Mike Sonnenberg, Author at Lost In Michigan

the Remains of the Detroit House of Corrections in Plymouth

Posted on January 25, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places .

Traveling down 5 mile in Plymouth township I came across this complex surrounded by razor wire, and I knew this was not your typical abandoned motor-court. I stopped and took a few pics ( I got some from the parking lot, I don’t trespass ) and then when I got home I found out it was the old Detroit House of Corrections or DeHoCo. Interestingly, the main building was designed by famed architect Albert Kahn.

The first Detroit House of Correction opened in 1861 near Detroit’s Eastern Market. In 1919, the city of Detroit purchased approximately 1,000 acres in Plymouth Township to house a new Detroit House of Correction. A prison farm, with inmates sleeping in tents, was opened in 1920 of which there is a group of silos from the farm still standing in a field next to the defunct prison.
A permanent maximum security facility was completed towards the end of prohibition in 1930, I imagine there were some bootleggers and members of the Purple Gang that paid there debt to society at DeHoCo. It was eventually sold to the Michigan Department of Corrections int the 80’s and renamed Western Wayne Correctional Facility and became a women’s facility, The prison closed in December 2004, it is slated for demolition. Many places I photograph, I like to see saved, but in this case, I can’t see where this would be of use to the community, it’s not like a school or church that people have fond memories of. I am glad I was able to get some photos of it, in case it’s gone soon.

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St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church – Michigan Historical Marker

Posted on January 12, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches, Michigan Historical Markers .

Between Bay City and Freeland, German missionary Pastor Ferdinand Sievers organized St. John Church in June 1852 to serve a colony of German migrants, some fleeing the turmoil that followed the European revolutions of 1848. Initially, the church met in a log cabin that once housed recent arrivals to the colony of Amelith. In 1870 a wood-frame Gothic style church was built. The present structure was completed in 1912. Schools run by the church began in 1853 with instruction in German surviving until World War I. Some church services continued in German until 1979. During World War II, German prisoners housed at Freeland Camp were ministered to by St. John Lutheran. An addition to the church was completed in 1997.

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The Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse

Posted on January 7, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Lighthouses .

In 1832, Congress authorized a lightship to be placed on Waugoshance Shoal as the first attempt to mark the western entrance to the Straits. In 1838, Lieutenant James T. Homans reported that the lightship was wholly inadequate. He recommended a better solution for Waugoshance and also that a light be built on the point to the west of Mackinaw Harbor. Nothing came of Homans’ recommendations. In 1854, the new Lighthouse Administration decided (against the recommendation of local residents) to put a light at McGulpin Point, approximately 3 miles to the west of Old Point Mackinaw.

In 1889, the United States Lighthouse Board realized that Mackinaw Point was a better location. Their first inclination was to put a fog signal there, but when asking Congress for funding, they requested funding for both a fog signal and a first class lighthouse. Congress chose to accept their recommendation, but only voted the funding for a steam-powered fog-signal. The fog signal was built in 1890. The signal proved to be exceptionally necessary for navigation in the often fog-choked Straits of Mackinac.

.In March 1891, Congress finally authorized the funding for a light station and the board acted quickly. Bidding was difficult, but in 1892, “on a foundation of ashlar limestone, the tower and attached keeper’s dwelling were both constructed of Cream City brick, trimmed with Indiana Limestone. The double-walled cylindrical tower was laid with an outside diameter of 13 feet 4 inches , and as each course was added, rose to a height of 45 feet , surmounted by a circular iron gallery and an 8-foot-8-inch diameter watch room, which was in turn capped by a prefabricated octagonal iron lantern.”The lens is a fourth order Fresnel Lens.

Its light was visible for 14 nautical miles; (16 Miles), which made it “particularly valuable” to the railroad car ferries SS Chief Wawatam and SS Sainte Marie operating between Mackinaw City and St. Ignace.

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The Marlette District Library – Michigan Historical Marker

Posted on December 30, 2015 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Library, Michigan Historical Markers .

In 1914 the Marlette Research Club composed of women in the community decided to build a public library for Marlette. The club contacted the Carnegie Corporation for a grant to build the library. In compliance with the Carnegie Corporation’s rules, Marlette raised funds and instituted a quarter-mill tax for maintenance of the library. In 1918 the Carnegie Corporation agreed to fund the Research Club’s library project. The simple brick building was constructed in 1921. The building has a hipped roof and a portico of classical design. The library was the last in the Midwest to receive a Carnegie library grant and the second to the last to do so in the country. The Marlette District Library is one of fifty-three Michigan libraries funded by the Carnegie Corporation.

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Wall Calendar Giveaway

Posted on December 27, 2015 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in calendars .

I am giving away a Lost In Michigan wall calendar on my facebook page, if you want a chance to win it you can enter here https://www.facebook.com/LostInMichigan.net/

I have a few Lost In Michigan Calendars left, the Michigan Barn calendars are sold out and I am down to about 5 Forgotten Michigan calendars if you want to order one they are available here https://lostinmichigan.net/shop/

Pioneer Bank in North Branch

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Michigan Historical Markers .

Pioneer Bank was founded in 1885 as a state bank, and reorganized in 1889. President Frederick Howard, Vice President Albert Sholes and Cashier Charles W. Ballard were bank officers. In !903 this lot was purchased from Sholes, and soon after the board selected Bay City architects Clark & Munger to design new offices. A bank was partially constructed, but it burned before completion. The present classical-inspired structure replaced the original and opened in 1906. In 1982 the bank was listed in the National Registed of Historic Places.

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The Italian Hall in Calumet – Michigan Historical Marker

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Historic Places, Michigan Historical Markers .

On December 24, 1913, area copper miners had been on strike for five months. The miners were fighting for better pay, shortened work days, safer working conditions and union recognition. That day, during a yuletide party for the striking miners and their families, someone yelled, “Fire!” Although there was no fire, seventy-three person died while attempting to escape down a stairwell that had doors that opened inward. Over half of those who died were children between the ages of six and ten. The perpetrator of the tragedy was never identified. The strike ended in April 1914.

The Italian Hall was built in 1908 as headquarters for Calumet’s benevolent society. The Society, organized along ethnic lines, encouraged and financially aided immigrants and provided relief to victims of hardship. Following the 1913 Christmas Eve tragedy, the hall continued to be used for nearly five decades. The two-story red brick building was razed in 1984. Through the efforts of the Friends of the Italian Hall and Local 324 of the AFL-CIO, the site of the building became a memorial park dedicated ot the people who lost their lives in 1903.

an Historic Photo of the hall I found in the Public Domain, you can see the doorway that remains as a memorial on the left side of the building.

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Lost In Michigan Calendars $5 off and FREE Shipping.

Posted on December 20, 2015 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Uncategorized .

Lost In Michigan calendars are $5 off and FREE shipping today.

the Michigan Barn calendar is sold out, and I only have a few Forgotten Michigan calendars left. if you want one before they are gone you can get them HERE

The Old Kilmanagh General Store Now and Then

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places .

Roaming the back roads of Michigan i find all sorts of interesting places like this old General Store in Kilmanagh that looks like it right out of an old western movie set. One day while roaming the world wide web i cam across and photo of a familiar looking building then I realized it was the old General store in Kilmanagh. the caption for the photo said it was the Woldt Brothers general store, other than that, it’s all I know about it and that the building has aged a lot but the road looks better.

Here is a link to the original photo and a map pf Kilmanagh

Kilmanagh near Bayport in the Thumb was first called Thompson’s Corners, for Francis Thompson, an Irish homesteader who arrived in 1861. The name Kilmanagh was first used to describe the nearby Shebeon Creek, which would overflow each spring. A post office named Kilmanagh operated from February 1873 until June 1904

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Real Castles in Michigan that are better than a Fairy Tale

Posted on December 8, 2015 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Historic Places .

Traveling around Michigan I find a plethora of interesting places and over the past few years I have seen some beautiful and historic castles. here is a list of the ones I have found in my travels.

Saginaw’s Castle Museum

originally built as a post office, it now serves as a museum for the Saginaw Historical Society. check out my post HERE for more about the building

The Castle Museum in Downtown Saginaw

The Hecker Castle

This beautiful french renaissance castle on Woodward Ave designed by Louis Kamper was the home of railroad and ship-building baron Col. Frank J. Hecker, you can read more about it HERE

The Hecker Castle in Detroit

Dickinson County Jail

The Jail In Iron Mountain is a two-story structure built of red brick and sandstone, capped with stone battlemented parapets and a tin roof. It originally contained 36 cells, along with the sheriff’s quarters

Dickinson County Jail in Iron Mountain

Grand Rapids Castle House

this castle-like house was constructed in 1884-86 for lumber barons Colonel E. Crofton Fox and his brother Charles, you can find out more HERE

Grand Rapids Castle House

State Prison in Jackson

the walls surrounding the first state prison in Jackson look like they belong around a mid evil castle, the prison is no longer operational, you can read more HERE

The Old State Prison in Jackson

8th Precinct Police Station

The former Eighth Precinct Police Station is the second-oldest police building in Detroit.It was designed by Louis Kamper and built between 1900 and 1901. you can read more HERE

8th Precinct Police Station in Detroit

Curwood Castle

Built in 1922, by James Oliver Curwood as his writing studio, and a number of his later works were composed in the tower, overlooking the Shiawassee River. you can find out more HERE

Curwood Castle in Owosso

Henderson Castle

The Queen Anne style house was designed by C. A. Gombert of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The $72,000 building costs included seven baths (one with a thirteen-head shower), an elevator, and a third-floor ballroom. The castle’s exterior was constructed of Lake Superior sandstone and brick, and the interior wood included mahogany, bird’s eye maple, quartered oak, birch, and American sycamore. The castle was built with 25 rooms in all and exemplified the most expensive tastes of the time. it is now a bed and breakfast.

Henderson Castle in Kalamazoo

Upper Peninsula Brewing Co. Office

The Upper Peninsula Brewing Company Building is an office building located at the intersection of Meeske Street and US 41 in Marquette, Michigan. It is also known as the Charles Meeske House. you can read more HERE

Upper Peninsula Brewing Co. Office

Elm Lawn Cemetery Gate

The entrance to the Historic Cemetery in Bay City is more of a gate then a castle, but it looks like one to me, so I added it to the list.

Elm Lawn Cemetery Gate in Bay City

The James Scott Residence

This is the James Scott residence on the comer of Peterboro and Park in the Midtown District and it was built in 1887. you can read more HERE

The James Scott Residence

The Penniman Castle

The Penniman Castle of Battle Creek was built in 1906, you can read more HERE

Frankfort Castle House

I could not find any info about the house in Frankfort but I had to include it on the list

Frankfort Castle house

Deer Acres

On M13 in Pinconning it’s probably not much of a castle, but it seemed like one to me when I visted it as a kid in the 70’s

Deer Acres on M13 in Pinconning

The Castle House in Manchester

It’s not your typical looking house. I searched google and the only thing I found was a photo of a postcard on Flickr circa 1910 and that it was built by A.J. Wright, other than that I could not find anything else.

The Castle House in Manchester

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