Mike Sonnenberg, Author at Lost In Michigan

Michigan’s Oldest Lighthouse

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Lighthouses .

The first lighthouse in the state of Michigan was constructed In 1825 north of Fort Gratiot at the entrance to the St Clair River near Port Huron. The contract for the construction of the lighthouse and keeper’s dwelling was awarded to Captain Winslow Lewis of Massachusetts. Lewis was the inventor of the patented Lewis lamp, Which was universally adopted as the primary source of illumination in the nation’s growing inventory of lighthouses. Lewis sub-contracted the construction of the tower and keeper’s dwelling that would become known as the “Fort Gratiot Light” to Daniel Warren of Rochester, New York.

it became quickly apparent that the structure was both poorly designed and constructed. George McDougall, was selected as the light’s first official keeper. McDougall’s reports indicated that the stairs were so steep that they had to be climbed sideways, and the trapdoor into the lantern room was barely large enough for a man to squeeze through, but he was a short man with a weight in excess of 300 pounds, and as such hired an assistant to perform all of his tower work. Originally the tower was 32 feet tall. In 1861, after two additions, the tower reached its current height of 82 feet.

the tower was damaged during a storm in the fall of 1828, and later fell down. Congress reacted swiftly and appropriated $8,000 for a new tower in 1829. The new tower was 65 feet tall and 25′ in diameter and it was outfitted with the Lewis lamp system powered by whale oil, which was then the standard. The Lewis lamps were removed from Fort Gratiot in 1857, and the tower was refitted with a fourth-order Fresnel lens, which had an intensity at least four times that of the old Lewis lamps

The Lighthouse was eventually upgraded to a modern electric lamp and is the oldest active lighthouse in Michigan.

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Running like Crazy

Posted on May 10, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Schools .

I have been busy lately and not posting as much as I want too. My son and daughter are both running track for school this spring, and I had 4 track meets last week, and another 4 this week. I wanted to let you know so if I miss a post for a few days or I am late in responding to your email, that is why. I have taken a few pics on my way to some of the meets, but I am looking forward to getting out on a road trip and getting some more pics. I do enjoy going to the away meets and seeing other schools, the people at school sports are always friendly and welcoming, and I don’t mind supporting the schools, even if its a different school than my own kids school.

P.S. if you’re wondering, this pic of of the track at Bay City Western in Auburn a few years ago. we got delayed for a thunderstorm and then after it had passed we had this beautiful sunset. I just wish I had a pic like this of my kids home track.

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The Lonely Old Schoolhouse

Posted on May 7, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Schools .

I went to what I consider to be a “small school” with only about 80 students in my graduating class, I guess by today’s standards that seem kinda small. I can’t imagine what it would be like going to a one room schoolhouse. While in school in the 70’s we got something called a personal computer and I learned basic on an Apple IIe. I thought that was really hi-tech, now my kids have tablets in their schools. I can only imagine what the kids at the North Grove school would think of all the technology we have today. The old North Grove School still stands along M24 a few miles south of Caro watching cars go by longing for the days it had children learning inside and playing outside in the grass next to it.

Oh, by the way, I liked going to a small school, yes we had limited sports and extracurricular activities, but I knew everyone’s name in every grade and it was kinda like a big family. My kids go to a large school, which offers lots of opportunities, but it’s kinda strange to me that my kids probably know only about half of the students in their grade.

P.S. I just wanna say Thank You for reading my posts, I don’t say Thank You enough for taking the time out of your busy day to look at what I post.

Find Interesting locations throughout the Mitten State with a Lost In Michigan book Available on Amazon by clicking HERE

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The Gorgeous Dimmick House in Owosso

Posted on May 4, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Houses .

This Italianate Style house was built in 1876 along the Shiawasse River in Owosso by the Dimmick Family and is now a Bed and Breakfast . I saw this massive house on my first trip to Owosso a few years ago when I started my website and I have been trying to get a nice pic of it since then. it seemed like every time I try to take a pic of it, the light was not right or a car was parked in front of it, or something and when you live a long ways away its hard to just show up at the perfect time. As you can see I am finally posting a pic of it. I do get suggestions for places to photograph all the time but it may take me a while to get there and have the right conditions to make an nice Image.

Oh by the way, if you are ever near Owosso you should stop by for a visit, it really is a nice historic town with lots of beautiful old houses and a Castle too.

you can get a print of this pic or any of my images HERE

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The Henry R. Pattengill Monument

Posted on May 3, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Schools .

Henry R. Pattengill began his career as the superintendent of St. Louis schools, and later of Ithaca schools. His experiences in rural Michigan education led him to advocate for its improvement during his tenure as Michigan Superintendent of public instruction. In 1924 his formal pupils and admirers donated 510 stones from around the world to construct this monument next to the Ithaca fire station as a memorial to their beloved teacher, colleague, and friend.

Henry R. Pattengill (1852 – 1918) was Michigan’s Superintendent of public instruction from 1893 to 1897. As a textbook author, an orator and editor of Moderator-Topics, a journal for educators, he shaped Michigan’s education system. He championed the creation of rural district libraries, free textbooks, compuls oary attendance, and teacher certification. Running as a Progressive, he lost his bid for governor in 1914.

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

The Tragic Tale of this Old Abandoned House

Posted on May 1, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Murders .

One of my Subscribers told me about this old abandoned house between Ithaca and Wheeler. It has a tragic story to tell about the murder of its owner Alonzo Hart Jr. in 1970. He was a Korean War Veteran and former Saginaw police officer who was now working as a truck driver to support his family. His Second wife Sarah Jane Hart and her 17 year old lover Phillip Lippert hatched a plan to have him killed so she could collect the $18,000 insurance money. They found a killer for hire in William Pribble that would commit the murder for $1500. One night Alonzo’s wife took the kids while Pribble and Lippert waited for Alonzo to return and when he pulled into the driveway Pribble hit him over the head with a bar and beat him to death and left him lying next to his car in the driveway.

Pribble and Lippert pleaded to second degree murder and each was given life sentences. Sarah Jane Hart, who was unable to remember details to help her attorney in her own defense was ultimately committed to a state mental hospital for 18 months before her first trial ended in a mistrial. The old boarded up house still silently stands as a witness to this horrific crime.

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The Huron Lightship – Michigan Historical Marker

Posted on April 28, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Lighthouses .

Commissioned in 1921, the Huron began service as a relief vessel for other Great Lakes lightships. She is ninety-seven feet long, twenty-four feet in beam, and carried a crew of eleven. On clear nights her beacon could be seen for fourteen miles. After serving in northern Lake Michigan, the Huron was assigned to the Corsica Shoals in 1935. These shallow waters, six miles north of Port Huron, were the scene of frequent groundings by lake freighters in the late nineteenth century. A lightship station had been established there in 1893, since the manned ships were more reliable than lighted buoys. After 1940 the Huron was the only lightship on the Great Lakes. Retired from Coast Guard Service in 1970, she was presented to the City of Port Huron in 1971.

you can get a print of this pic or any of my images HERE

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The Old Barn Near Podunk

Posted on April 27, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Barns and Farms .

I saw this old barn near what was once the town of Podunk north of Gladwin. It’s been a while since I posted a barn pic, I love old barns, even though I grew up in the city. I guess maybe it’s because I think the farmer’s friends and neighbors from the community got together to build it, I wonder if they called it “crowd-sourcing” back then.

you can get a print of this pic or any of my images HERE

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Swinging in Croswell

Posted on April 24, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Bridges .

On my recent adventure around the thumb a few weeks ago, I found the historic town of Croswell. I have heard of the swinging bridge, but forgot all about it until I saw the sign as I drove into town. It was built in 1905 by the Michigan Sugar Company ( yes I can relate to the smell, I grew up in Carrollton) for their workers to cross the river to get to work. The original bridge had just two cables which were used to support the planks, I can’t imagine walking across it without anything to hold onto, my clumsy self would fall in for sure. I am thinking the origins of the signs ” Be good to your Mother In Law” and “love Ye One Another” that was at the other end is an attempt to keep mischievous people from swinging the bridge. Eventually, Two more cables were added to provide a handhold.

Because Amazon has pushed back shipping of books I have started selling books from my website. I have them in stock and you should have them in a few days if you live in Michigan. You can order them HERE

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The Castle on Woodward in Detroit

Posted on April 21, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Houses, Iconic Buildings, Uncategorized .

This beautiful french renaissance castle on Woodward Ave. was the home of railroad and ship-building baron Col. Frank J. Hecker. In 1888, Hecker hired architect Louis Kamper and began construction on the mansion at Woodward Avenue on the corner of Ferry and Woodward. The massive home is 21,000 square feet, and is an imposing example of French Châteauesque style based on the Château de Chenonceaux near Tours, France. Hecker used his home to host elaborate parties where he entertained luminaries such as presidents William McKinley and Rutherford B. Hayes.

The exterior of the home has large turrets at the corners, and Flemish dormers in the steep hip roof. Several bays project from the main body of the home, and wrapped around the whole is a balustraded, colonnaded loggia. A carriage house in the rear is clearly visible from Woodward. At one point this structure was converted into a concert hall capable of seating 200.

The interior has 49 rooms, including a large oak-paneled hall designed for large parties, an oval dining room done in mahogany, a lobby done in English oak, and a white and gold music room. The fireplaces were constructed of Egyptian Nubian marble and onyx and Italian Siena marble were used in the vestibules.

Hecker lived in the home until his death in 1927. For the next twenty years, the home was owned by the Hecker family, but operated as a boarding house for single college students. In 1947, the mansion was sold to Paul Smiley of the Smiley Brothers Music Company, who used it for musical instruction and practice, as well as a sales office. When Smiley died in 1990, the building was sold to Charfoos & Christensen, P.C. law firm that renovated the mansion, and it served as their law offices until 2014. In September 2014, Wayne State University purchased the house for $2.3 million for its Alumni Relations Department.

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