Author Archives: Mike Sonnenberg

The Snow in Herman

Posted on by Posted in Forgotten Places, upper peninsula .

Herman is located in a remote section of the Huron Mountains between L’Anse and Nestoria. On December 19, 1996, the town received one of the largest snowfalls in Michigan history, with 30 inches of the white stuff falling in the single day.

The town was named for Finnish lumberjack Herman Keranen, who purchased forty acres and began farming in the area.  Over the decades, the population has dwindled, and it is mostly a ghost town. A few people continue to live in the historic community. The train still passes through but no longer stops in Herman. This large old house sits in the town of Herman. It is the old Dantes house and it is named for its original resident, Charles T Dantes, who was a Finn from Northern Sweden who settled in Herman in 1907. He worked for the railroad and owned the general store. He was the town’s postmaster, and sheriff of Baraga County. Today the old house is barely standing under the wieght of all the snow.

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The Canon in Alpena

Posted on by Posted in Uncategorized .

A massive canon sits in front of the Alpena city hall. It once stood on the deck of the U.S.S. Maine battleship. The mighty American warship exploded in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898, ignited the Spanish-American War. After the ship’s remains were raised in 1912, Alpena resident and Republican Congressman George A. Loud forwarded resolutions from the city’s chamber of commerce and common council to the Navy Department, requesting a loan of “a piece of naval ordinance of historical interest.” The Navy granted the request, loaning Alpena a six-inch gun from the Maine in March 1912.

The cannon’s arrival in Alpena on May 19, 1912, was met with great excitement. The city planned a grand Independence Day celebration for its unveiling, drawing over 7,000 visitors eager to see the relic from the “martyred” U.S.S. Maine. Alpena holds the distinction of being the only city in the United States to possess a cannon from this historic battleship. This silent tribute to the Maine continues to stand in front of City Hall, at the corner of Water Street and First Avenue.

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Pine Mountain Ski Jump

Posted on by Posted in upper peninsula, Winter Wonderland .

The Pine Mountain Ski Jump in Iron Mountain. A road up the backside of the mountain leads up to the base of the jump. After looking out over the landing zone I know I will not be attempting to jump off of it. It would be fun to watch ski jumpers fly off of it. I will have to go sometime when they have a competition.

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Holy Protection Ukrainian Catholic Monastery

Posted on by Posted in Churches, upper peninsula .

This magnificent building stands along Lake Superior in the Keweenaw Peninsula. It is just north of the Jampot and it is the Holy Protection Ukrainian Catholic Monastery. It is a Byzantine Rite monastery under the jurisdiction of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Nicholas in Chicago. The monastery is known for its beautiful location near Jacob’s Falls on the shore of Lake Superior and its dedication to prayer, work, and the arts. It is where the monks live that work at the Jampot bakery making the delicious baked goods, jams, and jellies.

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Algansee

Posted on by Posted in small towns .

This old general store stands in the southern Michigan town of Algansee. Located on the eastern edge of Branch County, Algansee was established in 1838, separating from Quincy Township. Luther Stiles and Ludovicus Robbins are considered the first white settlers in the area. Remarkably, both families arrived on the same day, despite not knowing each other. Robbins was leading the journey when he got stuck in the mud, allowing Stiles to arrive slightly ahead, earning him the distinction of being the first permanent resident.

The inaugural township meeting and election took place at Horace Purdy’s residence in early May 1838. The settlers initially favored naming their new township “Carlton,” but the state legislature, seemingly fascinated with “Indian names,” opted for “Algansee.” This name, likely a product of the era’s fascination with Native American culture, appears to be a fabricated term with no actual meaning in the indigenous languages of the region.

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Harvey Randall House

Posted on by Posted in Houses .

Constructed in 1898, this Queen Anne residence was the home of Tekonsha businessman Harvey N. Randall (1859-1917) and his wife, dressmaker Adell Warboys Randall (1863-1943). A successful entrepreneur, Randall thrived in the produce, livestock, and hardware trades. By 1905, he had established the Harvey N. Randall Company, specializing solely in hardware, with Adell serving as the company’s secretary-treasurer. Randall actively contributed to his community, holding the position of village president, serving as a school board trustee, and acting as a director of the First State Bank of Tekonsha.

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The Moore House in Caro

Posted on by Posted in Houses, Thumb .

This beautiful old house with a thached Tudor style roof sits in a nieghborhood near downtown Caro. Originally built around 1868, the house was purchased in 1914 by William and Lovila Moore. William owned a telephone exchange company that had initially been based in Sandusky, Michigan, before relocating to Caro in 1896. When they acquired the property, it was designed in the Queen Anne style. In 1923, the Moores undertook a significant renovation of their home transforming it into the Tudor Revival style we see today. They also added a swimming pool, tennis courts, and various modern amenities. Lovila Moore resided in the house until her passing in 1937, while William J. Moore continued to live there until his retirement in 1947 and remained until he died in 1955.

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Fourtowns Grange

Posted on by Posted in Forgotten Places .

This old wooden building sits in the farmland of southern Michigan near the town of Quincy. Above the door is a faded sign that reads “Fourtowns Grange” It looks as if it has been a while since the old building haas been used for a Grange Hall.

The National Grange, a prominent agricultural advocacy group, was established in the United States in 1867 following the Civil War. Officially known as the National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, it is a social organization that encourages families to unite to improve their economic and political standing, particularly within the agricultural sector.

As the oldest American agricultural advocacy group with a national reach, the Grange has a long history of political activism. They successfully lobbied for crucial legislation, including the Granger Laws, which aimed to regulate railroad rates, and the establishment of rural free mail delivery.

In 2005, the Grange boasted a membership of 160,000, with a presence in over 2,100 communities across 36 states. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., in a building constructed by the organization in 1960, the Grange continues to play a vital role in many rural communities. Numerous towns still maintain Grange Halls, serving as social and community centers for local farmers and their families.

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The Burnham Building

Posted on by Posted in Iconic Buildings .

The Burnham Historical Building, an Italianate-style mansion built during the Civil War, stands as a testament to Adrian’s past. Originally constructed for prominent merchant George Bidwell, it occupied a prime location on Broad Street, within easy walking distance of the city center.

In 1877, Bidwell sold the property to banker William H. Waldby for a substantial sum of $18,000. Years later, it was acquired by W. H. Burnham, president of the then-dominant Lamb Fence Company. However, the advent of the automobile era shifted the preferences of Adrian’s affluent residents towards suburban living. Facing the threat of demolition in 1957, the building was repurposed as the offices of the Adrian Public Schools, ensuring its preservation. Today, it continues to serve as an office building.

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Wahjamega and the Farm Colony

Posted on by Posted in Forgotten Places, Thumb .

 

Near Caro, across from the Airport on M-81, is a complex of buildings. They were part of the farm colony of Wahjamega. The name “Wahjamega” is an acronym derived from the initials of its founding sawmill partners: William A. Heartt, James A. Montgomery, and Edgar George Avery.

In 1914, the state established a Farm Colony for Epileptics in Wahjamega, intended to address the overcrowding at the Lapeer State Home for Epileptics. It started out with good intentions for helping people, but the facility gained notoriety for its involvement in eugentics and the forced sterilization of patients, a practice conducted under Michigan law from 1914 to the mid-1960s.

Over the years, the facility has operated under various names. Today, a portion of it continues to function as the Caro State Psychiatric Hospital. Many of the old buildings are gone. This one still stands not far from the hospital. I assume it was patient housing at one time but I am not sure.

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