This old barn with a faded Mail Pouch mural sits outside of Hillsdale. Advertising for tobacco products is taboo these days but these old barn murals are nostalgic. You can see a pic of a different mail pouch barn HERE

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In the Timbers Recreation Area on North Long Lake Road about 10 miles west of Traverse City sits this beautiful old brown barn. The area’s approximately 240 acres are open to hikers, but it once belonged to a family that owned one of America’s iconic brands.

The Timbers was a resort on Long Lake when Lola Armour vacationed there in 1919 and fell in love with the property. She and her husband J. Ogden Armour, owner of the Armour Meat Packing Company, purchased it that summer. They removed many of the original buildings and constructed a mansion, a lodge, a dormitory, cottages for the superintendent, chauffeur and secretary, two barns, and a boathouse on the lake.

J. Ogden Armour died in 1927, but Lola kept the property until 1945 when she sold the property because she was no longer able to travel to it. Eventually, the property was sold in sections with the home being sold off and The Girl Scouts purchasing 238 acres in 1962, which became the Timbers Girl Scout Camp.

Recently the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy and Long Lake Township purchased the property for public use. Hiking trails throughout the property meander through the forests and fields, and along the old barn and some building from the former estate. The mansion and adjacent property are still privately owned and closed to the public.

By the way, If you want to visit this historic barn Moomers Ice Cream is just down the road.

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This barn-like building was a carriage house built by the Bonine family. It stands across the street from a large house they built not far from Vandalia. The Bonines were instrumental in helping slaves searching for freedom along the Underground Railroad.  Underground Railroad Society of Cass County (URSCC) Purchased the home and carriage house in 2010 and have been restoring them.  You can see my post about the home HERE and learn more about the URSCC HERE

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I saw this nice looking red barn next to the road somewhere near Morely. I don’t have a story or any history to go with it for this post. I just thought it was a nice barn and made for a pretty picture.

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I saw this magnificent old round barn on M-66 somewhere north of the small town of Sears. It is a rather unique looking barn since it is truly round with a cone-shaped roof. The urban legend is round barns were built because the devil could not catch you in a corner. The most common theory is they are stronger since the wind does not have a side to “push” on when it is blowing. It the greatest pic because I took it from the road but I thought it was interesting.

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I saw this old barn near the Ocqueoc Falls. Most people are familiar with the waterfalls near Onaway, but few know that at one time there was a town of Ocqueoc. It was given a post office in 1885 and the town was named after the nearby Ocqueoc River. It is a Native American word for crooked waters.  The town was short-lived and nothing remains of it today but from the looks of this old barn, it may have been new back then.

P.S. Just to let you know if you have not picked up your copy of Lost In Michigan volume 1 Amazon has it as part of their buy 3 items for the price of 2 you can find a link to it HERE

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I saw this old barn with its stone silo somewhere near Alpena. I have always been a city boy and not an expert at farming but I know an old barn and silo when I see it.

Not much of a story with this pic I just liked the old silo. I hope you do too and it starts your day off in a good mood.

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It is the start of a new year full of hope and new promises. I have been traveling around Michigan for almost eight years and I still have a long list of places to visit and explore.  Thank you all so much for following my journeys around the Great Lake State. I am not sure what this year will bring but I am looking forward to a chance for normal.  I still have lots of great pics to post this winter. They may not be current pics but they are some wonderful places with interesting stories to tell.

Hopefully, we will be able to meet down the road in the not too distant future.

Mike Sonnenberg

P.S. If you are wondering, this old barn is north of Kalkaska.

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I saw this old barn near Lakeview with a nativity scene depicted in the upper window. I stopped immediately and took a pic of it. I am don’t know who’s barn it is but I thought it was a nice scene. It has been really challenging this year but I hope you are having a safe and happy holiday season.

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