upper peninsula Archives - Lost In Michigan

The Pequaming Water Tower

Posted on September 28, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Ghost towns, upper peninsula .

Driving north from the Upper Peninsula town of L’Anse along the Keweenaw bay it is hard to miss the water tower in Pequaming. Unlike most water towers that have the name of the town painted on it the one in Pequaming has the word FORD in the iconic font used by the Ford Motor Company. That is because at one time the town of Pequaming was Ford owned town with a massive sawmill that produced lumber for the model-t. You can see a remnant from the old sawmill on the left side of the photo is what remains of the old powerhouse. At one time Henry Ford had a summer residence in the town. As time went on Ford no longer need the lumber and closed the sawmill. The area is now mostly summer resort homes and a harbor for fishing boats.

You can read more about the town in Lost In Michigan Volume 3 available on Amazon HERE

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Whitefish Point Post Office

Posted on September 22, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Historic Places, upper peninsula .

If you have ever driven up to the Whitefish Point Lighthouse you have passed this old building. The historical marker in front of it reads.

This post office opened just six years after Whitefish Point was settled in 1871 as a landing for the then abundant supplies and as a commercial fishery. Permanent residents received their mail from Sault Ste. Marie. During the summer months, mail was delivered by boat three times a week. In severe winter weather, dog teams hauled the mail twice a month. In service for nearly a century, this post office provided a link with days before lumbermen cut down tall stands of pine trees, The office here ceased operations in 1973.

It is privately owned now, but you know you live out in the sticks when you got your mail delivered by dog sled.

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The Light Keepers House

Posted on September 18, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Lighthouses, upper peninsula .

This brick house with white siding faces the channel into the West Bay harbor at Grand Marais. It was built in 1906 for the lightkeeper that maintains the light for the channel. It replaced a shack made out of scrap lumber that was described as “a miserable shanty” by the lighthouse inspector. The Coast Guard took over the house in World War II and used it until 1982. two years later the Grand Marais Historical Society converted the home into a museum which it currently operates to the present day.

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The Abandoned Fiborn Quarry in the Upper Peninsula

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, upper peninsula .

Hidden in the woods in the central-eastern Upper Peninsula not far from Trout Lake are the remnants of the old Fiborn Quarry. The Fiborn Limestone Co. at its peak had two locomotives and a small town of 75 people that worked for the quarry. It operated until the 1930s when the depression crippled the company’s ability to operate. The ruins of some of the buildings are now part of the Karst Preserve which lies between St. Ignace and Newberry. It is about a mile hike to the ruins, but worth the walk to see some old historic building. The full story of the old quarry and how to find it is in Lost In Michigan Volume 3

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End Of The Earth

Posted on September 5, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in upper peninsula .

After the long journey from southern Michigan and across the Upper Peninsula this sign made me laugh as it felt as if I had driven to the end of the earth.

I don’t have a story to go with this pic. I just want to say thank you for following me on this journey and taking the time to read my posts.

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Upper Peninsula Asylum for the Insane

Posted on September 2, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Historic Places, upper peninsula .

This old house stands on the edge of Newberry in the Upper Peninsula. It was once part of the state hospital that was first built in 1895 as the Upper Peninsula Asylum for the Insane. It was funded by the state to treat patients in the Upper Peninsula. By 1911 the name had changed to Newberry State Hospital and had grown to a rather large complex consisting of a main hospital and several other buildings including a nursing school. At its peak the hospital cared for a thousand patients living at the facility.

The hospital closed in 1992 and a portion of the 750 acres was converted into the Newberry Correctional Facility. As you drive into Newberry from the south it is hard to miss the shiny razor wire fence and guard towers. Behind the prison are some of the old buildings used for the state hospital. You can see some of them from the road but I was not about to get out and explore them with signs posted PRISON PROPERTY DO NOT TRESPASS.

The State Hospital in Traverse City was converted into public space with stores, restaurants, and office space. The Newberry hospital was repurposed just into something I would not want to be a resident of or have to visit. It is strange that of all the times I have been through Newberry I never know the old hospital was there.

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Hanka Homestead

Posted on August 30, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Historic Places, upper peninsula .

Finnish Immigrant Herman Hanka homesteaded this farm after being fired from his mining job. An explosion in the mine killed one of his fellow workers and left Hanka deaf and disabled. He built this farm northwest of Baraga in the 1890s. Generations of the Hanka family lived on this farm until the 1960s. It is now a historical museum and restored to look like it did in the 1920s. You can learn more about it on their website HERE

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The Barn in the Soo

Posted on August 26, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Barns and Farms, upper peninsula .

I saw this old barn ( and truck ) not far from Sault St. Marie and I had to stop and get a pic of it. For those of you that have been following my posts for a long time, you know that I was raised in the big city and no expert on farming. I found it curious that most of the farms in the easter U.P. were growing hay. Where I live in central Michigan most of the farms grow, corn, beans, and beets. I was surprised to see many farms in the U.P. bailing hay. I am wondering what all the hay is for. Do they ship most of it for the horses on Mackinac Island? If you know please leave a comment, I am curious.

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The University Fort

Posted on August 22, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Schools, upper peninsula .

I was roaming around Sault St. Marie and a came upon Lake Superior State University. I saw the buildings and then I immediately thought that they looked like old military buildings similar to the ones at Fort Wayne. ( you can see my post HERE) The university was originally built as Fort Brady in the 1880s and was used through WWII. In the late 1940s the fort was sold to Michigan Tech and used as part of the University. In 1970 it was separated from Michigan Tech and became Lake Superior State College.

I was there over the summer and with covid restrictions, I did not poke around campus too much. I will have to go back sometime and find out if they give history tours to visitors.

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Places to Explore in Da Upper Peninsula Eh

Posted on August 13, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in upper peninsula .

A lot of people ask for places to visit in the Upper Peninsula. I put together a list of places and things I think are interesting. I know this is not a complete list of everything you can see or do in the U.P. but these are places I have been to and enjoyed visiting. Many places I have done a post about them and have a link to the post.

I also added a few restaurants that I have eaten a meal at and enjoyed. I know there are a lot more restaurants, but I am listing the ones I have been to and liked.

You can find out more information about some of these places, along with detailed locations, in the Lost In Michigan books series available on Amazon HERE

Feel free to post in the comments below places you liked

St. Ignace and eastern U.P. Area

St. Ignace Lighthouse

St Anthony’s Rock

Clyde’s Drive Inn St Ignace

Lehto’s Pasties

Castle Rock

Mystery Spot

Fiborn Quarry

Lake Michigan shoreline on US-2

Hessel

Detour

Drummond Island

Lime Island

Allenville

Soo Area

Holly Angel’s Church on Sugar Island

Soo Locks

Valley Camp Ship

Sault St Marie Historic Water Tower

Lake Superior State Campus

West Pier Drive Inn

Clyde’s Drive Inn Sault St. Marie

Spectacle Lake Lookout

Mission Hill Cemetery Myron Memorial

Point Iroquois Lighthouse

Dollar Settlement

Camp Raco

Newberry Area

Whitefish Point Lighthouse

Tahquamenon Falls

Vermillion Lifesaving Station

Crisp Point Lighthouse

Oswald Bear Ranch

Two Hearted River

Old Sheriff’s House in Newberry

Manistique area

Cut River Bridge

Seul Choix Point Lighthouse

Manistique water tower

Clyde’s Drive Inn Manistique

Kitch-iti-kipi big springs

Fayette ghost town

Peninsula Point Lighthouse

Watson

Pictured Rocks Area

Bickle Barrel House Grand Marais

Sable Falls

Au Sable Point Lighthouse

Wagner Falls

Munising Falls

Sand Point Lifesaving boathouse

Grand Island

Muldoon’s Pasties

Bay Furnace Ruins

Upper Au Train Falls

Trenary for Trenary toast

Marquette Area

K I Sawyer Air Force Base Museum

Marquette Lighthouse

Ore Dock

Vango’s for a cudighi sandwich

Superior Dome at NMU

Alder Falls

Big Bay Lighthouse

Da Yoopers Tourist Trap

Black River Falls

L’Anse Area

Canyon Falls

Ford Center historic sawmill

Powerhouse falls

Mount Arvon

Mount Curwood

Pequaming

Silver Falls

Sand Point Lighthouse Baraga

Assinins

Keweenaw Peninsula Area

Freda Ruins

Redridge Bridge and waterfall

George Gipp Memorial

Italian Hall Memorial

Eagle River Falls

Eagle Harbor Lighthouse

Roy’s Pasties & Bakery

Central Mine

Copper harbor

Fort Wilkins

The Rocket Range

Western U.P. Area

Lake of the Clouds

Ontonagon

Manabezho Falls

Bond Falls

Rainbow Falls

Porcupine Mountains

Old Victoria Historic Townsite

Agate Falls

South West Area

Menominee Lighthouse

Menominee Downtown Sandwich and Ice Cream shop

Wells State Park

Sand Point Lighthouse Escanaba

Fumee Falls

You can find out more information about some of these places along with detailed locations in the Lost In Michigan books series available on Amazon HERE

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