Houses Archives - Page 24 of 28

The Old Farmhouse and the Crazy Stuff I Find

Posted on October 20, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Barns and Farms, Houses .

I found this old farmhouse between Gaylord and Alba and I had to stop and get a pic ( from the road, I don’t trespass) Like many old houses I find, I look on google maps to see what’s around the area, sometimes I find a name of long lost town that has been forgotten to time.

When I looked on google maps where the old house stands, and I flipped it to satellite view, I found the letters USA along with a cross and a star and some strips. There are a lot of Christmas tree farms in the area and one of the farmers must have planted their trees in these shapes that can be seen from the air, or at least from the satellites passing overhead. I am not sure who created the patriotic landscape of trees, but thank you for the little moment of joy as I discovered it on the Internet.

Lost In Michigan Books and Calendars are on SALE this weekend. they help me with expenses to do this website I hope you will check them out HERE.

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The old Mansion in Bad Axe and the State Police

Posted on April 19, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Historic Places, Houses .

A few years ago I saw this old mansion in Bad Axe, and after I posted a photo of it, some of the locals told me it was the former Michigan governor’s home of Albert Sleeper. I found out some interesting facts about Governer Sleeper and one of them was he created the Michigan State Police.

100 years ago today The Michigan Department of State Police began as a temporary, wartime emergency force for the purpose of domestic security during World War I. On April 19, 1917, Governor Albert Sleeper created the Michigan State Troops Permanent Force, (also known as the Michigan State Constabulary). With Colonel Roy C. Vandercook as the first commanding officer, this new force consisted of five Troops of mounted, dismounted and motorized units, totaling 300 men. On March 26, 1919, Public Act 26 reorganized the Constabulary as the permanent, peacetime Michigan State Police.

I find interesting facts just by traveling around the state and asking questions. I have been waiting a while for this day to come around so I can do this post. I hope you liked it. I am not sure what is happening with the old mansion since I have not been out to Bad Axe in a while, but I hope someone is showing it some love.

Lost In Michigan T-Shirts are on SALE this week, I don’t do advertising on my website and it’s just me that does all the photos and writing. T-shirts help me with expenses to keep doing Lost In Michigan, I hope you will take a look at my shirts HERE

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The Tower on the House in Fenton

Posted on April 3, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Houses .

I was driving home from Ann Arbor heading north on 23 when it became a parking lot near Fenton. I don’t have the patience to drive in stop and go traffic and decided to get off the highway and take a trip thru Fenton. Yeah I know, it may be longer but at least I am moving. There are several beautiful old homes near downtown, but this old queen ann style home caught my attention. I think it is the tower that I like most on old houses. I am not sure if there is a specific purpose why old houses have towers but they must provide a spectacular view from the windows. I don’t know the history of this house and I was not able to find any but I do like it.

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The Spooky Old House on the Highway

Posted on March 6, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Houses .

I saw this old house, that’s beautiful in a spooky kinda way, near Clio. It’s on Dixie Highway, or at least that is what I call it, maybe it’s Dort, but I digress. I know absolutely nothing about this house, but I had to stop and take a photo of it as it looks out at the cars speeding past it. Someone is still mowing the lawn so I know it’s not abandoned, but I wonder what the story is with this old house being on such a prominent north-south road thru the eastern side of Michigan.

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Penniman Castle

Posted on March 2, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Houses .

This grand old castle made of field stone stands in a quiet neighborhood in Battle Creek. Known as Penniman Castle it was completed in 1906 to resemble a medieval castle with 4 towers at each corner and a great hall in the middle. The house originally had a 3rd floor, but it was destroyed by fire in 1941 and never rebuilt.

Postcard showing what the home originally looked like before the upper floor was destroyed by fire.

Built by Dentist John Penniman and constructed with one foot thick walls the home was one of the costliest built in southwest Michigan at the time. The house with its octagon towers took almost 6 years to build. The interior is trimmed with ornately carved quarter sawn oak including the garderobe ( a fancy term for a privy or latrine in a castle ). The castle has seventeen rooms, four of which are bedrooms. The house was added to the national register of historic places in 2001.

I am fascinated by castles in Michigan and you can see the pics I have of them so far HERE

If you like this story and are looking for interesting places in Michigan to visit, check out the Lost In Michigan books on Amazon HERE

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Melonheads and Hauntings at Felt Mansion

Posted on February 16, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Haunted Places, Historic Places, Houses .

Six weeks after Dorr E. Felt and his family moved into the completed mansion in 1928 near Holland, his wife Agnes suddenly died. A year and a half later Mr. Felt died never having much time to enjoy their magnificent new home. Some believe their spirits still haunt the 25 rooms.

There is also an urban legend about an old hospital nearby where a doctor performed experiments on children with large bulbous heads and that some of the children escaped and lurk in the woods. I am not sure about the hauntings or the so-called melonheads, but it is a beautiful old mansion. It’s owned by Laketown Township now and the estate is a park with a disc golf course. ( if it were up to me, I would put some manikins with big heads hidden in the trees to mess with the disc golfers, but I guess that’s why I am not in charge of anything)

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Lost In Southwest Michigan

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

I went on a whirlwind tour of southwestern Michigan, and after stopping near Benton Harbor, I wanted to go to St Joseph but somehow I made a wrong turn. As I was driving I knew something was wrong and made a turn to head a different direction and then I saw this old house next to the road in the clutches of the trees. I stopped and got a pic, but I really had no idea of where I was so retracing my steps on google maps I found out I was near Hollywood, I guess I went a little too far but now I know there is a town called Hollywood in Michigan. Sometimes going the wrong way may be correct after all.

I got lots of great pics and stories to share from my trip. Thank you if have already signed up for email notifications if not I hope you will so you won’t miss any new posts

The Mysterious House On Gull Island

Posted on January 5, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Historic Places, Houses .

1966 postcard of Gull Island

A strange and mysterious house still sits on the lonely and desolate island in the Grand Traverse Bay. The island sits offshore from Northport in the Leelanau Peninsula. It is called Bellow Island, and has an old abandoned house on it that is now occupied by a flock of Herring Gulls.

The Island was purchased by Edward Taylor Ustick, a prominent businessman in St Louis Mo. He had the cottage built on the island around 1910 by Brian Woolsey, who built the dairy building that became the Woolsey Memorial Airport HERE. The family used the cottage for several years living with the birds and in 1931 after Edward died his son Lee Ustick, now a Harvard professor, inherited the house and island.

Lee had not visited the island frequently and the last time he was there was in 1945. a few years later in 1948 he got a call from the Michigan state police that the house had been destroyed by vandals. Six juveniles from Northport took axes to the home and destroyed all the plumbing, furniture and walls making the home inhabitable.

In the 1960’s the island was finally sold to retired Great Lakes train-ferry captain from Ludington, Herbert Yost, and his wife, Jane. They were going to build a new cabin on the island. The house was never built because Captain Yost was killed in an automobile crash in 1965.

In 1995, an agreement was reached with the Leelanau Conservancy to acquire the island for permanent protection as a public trust and bird sanctuary and off-limits to any visitors for the protection of the gulls that reside on the island. The old house originally built by Edward Ustick still stands on the island and is slowly crumbling.

If you found this post interesting, Lost In Michigan books are ON SALE this week, you can order them on Amazon by clicking HERE

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The American Dream

Posted on January 3, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Houses .

I saw this old house hiding in the woods near Posen, north of Alpena. I was told the American Dream was that every generation has a better standard of living than the previous generation. Seeing the old farm houses in northern Michigan makes me wonder how challenging it must have been for the family who grew up in those houses, and their hard work made it better for their children and their children’s children. I can only imagine what it must have been like going into town with a horse and buggy or an old model T. and now the old house sits abandoned as modern cars whizz by at 60 mph on a nice paved road.

I hope my kids have it better than I did, and I know I have it better than my parents and grandparents. I am not sure how well I am contributing to the American dream, but I figure if I can make today better than yesterday, it will make this year better than last year. so lets hope for a better 2017 than 2016

P.S. I have lots more good stuff to post and more interesting places to visit in Michigan. I am planning to finally get down to the southwest part of the state, I hope you will continue to follow me and enjoy what I post.

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The First Day of Winter in a Michigan Wonderland

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Houses, Winter Wonderland .

It’s the first day of winter, and yeah I know, for some it’s their least favorite time of year, and the thing we complain about the most, but I don’t mind it. I have relatives who grew up down south, and have never experienced winter like we do in the the north, and they wonder how we can survive being cooped up in the house for a few months. I say it’s all about finding something to do in the winter, whether it’s skiing, ice fishing or snowmobiling you need to embrace the snow and the cold and it can be a lot of fun.

I still like to go out and photograph in the winter, and one thing I especially like about taking pics in the winter is I can find and see things that are hidden most any other time of year. With the trees bare, the old forgotten houses can not hide behind the lush green foliage of summer. I am not sure what I will find this winter, I have not been out taking pics in a while since I have been busy with the holidays coming up but I am looking forward to going out and getting lost in Michigan and seeing what I can find in the snow.

P.S. if you’re wondering, I saw this old house north of Ann Arbor. I imagine at one time there was a family inside all warm by the fire waiting for Christmas to arrive, but those days are long gone.
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