July 2023 - Lost In Michigan

The Hidden Log Cabin Church

Posted on July 31, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches, Historic Places .

The steeple for St Lorenz Church towers over the town of Frankenmuth. An old graveyard sits across the street from the church and is the final resting place of some of the towns earliest residents. In the back of the graveyard is a building constructed out of logs. It is a recreation of the original log cabin St Lorenz Church dedicated on Christmas Day in 1846. The original church was built by 15 German immigrants who came to the area in 1845. The settlers named the “colony” Frankenmuth, by combining the name of their home region, Franconia, with mut, the German word for courage.

P.S. I live and was raised in nearby Saginaw and have visited Frankenmuth many times. I just recently seen this old log building behind the graveyard. It reminds me that no mater how much I explore Michigan there is still more locations and stories to find.

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Bay Furnace

Posted on July 28, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Historic Places, upper peninsula .

Bay Furnace Campground sits west of Christmas off M-28. Here you will find the ruins of an old iron smelting furnace that gives the campground its name. There is a parking area along the driveway to the campground that has a short trail that leads to the ruins. They were built in the 1870s and were part of the town of Onota. The town burned down in 1877, and all that remains is the stone furnace. Not only is it an interesting historic site to check out, but it has a great view of Lake Superior.

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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Jacktown and the Cemetery

Posted on July 26, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery, Ghost towns .

The Bland Cemetery sits in the woods along County Line Rd./ Oviatt Rd. southeast of Empire in the Leelanau Peninsula. It is named the Bland Cemetery because many of the people buried in it have the last name of Bland. It is also shown on some maps as the Jacktown Cemetery and is what remains of the old railroad town. It was built along the tracks of the Empire and Southeastern Railroad.

It is rumored the town died off after the well went dry but it is more likely it disappeared after the railroad went out of business and the tracks were removed in the 1920s. In Larry Wakefield’s book Ghost Towns of Michigan. He tells the story of an elderly man looking for the long forgotten town in the woods. He found out that Oliver Bland who lived in the town had lost his wife and baby during childbirth and was institutionalized in the state mental hospital in Traverse City.

I visit a lot of old cemeteries and this is the first time I saw a small metal grave marker for an infant. It is sad to see a marker for a baby that only lived for a month. If you are into old cemeteries and out for an adventure be sure to check out the Bland Cemetery and who knows maybe you will see the spirit of Oliver Bland.

PS. If you like reading about Michigan ghost towns, be sure to check out Larry Wakefield’s books. They were published several years ago and many locations have changed since they were published but they are a fascinating read. You can see them on Amazon HERE but you could probably find them in a used book store.

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Carson City Michigan and How It got Its Name

Posted on July 24, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in small towns .

Carson City was first platted in 1866 on land owned by R. M. Abbott, Delia Miner, and Hiram T. Sherman and recorded in 1871. The first lot was sold to Thomas Scott and two nephews, John and Thomas LaDue in 1867. With the corporate name Scott & LaDue, they built a sawmill in 1868 and a grist mill in 1870. The post office from North Shade in Gratiot County was transferred here on August 3, 1868, with Hiram T. Sherman as the first postmaster. The name Carson City was given to the post office by Thomas Scott, who had been in Carson City, Nevada, during the gold and silver mining boom days. Carson City incorporated as a village in 1887 and as a city in 1960. The first mayor of Carson city was John T Hallett.

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A Decade

Posted on July 21, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Uncategorized .

I started Lost In Michigan on July 21, 2013. It is hard to believe I have been doing it for a decade. I never imagined that it would become what it has. It started out as a place for me to share photos of the interesting things I have found on my travels around the Great Lakes State.

I am so grateful for the kindness and support from all of you. I have meet some wonderful people along this journey, and I have also learned a lot about Michigan that I never learned in the history books. I am still out exploring the back roads and have recently expanded my travels beyond the Mitten and posting stories on Lost In The States.

If you want to see my first post you can see it HERE. I think I have gotten better on my posts over the years, but I am still learning.

Thank you all so much for following what I do. The past ten years has been a lot of fun and I hope to continue for another ten more.

Enjoy The Journey,

Mike Sonnenberg

Saravilla

Posted on July 18, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Houses .

This large home is located in the middle of Alma. Called Saravilla, this mansion was built in 1894, originally as an enticement for Sara Wright to stay near her father, local businessman Ammi Wright, after marriage. It has been used as a Masonic Home, a retirement home, and for the past few decades it has been a bed and breakfast.

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Spring Grove

Posted on July 14, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Parks .

South of Grand Rapids, Near Hudsonville is Spring Grove Park. It is a county park that has a stream flowing through it fed by a natural spring. The crystal clear water bubbles up through the ground into a pool of water. It reminded me of a small version of Kitch-iti-kipi at Palms Book State Park in the Upper Peninsula. If you are looking for a nice place for a stroll check out the little park in Southwest Michigan.

P.S. at one time there was a fountain for drinking water but it is gone now.

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The Solitude of Poe Reef Lighthouse

Posted on July 10, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Lighthouses .

I can only imagine how lonely and isolated it must have been to be a Lighthouse keeper in northern Michigan, but for the crew at Poe Reef Lighthouse, it must have been especially challenging. In the fall they survived Michigan storms raging with the waves of Lake Huron splashing up the sides of the lighthouse. In early spring ice would pound on the concrete foundation violently shaking it.

In 1893 a lightship was anchored above the reef located at the east end of South Channel near Bois Blanc Island east of Cheboygan. In 1928 a concrete structure was built with a lighthouse on top of it replacing the lightship. The Poe lighthouse was originally painted all white, which sometimes confused mariners because they shared colors and a common structural design. Thus, a decision was made in 1957 to paint Poe in contrasting bands of black and white.

Photo of the Poe Reef Lighthouse in the 1930’s from the U S Coast Guard archives

The Poe Reef station was designed so that the onsite crew could also remotely operate the Fourteen Foot Shoal Light. By 1974 both lights have were fully automated and the fog horn is still in service. In 1929, Poe Reef Lighthouse and Cape Henry Lighthouse became the first in the United States to be equipped with synchronized radiobeacons and fog signals. When these two signals are sent simultaneously, a mariner can note the time interval between the arrival of the radio signal and sound signal and calculate the vessel’s distance from the lighthouse. Poe Reef Lighthouse was operated by a five man crew and had four diesel engines, four gas-operated generators and an eight-foot long pane of radio instruments.

The reef and light are named for lighthouse designer Orlando M. Poe. During ten years of service as Engineer for the Eleventh Lighthouse District he designed eight lighthouses in Michigan and his”crowning achievement” is considered to be the Poe Lock in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

In 2005, the Poe Reef Light lighthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the parallel state inventory of historic sites

If your wondering, I took this pic from the shoreline of the Cheboygan State Park near the lighthouse ruins of the old lighthouse HERE

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The Negwegon Spring

Posted on July 7, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in State Parks .

Negwegon State Park is over 4000 acres of wilderness located along Lake Huron between Alpena and Harrisville. Named for the the Ojibwe chieftain that hunted in the region it is a popular park with hikers and birders. My favorite feature of the park is a natural spring that is located between the parking lot and the beach. If you visit this out of the way park be sure to bring a few water bottles to fill up with the crystal clear water.

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A Special Place

Posted on July 3, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in small towns, upper peninsula .

A lookout on Brockway Mountain overlooks the town of Copper Harbor. It is located at the top of the Keweenaw Peninsula and is Michigan’s northern most town. It is along trip to the town from southern Michigan but traveling into Copper Harbor down a winding US-41 through the forest is like being transported to a magical place. Away from the busy roads hustle and bustle of the big city I find it peaceful and relaxing. I wish it was closer to home but the fact that it is a journey to visit the remote town makes it a special place.

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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