Forgotten Places Archives - Page 20 of 25

Michigan’s Mysterious Sunken Garden

Posted on September 27, 2018 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places .

One of my readers told me about a place hidden behind the Tyrone Memory Gardens Cemetery on White Lake Road Southwest of Fenton. Down in a small valley is the Tyrone Sunken Gardens containing rocks from all fifty states and arranged in a Stonehenge type configuration.

Some of the stones were quarried over 200 years ago and are proudly displayed protruding out of the tall grass.

The rock garden was built in 1930 by Charles Eugene Smith. On the back of the large stone that welcomes visitors he had carved:

After having traveled around the world four different times and visited parts of Europe, Asia, North America, South America, North and South Africa, Austraila and the islands of New Zealand Tasmania, St. Helena, Canary, Fiji, Ceylon, Iceland, Hawaii, Philippine, New Foundland, Faroe and many others and considering the famous rock gardens of Iceland and the sunken gardens of London, England, and Mexico City the most beautiful I contribute this memorial on my memory to this small garden.

I am sure Charles Eugene Smith wanted to inspire other explorers and wayward souls, I am not sure why he located his garden where he did but it is a joy to find. Many rocks have inspiring proverbs and sayings, some by Smith himself. You will have to visit this wonderful little spot to read them for yourself. It is on private property but the last time I visited it was open to the public. If you visit, please be respectful.

I have more info about the gardens in Volume3 of the Lost In Michigan books that are available on Amazon HERE

If you like what I post could you do me a kindness, and subscribe to email updates so you won’t miss any new posts.

House In The Woods

Posted on May 16, 2018 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Houses .

I saw this old house hiding in the woods near Mayville. I wonder what its story is. It’s amazing what you see wandering the back roads.

P.S. I don’t trespass, I just take pics from the side of the road.

I hope you will subscribe to email updates since facebook prioritizes your friends a family they will not show you many of my posts, I promise I won’t email you a bunch of junk email, it’s only to notify you of a new post which will be two or three times a week.

[fbcomments]

The Extraordinary Old General Store

Posted on January 28, 2018 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Thumb .

Roaming the back roads of Michigan I find some interesting places, but I think the old general store in Kilmanagh has to be one of my favorites. It looks like it’s from a movie set with its wooden porch. You would think John Wayne tied up some horses in front of it. The town of Kilmanaugh or whats left of it is kind of between Sebewaing and Bay Port. It was first called Thompson’s Corners, for Francis Thompson, an Irish homesteader who arrived in 1861. The name Kilmanagh was first used to describe the nearby Shebeon Creek, which would overflow each spring. A post office named Kilmanagh operated from February 1873 until June 1904. maybe even in this old General store. It’s believed the store was built sometime in the 1870s and operated by Richard Martini. In the 1890’s he sold the store to John Rummel and Albert Woldt. In the early 1900’s Alberts son Clemens P. Woldt took over the business naming it C.P. Woldt & Co. Growing the store and even became a John Deere dealership and possibly the first John Deere dealership in Michigan. by the 1960s the old general store had fallen on hard times and closed sitting vacant for many years. The current owner is in the process of restoring the old building you can learn more about their efforts on their facebook page HERE .

Find Interesting locations throughout the Mitten State with a Lost In Michigan book Available on Amazon by clicking HERE

I hope you subscribe to email updates so you won’t miss any new posts,

I Can’t Get There From Here

Posted on December 12, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places .

James Vernors II, son of the ginger ale magnate, built a magnificent lodge on Long Lake north of Lapeer in the 1930s. Unfortunately, it burned down in 1943 and all that remains is the foundation and a small pump house for the well. Where the old estate was located is now the Lapeer State Game Area. I wanted to see the remains and stopped by the office. The dude working that day said that part of the refuge was off-limits to the public. Sadly I was not able to get to where I wanted to go, but it was not a wasted trip. I did find Millville HERE on the way there. Like that saying goes. “It’s the journey and not the destination.”

Lost In Michigan books are ON SALE this weekend on Amazon HERE

If you like what I post it would really mean a lot to me if you will subscribe to email updates so you won’t miss any new posts,

The Old Shack in Da U.P.

Posted on November 10, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, upper peninsula .

Whenever I go into the town of Brimely I pass by this old shack. I often wonder about its story, if walls could talk I am sure this little building could tell an interesting tale.

If you like what I post it would really mean a lot to me if you will subscribe to email updates so you won’t miss any new posts,

[fbcomments]

The Old Shack Along The Road

Posted on July 29, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places .

I saw this old shack near Thompsonville about 4 years ago and have always wondered about its story. When they are built, every house is new and probably had a nice family that loved their new home. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine it after so many years has gone by. I still don’t know any history about this old house, but my curiosity has led me to start this website and ever since I have been out looking for and taking pics of the old forgotten houses along the back road in Michigan. They say ” curiosity killed the cat” but I think maybe it just wandered off to find new and interesting places.

If you want to follow me on my road trip thru Michigan, please subscribe to email updates so you won’t miss any new posts.[jetpack_subscription_form title=”” subscribe_text=” enter your email for updates on new posts I promise I won’t send you a bunch of spam, it’s just an email to let you know there is a new post to read.” subscribe_button=”Sign Me Up”]

[fbcomments]

The Old Building at Old Mission

Posted on July 1, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, small towns .

I traveled to the tip of Old Mission Point from Traverse City. I have not been there in a few years maybe even 10 years. I like taking the road that travels along the west shoreline and look at the houses overlooking the bay. and a usual I had to stop and get some photos of the lighthouse. It also seems like there are more wineries since I was there last time. I don’t know why but I never made it over the town, or what’s left of the town of Old Mission a few miles south of the lighthouse. With a peninsula full of fancy wineries and extravagant houses it was this old boarded up building that captured my attention. I am not sure if it was a hotel, a general store or a saloon or maybe all the above but it made me wonder what they people way back then. I can drive up the peninsula in my jeep in less than an hour but I can only imagine how long the journey was by horse and buggy or a sleigh in the winter. I wonder if many a weary travelers stopped here for some rest before heading back down to Traverse City.

If you love exploring Michigan be sure to check out the Lost In Michigan books available on my website HERE

If you like what I post it would really mean a lot to me if you will subscribe to email updates so you won’t miss any new posts,

The Ghost Town of Luce

Posted on April 22, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches, Forgotten Places .

This old wooden church stands quietly next to the road among the farm fields near the corner of Burt and Bishop Roads in southern Saginaw County. A couple of hundred yards to the east is where Burt Road crosses over the Fairchild Creek, and that is where the town of Luce once stood. The town was given a post office in 1890 and it closed in January of 1914. The small community was named after the 21st governor of Michigan, Cyrus G. Luce who was the governor from 1887 to 1890. Besides the town, Luce County in the Upper Peninsula was named after him, and he was the last Michigan governor to have a county named in his honor.

I am not sure how old the church is, or if it was built by the citizens of Luce, but it is near where the town once stood. Further down the road is a cemetery. The church and cemetery are probably all that remains of the old town.

Lost In Michigan books are ON SALE this weekend on Amazon HERE

If you like what I post I hope you will subscribe to email updates so you won’t miss any new posts,

The Only Constant is Change

Posted on April 10, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Restaurants .

When I get off the Interstate 75 to head home, I take the exit between Saginaw and Bay City. There is an old abandoned faded orange and blue Howard Johnson’s restaurant, longing for the day when hungry travelers stopped by for a bite to eat. A few days ago I saw an excavator sitting in front of it, so I figured I better take a photo of it before it’s gone. According to Wikipedia, the restaurant chain was the largest sit-down restaurant chain in the united states during the 60s and 70s. I never really ate there much so I guess I don’t miss them that bad but I sure do miss Bill Knapps. As they say, ” the only constant is change” I wonder what will happen to Applebee’s now that it’s the largest sit-down chain.

if you like what I post I hope you will subscribe to email updates so you won’t miss any new posts,

[fbcomments]

Lost In Tuscola

Posted on March 20, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches, Forgotten Places, Schools .

I was heading back home to Saginaw after taking some pics in Clio. I did not want to take the same way back home down I75 or Dixie so instead, I went east a couple of miles then turned north figuring if I got lost I would eventually hit M46, and then I could take that into Saginaw. I got to a point where a sign told me to turn left to Frankenmuth, and while I was thinking about it for a second, I could see down the road what looked like a town in the distance. I headed straight into the town of Tuscola, and then I saw this grand old building towering up like an elder statesmen looking over the town. I am not sure if it was a school, a church or what it was since it has a barn door on the front, but whatever it was, it sure was striking and I had to stop and take a photo. I am glad I decided to take a different way home.

Lost In Michigan books are ON SALE this weekend on Amazon HERE

if you like what I post I hope you will subscribe to email updates so you won’t miss any new posts,

« Previous Page