This historic structure is nestled in the quaint town of Old Mission, situated at the end of the Old Mission Peninsula close to Traverse City. I’m uncertain about its original purpose—perhaps it was once a store. It appears to have been unused for some time, yet it offers a stunning backdrop for photographs, especially on a crisp autumn day.
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Located along the River Road National Scenic Byway in the Huron National Forest, just west of Oscoda, Iargo Springs presents a stunning view of the Au Sable River. This site has served as an essential drinking water source long before European settlers arrived, with early loggers creating dams to channel water to their nearby camps. Back then, much of what is now Cooke Pond was actually dry land. Since the 1920s, visitors from Europe have been drawn to the springs for leisure activities.
In 1934, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built a trail and dams on the spring. Unfortunately, these structures were lost in 1981 due to a severe storm. A major renovation took place in 1991, which added steps, boardwalks along the springs, and rebuilt the dams. Reaching Iargo Springs requires the daunting task of descending 300 steep steps, but the effort is well worth it. The climb back up may leave your legs burning and your heart racing, but the breathtaking views from the shoreline make it all worthwhile.
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Located near the Bowers Harbor boat launch in Old Mission Peninsula is a charming pavilion that seems more at home in a picturesque park. This century-old structure, built in 1920, is a significant piece of Traverse City’s regional history. Originally serving as the Cherry Growers Weigh Station, it provided a convenient location for local farmers to weigh their harvested cherries, saving them the time and effort of traveling into Traverse City.
After closing in the 1960s, the pavilion underwent a transformation, becoming Lorey’s Harbor Station. This market, which operated from 1972 to 2017, offered a selection of fresh flowers, fruits, and vegetables to the public.
The story of cherry production in Traverse City dates back to 1852 when Presbyterian missionary Peter Dougherty planted numerous cherry trees in the Old Mission Peninsula. Despite initial skepticism from residents and local Native Americans, Dougherty’s experiment proved successful, inspiring others to cultivate their own orchards.
As the cherry industry thrived, Traverse City established the “Blessing of the Blossoms” ceremony in 1924 to celebrate its agricultural success. This tradition eventually evolved into the renowned National Cherry Festival, with the first Cherry Queen, Charlotte Kearns, crowned in 1926.
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Deadman’s Hill overlooks the Jordan River Valley and is located between Boyne Falls and Mancelona. While dead men tell no tales the sign next to the overlook tells the story of how the hill got its name and reads:
The period of early logging in the Hills of the Jordan River Valley was marred by several fatal accidents. The last known and best recalled tragedy took the life of 21 year old Stanley (Big Sam) Graczyk, a fun loving lumberjack soon to be married. He became legend on May 20, 1910 when he was killed while driving a team and big wheels loaded with logs down a steep slope near here. Anthony (Tony) Wojciechowski who was with Big Sam when he died is responsible for the accurate recounting of this legend. This high point, with its commanding view of the valley, has ever since been known as “Deadman’s Hill.”
The overlook is amazing any time of year but it is spectacular in the fall when the leaves hit their peak color. It’s impossible to capture the beauty in a photos so you need to stop by and see it for yourself.
P.S. If you are in the Mancelona area be sure to visit my friends at Rooted. They carry all of my Lost In Michigan books. The Iron Skillet restaurant next door is an excellent place to stop for a meal too.
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Salem Michigan is west of Canton, on 6 Mile Road, and there is this beautiful little church with an old cemetery in town. I could not resist taking a photo of it with these beautiful autumn trees. After the post office from the nearby town of Summit was moved here in 1876, the town was named after Salem NY, where many of its residents came from. The church was used in a scene in the 2012 movie The Five Year Engagement.
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Prussian immigrant Michael Elowsky fled the turmoil brewing in Eastern Europe in 1862. He settled in Detroit, was joined by his family, and migrated to Presque Isle County around 1870. under President Lincoln’s Homestead Act of 1865, he obtained his land on the north branch of the Thunder Bay River near Posen at no cost. He built a log dam and moved a part of this structure from Trout River and eventually developed a complex of flour,shingle, siding, planing, and lathe milling operations. Residents of Metz, Posen, and Krakow townships brought grain and timber to this mill. With the help of Thomas Edison, Michael’s son Emil added a generator and electric lights to operate the mill 24 hours a day. When the Mill closed at the end of the harvest season in October of 1963, that became the last time it would operate. During the winter of 1963-4, a great amount of snow fell, so with the spring melt, a very great run-off on the river caused the original log dam to collapse. The great run off also wiped out the saw mill that the family had across the river on the south bank. All the equipment was left intact and remains to this day.
P.S. Lost In Michigan wall calendars are ON SALE on Zazzle HERE.
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“A Ship in Harbor Is Safe, But that Is Not What Ships Are Built For” John A. Shedd
Seeing the Mackenzie May fishing tug tied up at the Black River Harbor reminded me of this quote. But with the November gales coming up it also reminded me of what my step father Jim used to say. “It’s better to be a little safe now than a lot sorry later.” Anyways I thought it was a nice peaceful autumn day and photo and it wont be long when winter has its icy grip on the mitten of Michigan.
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Driving down the Black River National Forest Scenic Byway there is a spot where to road curves and you can see a massive metal structure the overlooks high above the trees. It is the Copper Peak Ski Jump and it is the worlds largest artificial ski jump. It was built in 1969 and stands 1782 feet above sea level. It is the 6th largest ski jump in the world but it has not been used by skiers since 1994.
Visitors can ride the chair lift to the jump and then the elevator to the top of it. I did not have time to do it when I was there but hope to get back there again someday. I have take a lot of photos of it but I can convey how large it is in a photo. I could not imagine jumping off of it. I think you would have to be a little crazy or a lot crazy to be a ski jumper.
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I had this pic that I took a few months ago but never posted it. It is of Dodge Number 4 State Park that sits on Cass Lake near Pontiac. The park was created in 1922 when the Dodge Brothers donated land to the state. It is probably the smallest state park in size but it is a beautiful place in Metro Detroit.
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One of the oldest courthouse buildings in Michigan is in Berrien Springs Michigan. Shortly after it was constructed in 1839, problems with the foundation were discovered. The building was raised and a lower level was added along with the square supports for the columns.
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