Forgotten Places Archives - Lost In Michigan

Gay Old Mill

Posted on October 21, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, upper peninsula .

The town of Gay is located along the east side of the Keweenaw Peninsula. Its most well-known landmark is the Gay Bar, but a little ways down the road is a tall chimney. It was part of the old Mohawk and Wolverine Stamp Mill. Rail cars full of ore would come into the mill and dump the ore where it would be pulverized and the copper extracted. The remaining sand would be conveyed out to the Lake Superior shoreline. The mill operated from 1900 to 1932 and produced 22 million metric tons of sand. Over the decades the sand has eroded into Lake Superior affecting the spawning of trout and salmon. The state and EPA are working on relocating the sand and controlling the erosion.

When I was there taking photos a lady was placing a sign for the museum and invited me to come to see it. Near the chimney is an old two-story building that served as a school for many years. It has now been turned into a museum and there I learned a lot about the old stamp mill and the town of Gay. It was the first time I have ever been along the east side of the Keweenaw. I mostly travel up the west side to see Eagle Habor and Brockway Mountain. If you are ever in the Keweenaw be sure to take a trip along the east side. The road that travels along the lake is a beautiful drive and you can stop in the town of Gay and learn some history or get a drink at the Gay Bar.

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The Ruins of the Ford Family Lodge

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Houses .

Deep within the Highland State Recreation Area west of Pontiac are the ruins of an elaborate lodge. It once belonged to Edsel Ford and was named Haven Hill. The massive lodge was constructed in 1923 and used as a retreat by the Ford family.

After Edsel’s death in 1943, his wife Eleanor sold the estate to the state of Michigan to be used as a state park. Tragically the massive lodge was destroyed by a fire in the 1980s

Some of the foundations, stonework, and part of a stone chimney are what remains of the once glorious lodge. Circular stone markers are placed to note where the different rooms were once located. It is a fascinating site to walk around imagine what once was.

If you visit it is about a half-mile hike uphill most of the way so if you are old and slow like me, just plan on taking some time to make the climb.

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The Irish Hills Towers

Posted on September 28, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places .

Two towers stand in southern Michigan along US-12. At one time, they were popular attractions for the throngs of tourists that traveled through the Irish Hills area. The first tower was built in the 1920s. Outraged by the tower, Mr. Kelly that owned the other part of the hill built a taller tower and it became known as the spite tower by the locals. Over time the two towers were purchased by the same owner and a walkway was connected between them.

Originally the towers had observation platforms at the top. After the tourist industry declined the two towers fell into a state of disrepair. The upper potions had to be removed because they were structurally unsound. The bases have been repainted and still stand as a reminder of the days gone by.

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Camp Lakewood POW CCC Camp

Posted on September 10, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Historic Places .

Along the west shore of Allegan Lake is a field with a few old concrete foundations. It is all that remains of Camp Lakewood. It was constructed in 1936 by the Civilian Conservation Corps and then used as a Prisoner of War camp during World War II.

After the war, it was used as a summer camp for local kids bur in time the buildings fell into disrepair and were eventually torn down. A sign and a small parking area on 42nd street mark the spot where the camp once stood.

If you want to know more about the POW camps in Michigan I highly recommend reading Michigan POW Camps in WW II, Here is a link to it on Amazon HERE.

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Stagecoach Stop

Posted on September 3, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places .

Along US-12 in the Irish Hills Area is an old western town. It started out in the 1960s as an antique store and restaurant and with tourists coming in the 70s it had grown into a whole town. The Stagecoach Stop was a popular stop for many tourists in the 70s and 80s along with other attractions in the area. By the 2000s many tourist attractions in the Irish Hills area had closed but the Stagecoach Stop has still remained open along with a lodge and restaurant.

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Negaunee’s Stairs To Nowhere

Posted on August 20, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, upper peninsula .

In the area southwest of Negaunee, you will find several old staircases built in the berms and hills that lead to nowhere. This region of the city is known as Old Town and had several houses and buildings surrounding the Jackson Mine. The mine closed in the 1940s and by the 50s several structures in the area had collapsed due to shafts underneath caving in. Because of the unstable grounds, the buildings in Old Town were either moved or demolished. It is now part of a park that the Heritage Trail passes through. You can still drive down the old streets and see several staircases that once led to homes in Old Town.

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Ocqueoc Shack

Posted on August 3, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Houses .

I saw this old shack somewhere near Ocqueoc. I saw it sitting in the summer sunshine. I don’t know its story but I can only imagin the hardship of living in northern Michigan decades ago.

As always I only take pics from the road.

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The Champion Mine

Posted on July 31, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, upper peninsula .

The Champion Mining Company was created in 1899. This headframe was constructed in 1902 near Painesdale at the base of the Keweenaw Peninsula. The mine closed in 1967. The old mine is not far from M-26 and the Bill Nicholls Trail passes by the remnants of the old mine buildings. It is still private property but you can see a lot of it from the road and trail.

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The Ruins in Awakon Park

Posted on July 14, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Parks .

Awakon Park in Onaway Michigan was the site of the American Wood Rim Company. While most of the factory is gone a few structures and remnants remain. Started in 1901 to build wood bicycle rims the company began building wooden automobile steering wheels in 1904. With the success of their steering wheels and the booming auto industry, the company had 1200 employees.

It was in 1926 that a fire started by a spark that killed 4 workers and destroyed much of the factory. It was decided to move the factory to Alma instead of rebuilding it in Onaway. The park has a trail that is about a half-mile long the winds through the property where the old factory once stood. You can still see some of the concrete structures and signage gives a little history of the forgotten plant.

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The Cliff Mine and Ghost Town Ruins in the Upper Peninsula

Posted on July 7, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, upper peninsula .

Deep in the forests in the center of the Keweenaw Penisula is the stone ruins of a once prosperous mine and town that supported it. The Cliff Mine is the first successful mine in the Michigan Copper District and dates from 1845. The highly successful mine was the largest copper mine in the US for more than a decade after it was started. By the 1870s the veins of copper had been extracted from the ground and the mine closed.

You can still see the stone walls and foundations from the buildings among the trees behind the tailings (piles of rocks) dug out from the mine. I was amazed by the stone tower that I am thinking was a chimney. You can find the old Cliff Mine ruins hiking over the west branch of the Eagle River off Cliff Drive where it connects back to US-41.

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