Europeans that were instrumental in the formation of the Michigan Territory including Laurent Durocher, Francois “Francis” Navarre, and Capt John Paxton. Many victims of the cholera epidemic of 1832 are buried in the cemetery.

I wonder how many cars pass by the old burial ground and the people riding inside do not know the history of the Old Burial Ground. If you like old cemeteries and reading old headstones, this is an interesting place to visit.

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The Heroes in Pinery Cemetery

Posted on May 22, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery, upper peninsula .

A few miles northeast of L’Anse in the Upper Peninsula is the Pinery Indian Cemetery. The land has been used as a Native American burial ground since the 1600s. Many of the graves have spirit houses. They provide a place for loved ones to leave food, arrows, beads, and items needed for the deceased to travel to the spirit world.

I have been to the national cemeteries in Holly, Grand Rapids, and Battle Creek and I have seen veterans sections in other cemeteries. I usually see American flags next to the headstones. It was inspiring to see an American flag next to the spirit houses. It is a reminder that people came from all walks of life and different backgrounds and religions to fight and defend freedom in this country.

If you love exploring the Upper Peninsula I hope you will take a look at my new book Lost In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula available on Amazon HERE

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The Thompson House

Posted on May 19, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Houses .

This Queen Anne house was built in 1890 in the southern Michigan town of Hudson. It was built by banking pioneer Gamaliel Thompson. Three generations of the Thompson family lived in the house before it became a museum. It is one of the most original Queen Anne style homes in Michigan both inside and out.

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The Nonesuch Mine

Posted on May 17, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Ghost towns, upper peninsula .

The Porcupine Mountains in the western Upper Peninsula is the largest state park in Michigan. It is known for its hiking trails, waterfalls, and the Lake Of The Clouds. But few people know that hidden among the trees are the ruins of an old mining town. It also has an old stone lined shaft that sinks into the ground. It is rather spooky how it curves out of a hill and I can not imagine descending down into the earth from it. The hole is fence off now but you can still see it in the forest of the Porkies

Nonesuch is a type of copper ore that exists in sandstone and the town was named after the ore. Mining began in 1867 and ended in 1912.At its peak, the town had a population of 300 people and besides the mining buildings, it had a school, boarding houses, stables, and even a baseball team. Today stone walls can be found in the area where the town once stood. I also found some old cast iron machine parts including a large gear half-buried in the ground and held in place by a tree root.

The ruins can be found near the Little Iron River. A parking lot can be found off South Boundary Road with a trail that is about a half-mile long that will take you to the ruins. To find the parking lot drive straight south of the visitor center. A short road keeps going south where South Boundary Road curves to the west. Down that short road, you will find a small parking lot and an informational sign for the town of Nonesuch.

If you love exploring the Upper Peninsula I hope you will take a look at my new book Lost In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula available on Amazon HERE

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One Eye Pete

Posted on May 15, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery, people .

I was roaming around the Monroe Cemetery located north of Greenville. I saw a tombstone with the words ONE EYE PETE that caught my attention. On the other side is the name of Corp. Peter Nelson.

From what I could find on the internet Peter Nelson came to the United States from Denmark to avoid conscription into the Danish army. He ended up in the Civil War instead. He got the nickname One Eye Pete because he had lost an eye at a young age when a animal swiped at his face and damaged his eye with its claw.

As part of his severance pay from the military he was offered what he saw as swampland in Illinois. He felt you couldn’t grow anything there of he refused it. Today it is part of downtown Chicago, Il. He came to the Greenville area and died in 1904 and was laid to rest in the Monroe Cemetery.

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Lost In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula Book

Posted on May 11, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in upper peninsula .

I am proud to announce my most recent book Lost In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is now available. I have had several people request I do a book on places in the U.P. and this book has many of my favorite places. Some locations have been published in my other books and some are new. I also have some tips and advice for traveling the Upper Peninsula that I have learned over the many trips I have taken.

Books are available on Amazon HERE

I am working on getting them in book stores but it may take a few weeks. I am a small independent author/publisher and it takes me time to get them distributed.

If you want to see a list of some of the places in the book, and a preview of the inside, you can see it on amazon HERE. (note: you need to be on a desktop or notebook to see the preview)

Thank you so much to everyone that has purchased one of my books. Your support and kindness means a lot to me and helps me with expenses to explore Michigan and create more posts.

The First Women’s Club In Michigan

Posted on May 8, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Historic Places, Library .

The Ladies’ Library Association of Kalamazoo officially incorporated in 1852 and it was the first women’s club organized in Michigan and the third organized in the United States. Its purpose was to promote the cause of equal education for women. The organization built This building in downtown Kalamazoo in 1879, and it is the building first in the nation erected for the use of a women’s club. Yearly subscriptions cost fifty cents and were available to both men and women, however, only women could be members of the organization. In addition to creating Kalamazoo’s first lending library, the LLA activities have included advocating for the right for women to vote, the creation of day nurseries for working mothers, founding Kalamazoo’s first art club, and establishing a community education program for women

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The Real McCoy

Posted on May 5, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in people .

A historical marker stands in a small park next to the library in downtown Ypsilanti. It stands in memorial of a African American engineer that created a memorable idiom for something genuine.

Elijah McCoy was trained as a mechanical engineer and the son of former slaves. He made his living as a fireman stoking fires and oiling engines for the Michigan Central Railroad. McCoy sought to end the delays caused by frequent oil stops. In his Ypsilanti workshop he developed a lubricating cup that continuously fed oil to steam engines. His device automated steam engine maintenance that was previously done by hand and he patented an automatic lubricator in 1872. By 1926 he had patented more than forty lubricating devices used internationally on trains and boats and in factories. Other people and companies began “knocking off” his invention with inferior products. McCoy began marketing his oil cups as “The Real McCoy” to separate his products from poor quality imposters. As steam engines faded in use the oil cups did too, but they saying “The Real McCoy” has remained and it all began with an engineer from Ypsilanti.

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River Raisin Battlefield

Posted on May 3, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Historic Places .

A 15 star American Flag waves over the historic River Raisin Battlefield in Monroe. It commemorates the Battles of Frenchtown and the deadliest battle in Michigan’s history.

The first battle was fought on January 18, 1813, when a small American force under the command of Colonel William Lewis attacked a British and Native American force at Frenchtown. The Americans were victorious, driving the British and Native Americans from the town.

The British and Native Americans retaliated four days later. Many of the Americans were inexperienced troops from Kentucky sand they were ill-prepared and unable to retreat. Of the thousand American soldiers 397 were killed, and 547 were taken prisoner. The prisoners were marched to Detroit and those to weak to walk were killed.

The battleground officially began operation as a national park on October 22, 2010 and is the only national battlefield marking a site of the War of 1812. A newly constructed visitor’s center is open seven days a week.

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