Forgotten Places Archives - Page 16 of 25

The Ruins in the Upper Peninsula

Posted on January 10, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, upper peninsula .

Along the shoreline of Lake Superior are a tall smokestack and concrete ruins. It is near the town of Freda west of Houghton in the Keweenaw Peninsula. The maze of weathered concrete and rusty rebar is what remains of the Champion Mill that processed the copper-rich rocks. Trains would pull into the mill and dump their cars filled with copper infused rocks. The mill would pulverize the rocks and mix them with water from lake superior creating a sludge rich in copper. It was then taken by train to Houghton for further processing and then poured into ingots and shipped around the world.

Close-up view of the ruins

The mill closed in 1967 and it was stripped of any metal for scrap. I made the trip to see the ruins, but the road stops at a cliff that overlooks the remains. A barbed-wire fence restricts people from getting to close. It was interesting to see and hard to capture the immense size in a photo. Unfortunately, access to visitors is not allowed. I also stopped to see the waterfalls and old train bridge in nearby Redridge. You can find the post by clicking HERE

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A Michigan Ghost Town

Posted on January 3, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Ghost towns .

When most people hear the words “ghost town” they usually envision an old deserted wild west town in the American southwestern desert. While many of the towns sprang up around mines for silver and gold, Michigan had several towns that were built around a sawmill. Michiganders were not mining for gold but they were earning it by cutting timber and selling lumber. The remains of one of the few remaining sawmill towns can be found within the Louis M. Groen Nature Preserve near Johannesburg.

The remains of the Johannesburg manufacturing Co. are deep within the preserve. The buildings have collapsed under the Michigan snow but the framework of the old well pump is still standing. Rusty old trucks and equipment rest silently along the road that once leads to the town. If you are looking for something a little different to explore this summer be sure to check it out.

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Michigan’s Historic Brick Factory Ruins

Posted on December 23, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Iconic Buildings .

The factory ruins were constructed with brick, but it was a factory that made bricks. The lincoln Brick Factory made 40,000 bricks per day at its peak and many buildings around Michigan were constructed using the bricks it produced. The factory located near Grand Ledge closed in 1947 and in 1975 the property was acquired by Eaton county. The land is now a county park aptly named Lincoln Brick Park. The remnants of the old factory still stand in the park where you can wander around and explore the ruins.

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The Castle Ruins in Michigan’s Forest

Posted on December 20, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places .

Hidden deep in the forests of northern Michigan is the remains of an enormous castle-like mansion. The house was built by Russell Clifford Durant, known as “Cliff” to all his friends. He was the son of William Durant who founded General Motor. In the late 1920’s Cliff and his wife Lea built this opulent mansion on the banks of the Au Sable River.

Sadly the couple never got a chance to live in the house. In 1931, When painters were adding the final coat of paint to one of the rooms they stopped to take a break. While going to nearby Roscommon the house caught fire and burned. It was believed that some turpentine soaked rags caught fire and created the blaze that destroyed the home. Because of the Great Depression, the Durants decided not to rebuild the house. For years the ruins of the Durant Castle stood in the forest but eventually, everything standing was knocked down and the foundation filled in. You can still see some remnants of the castle protruding from the ground. It is now a picnic area within the Mason Tract. Although there is not a lot to see, it is a fun adventure to search for it.

P.S. I always get asked about detailed locations or directions to the places I post. I figure trying to find them as I did is part of the fun. for the most part, a quick search on google maps will show many of the public places. For private or abandoned places I like to keep the location to a general area because unfortunately a few unscrupulous people trespass and vandalize some of the places. If you want more information and detailed location to public places be sure to order a copy of the Lost In Michigan book series that have exact locations.

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What is That Brick Structure in Port Hope?

Posted on December 10, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Thumb .

From a distance, this tall structure in Port Hope looks like lighthouse since it is so close to Lake Huron near the tip of the Thumb. After you get up close to it you realize it is something different. Thankfully there is a historical marker next to it that tells you what it is and its significance. Maybe I am one of the few people that bother to read the signs but I appreciate them. In this day and age of google sometimes a plain old sign still works extremely well and reads:

This chimney was built in 1858 by John Geitz. It is all that remains of the lumber mill established that year by William R. Stafford. Port Hope grew up around the mill. For a score of years, this town was the center of lumbering in the Thumb. It also became an important producer of salt. In 1871 and again in 1881 the mill, the docks, and possessions of hundreds of people were destroyed by fire. This chimney is a monument to those pioneers who by their courage and industry developed this area.

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Michigan’s Abandoned Echo Valley Resort

Posted on November 30, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places .

Hidden deep within the northern Michigan forest is an old stone motel style building. It looks as if it has not been used for a long time with the moss-covered steps and roof. The forest motel is the remains of the old Echo Valley Resort on Johannesburg Lake. It is in the back of what is now the Louis M. Groen Nature preserve near the town of Johannesburg. I did not go into the building as it was roped off with a no trespassing sign. Hopefully, the nature preserve will eventually be able to do something with the old building.

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Autumn is Over

Posted on November 7, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Winter Wonderland .

Autumn has come and gone. I get asked when is my favorite time of year to photograph and without hesitation it is Autumn. The vibrant color like nature’s fireworks only happens for a short time and then it’s only memories until next year. I know winter does not officially start until December 21st but it feels like it has started already.

The perfect day for me is a warm day with the sun shining on gold, red and yellow leaves. looks like I will have to wait about a year for that day again. In the meantime, I do have more Autumn photos to share. Thank you all for taking the time to read my posts.

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Dollar Settlement

Posted on November 1, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in autumn, Forgotten Places, upper peninsula .

Traveling down the road that follows the Lake Superior shoreline I came across this old Pullman car. It’s somewhere between Brimley and Paradise. According to the map, the town is or at least was Dollar Settlement. I could not find any info about this sparsely populated town. Someone told me that the old railroad car was brought in to convert to a diner, but it never materialized. Now it just sits in Dollar Settlement watching tourists pass by.

PS. I saw where Robert Dollar was the founder of Dollarville near Newberry and he built a dock on Lake Superior for his sawmill and lumber company. I am guessing that is where Dollar Settlement got its name from, but I have never been able to confirm it.

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The Yellow House

Posted on October 29, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Houses, upper peninsula .

If you have ever driven down 28 across the central part of the U.P. you know it seems like that road goes on forever. One of the towns it passes through is McMillan. I was mesmerized by this old house near the center of town. At one time it’s faded and peeling yellow paint was vibrant and new. I imagine everyone in town must have known which house you were describing when you said the “Yellow House” The old house seems to be forgotten about but if it could talk I am sure it would have some stories to tell.

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Schools Out Forever

Posted on October 15, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Schools .

I took a photo of this old schoolhouse a few years ago. It stands, or more like stood, on old M-21 between Capac and Imlay City. I was scrolling through Facebook and I happen to notice a photo of an old school. someone commented that it was recently demolished. I then realized it was the schoolhouse near Imlay City

I am glad I got a pic of it while it was still standing. slowly the old schoolhouses are disappearing. They are a reminder of days past and how things have changed over the decades. I am not sure if they changed for the better or worse, but they have changed.

Reminder, I will be giving a presentation at the library in Marysville on October 21st. at 6:30pm you can find out more info HERE http://www.stclaircountylibrary.org/EventInfo.aspx?id=27001

I will be at the Tamarack District Library in Lakeview on Tuesday, October 29th at 6pm

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