Author Archives: Mike Sonnenberg

Paris In The Springtime

Posted on by Posted in Parks, small towns .

Michigan in early springtime can be rather gray and gloomy with brown grass and bare trees. I needed to get away so I headed to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower. No not the one in France but the one in Michigan a few miles north of Big Rapids.  John Parish arrived in the area in the 1850s and platted the village in 1865. It was at first named “Parish” after him, but the name later became Paris.

The County park in Paris was the site of the second fish hatchery in the state of Michigan. The Paris Fish Hatchery opened in 1881, and from 1913 to 1938, salmon and brown trout fingerlings were shipped in trains in milk cans painted a distinctive red color. The hatchery operated until 1964.  in 1972 it was acquired by the Mecosta County Park Commission and the land converted into a park. In 1980, Using old bed frames stored in one of the buildings, welding students from the Mecosta-Osceola Career Center in Big Rapids built the 20-foot-tall replica of the Eiffel Tower.

If you want to get away to see the Eiffel Tower and you can’t afford to travel to France, be sure to check out the replica in Paris, Michigan.

P.S. behind the tower is a trout pond. It was closed when I was there, but I will have to go back when it is open and the grass is green.

Thank you for Subscribing to Lost In Michigan, If you have not subscribed yet, It would mean a lot to me if you did.

enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, it's just an automated email that lets you know there is a new post to read

The Solar Eclipse and the Planetarium Company

Posted on by Posted in Forgotten Places .
Trippensee planetarium model made in Saginaw

Several school children learned about the universe from the planetariums made by the Trippensee Planetarium Company in Saginaw, Michigan

early 1900s Lang planetarium made in Detroit

Alexander Laing patented a solar system model in 1897 to show how the earth revolves around the sun and tilts on its axis for the change of seasons. Laing built the planetariums on Grand River Ave. in Detroit. In 1905, the three Trippensee brothers purchased Laing’s company and continued production of the Laing Planetarium. After making improvements to the original design replacing the strings and pulleys with chains and gears the brothers began producing the planetarium as the Trippensee Planetarium. In the late 20s or early 30s the company moved to Saginaw and continued to prosper eventually moving into the building at 301 Cass Street.

Over the years the company continued to improve on the design of the planetarium, producing one with an electric lamp in the sun and a motorized base to move the arm. They also made milky way models, celestial globes and acrylic globes of the earth. It was not uncommon the find a Trippensee planetarium at a school where it was used to teach children how the moon passed in front of the sun to create a solar eclipse.

Former Trippensee Planetarium Co. building at 301 Cass Street in Old Town Saginaw

 

The company was purchased by Science First in 1999 and they moved production to Buffalo New York. With today’s computers, I would imagine most teachers play a youtube video to show how the solar system works, but for many generations of children, myself included, I learned how the universe works with a Trippensee Planetarium.

P.S.I worked at the Trippensee Planetarium Company in the early 90’s shortly after graduating from high school. I did drafting in the corner office on the third floor while I was going to collage at Delta College.

Thank you for Subscribing to Lost In Michigan, If you have not subscribed yet, It would mean a lot to me if you did.

enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, it's just an automated email that lets you know there is a new post to read

Vickeryville

Posted on by Posted in Uncategorized .

The small town of Vickeryville is located in the central Lower Peninsula west of Carson City. It was plated in 1857 by John Vickery in Bloomer Township. The town was originally called West Bloomer but its name was changed to Vickeryville. The little town thrived at the turn of the century, ( yes I mean the early 1900s) but over time the little town declined. By 1953 the post office closed and not much remains of the little town today. A few houses and some old buildings. The most prominent building is the old grain elevator. It still has a faded sign that reads:  CENTRAL BEAN AND GRAIN.

If you like this post, I hope you will take a look at my new book Lost In Michigan’s Ghost Towns and Similar Places. I just released it on Amazon HERE 

Thank you for Subscribing to Lost In Michigan, If you have not subscribed yet, It would mean a lot to me if you did.

enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, it's just an automated email that lets you know there is a new post to read

The Stations Of The Cross in the Irish Hills

Posted on by Posted in Churches .

The beautiful an historic stone church of St. Joseph’s Shrine stands along US-12 in the Irish Hills next to Iron Lake. The church was constructed in 1854 by Irish pioneers. Next to the church are 14 stations of the cross that depict scenes of Jesus’ walk to Calvary.

It was created in 1932 by two Mexican artisans, Dionicio Rodriguez and Ralph Corona. They sculpted steps, archways and railings from wet cement to resemble stone and timber. The crucifixion scene is sculpted from Carrara marble. The footpath begins at a replica of Pontius Pilates’s palace then winds past balconied houses, through the judgment gate and ends at Christ’s tomb.

Thank you for Subscribing to Lost In Michigan, If you have not subscribed yet, It would mean a lot to me if you did.

enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, it's just an automated email that lets you know there is a new post to read

 

The County Poor Farm

Posted on by Posted in Barns and Farms .

I was roaming the backroads near Greenville and I came upon this enormous farmhouse. I figured out it was the old Montcalm county poor farm since it was on County Farm Road.  It was a different time in our society when people went to live on the farm and worked to support themselves. The old farm was used as an adult care facility. New owners have been working on the historic structure. You can see more at their Facebook page HERE https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554576433189

Thank you for Subscribing to Lost In Michigan, If you have not subscribed yet, It would mean a lot to me if you did. 

enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, it's just an automated email that lets you know there is a new post to read

Michigan’s War Dog Memorial in Honor of K9 Veterans Day

Posted on by Posted in Cemetery .
Michigan War Dog Memorial

Michigan War Dog Memorial in South Lyon

 

Michigan War Dog Memorial

Michigan War Dog Memorial Cemetery

In 2013 The State of Michigan has declared March 13th K9 Veterans Day in recognition of the dogs and their handlers that have served our country.  March 13 was chosen because, in 1942 the Quartermaster Corps of the U.S. Army began training dogs for the newly established War Dog Program, also known as the “K-9 Corps”.  K9 Veterans Day is a time to honor all dogs that have served in the military, police and civilian working dogs and their handlers. I also like to remember the dogs that have served in the past and there is the Michigan War Dog Memorial and Cemetery is in South Lyon, on Milford and 11 Mile Road. It’s a beautiful memorial and final resting place for the dogs of Michigan that have served our country and state so faithfully.

Thank you to all the dogs and Handlers for their service, I can only Imagine the number of lives that were saved because of your dedication and loyalty.

St. Patrick’s Church

Posted on by Posted in Churches, Thumb .

st patricks church clifford michigan

St. Patrick’s Church in Clifford in the Thumb began in 1879 with visits from Father Clement Krebs, pastor at St. Agatha Church in Gagetown. It later became a mission of St. Elizabeth in Reese, Sacred Heart in Brown City, and most recently SS. Peter and Paul in North Branch. In 1884 the Diocese of Detroit acquired property here and built this simple Gothic-inspired church. The stained-glass windows admit light into the sanctuary and honor the parish’s Irish founders. Father Krebs presided over the first wedding in the partially completed church in August 1886. St. Patrick’s originally served the communities of Marlette, North Branch, Mayville, Kingston, Silverwood and Wilmot. Among the pastors who served the parish was the Father Charles Coughlin, who ministered here in 1924-25 and later gained notoriety as “the Radio Priest” in Royal Oak.

Thank you for Subscribing to Lost In Michigan, If you have not subscribed yet, It would mean a lot to me if you did.

enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, it's just an automated email that lets you know there is a new post to read

Coats Grove School

Posted on by Posted in Schools .

I saw this old schoolhouse near Hastings. I found out on the internet it was the old Coats Grove School. It was a fractional school built in 1874 and closed in 1967.  A fractional school is a school that serves more than one district. I am assuming the two doors is because one is for boys and one is for girls but I am not 100 percent positive of that.

Thank you for Subscribing to Lost In Michigan, If you have not subscribed yet, It would mean a lot to me if you did.

enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, it's just an automated email that lets you know there is a new post to read

Lost In Michigan Volume 7 Is Now Available

Posted on by Posted in Uncategorized .

https://amzn.to/3OVo6LL

I am excited to announce that the Lost In Michigan Volume 7 is now available on Amazon HERE

Like my other books it has stories from all around the Great Lakes State. From the southern border to the top of the Upper Peninsula and places in between. I am sure you will enjoy reading it if you liked my other books.

Thank you all so much for purchasing my books and supporting what I do. I don’t get any outside funding, and my book sales help me with expenses to continue writing posts. Many people have told me they enjoy traveling to the places in my books and experiencing them in person. Volume 7 is a great way to plan for your summer travels and I hope you have fun exploring Michigan as much as I do.

P.S. I am working on distributing books to my local retailers. It will take me a few weeks to get books and ship them out to the stores that sell my books.

The Lexington House

Posted on by Posted in Houses .

This beautiful brick Victorian house stands along M-25 just south of Lexington. It was built in the 1870s and is now a B & B. It is a beautiful old house.  Lexington sits along Lake Huron about ten miles north of Port Huron. I think it is one of the most underrated tourist towns in Michigan. If you are looking for someplace to visit to do a little downtown shopping and get a bite to eat you need to check out Lexington.

Thank you for Subscribing to Lost In Michigan, If you have not subscribed yet, It would mean a lot to me if you did.

enter your email address, I promise I won't send you any spam, it's just an automated email that lets you know there is a new post to read