Parks Archives - Lost In Michigan

The Ruins in Awakon Park

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

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 Stone Outhouse

Posted on April 22, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Parks .

This small stone building sits along the River Raisin in the southern Michigan town of Clinton. It looks like an old outhouse but I am not sure if that is what it was. I think it may have been part of an old water pumping station but I am not sure about that either. So for now I am just calling it a stone outhouse and thankful for modern plumbing.

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Charlton’s Village

Posted on April 11, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Historic Places, Parks .

In 1936 Irving Charlton donated property to Barry County for a park. Over the years several historic buildings around Barry County were moved to the park. Today they create a historic village including the two-story brick building that was the offices for the Hastings Mutual Insurance Co from 1908 to 1924. You can learn more about the park at their website HERE

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The Log Cabin in the Park

Posted on April 5, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Parks .

Charlton Park east of Hastings has a plethora of historic buildings and houses. This log cabin sits off in the woods. I was disappointed that there was not a sign on or near it giving a little info. From what I found on the internet is that it is a replica built in the 1990s. It looked rather sad and lonely separated from the other buildings but it makes for and nice although creepy-looking pick. I have lots of pics from Charlton park during my visit this spring. Everything was still closed up for the season so I hope to get back there when the buildings are open for visitors.

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The Iron Bars of Boyne Falls

Posted on March 2, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Haunted Places, Parks .

I see a lot of interesting things at local parks around Michigan. From historic monuments to old locomotives but the park in Boyne Falls has some old jail cells on dislplay. They go back to the lumbering days when they needed to incarcerate rowdy lumberjacks. It is rather strange to see them in a park but they are an interesting piece of history. I know I would not want to be inside when those iron bars slam shut and the lock is put on them.

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Contacting the Dead in Grand Ledge

Posted on December 1, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in autumn, Parks .

this old wooden barn-like structure sits near the back of Fitzgerald Park in Grand Ledge. It was built by the Grand Ledge Spiritualist Camp Association who built a summer camp at this spot in the late 1800s. Spiritualism was a popular movement in the late 1800s where people believed they could communicate with the deceased. This pavilion was built for the group to hold seances. The popularity of Spiritualism faded in the early 1900s and the city of Grand Ledge purchased the property. In the 50s the pavilion was converted into a summer theater.

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The Ruins in Onaway

Posted on November 12, 2020 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 Grand Ledge in Autumn

Posted on October 18, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in autumn, Nature, Parks, Uncategorized .

Along the Grand River in Fitzgerald Park are these magnificent rock outcroppings and cliffs. They truly are grand ledges and give the town they are located in its name. I find it strange that I have lived in Michigan for a half-century and have explored many places and I just now visited this wonderful place. I felt like I was hiking in the northwestern Upper Peninsula instead of the Central Lower Peninsula. If you are looking for someplace to explore, you need to check out the Grand Ledges for yourself, because you can’t capture its breathtaking beauty in a photograph.

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Irontone Spring

Posted on October 4, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Nature, Parks .

North of Gaylord is a roadside park. I small creek runs through it with a couple of bridges that cross the flowing water. The water comes from a natural spring known as the Irontone Spring. The park is Frank Wilkinson Park named in honor of Frank Wilkinson who was the first Otsego County road commissioner. He owned the property and deeded it to the county after his death.

Next time you are heading up north take a break from I-75 and travel along old 27. Be sure to stop at the little roadside park at Irontone Springs.

P.S. I found on the internets that there is a fountain with spring water that you can drink but it was not flowing while I was there. Maybe someone forgot to pay the water bill to Mother Nature.

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Antique Alley

Posted on October 25, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in autumn, Nature, Parks .

This row of old forgotten vehicles, abandoned from an old sawmill town, is deep within the Groen Nature Preserve. The preserve is in Otsego County near Johannesburg. The property once belonged to Louis M. Groen. He invented the Filet O Fish sandwich and owned 43 McDonalds franchise locations. After his death, he donated the property to Otsego County for use as a nature preserve.

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