A few miles north of the Upper Peninsula town of Hessel is the Rockview Cemetery. Reverend William Hainstock Law is laid to rest in the small township graveyard. In 1852 Law was born in Canada and in his late 20s he traveled to the Upper Peninsula to minister to the Lumberjacks. He settled in the
Michigan has some spectacular and impressive library buildings throughout the state. This library in Elk Rapids is rather unique being in a historic house on an island. Known as the Island House, it was built in 1865 by local businessman Edwin S. Noble. He converted a four-acre sand bar into an island by covering it
This old mill sits near downtown Hart near Silver Lake. The building is part of a complex of buildings that make up Hart’s Historic District. Next time you are over on the west side of the state near Pentwater and Ludington be sure to take a trip through the historic district. You can learn more
The old town of Tyre is in the middle of the Thumb not far from Ubly. It is not a ghost town like in the wild west movies, but the town has for the most part disappeared. It no longer shows up on the map and only a few houses remain. The town was founded
This little wooden church stands on the northern side of Sugar Island. It was built for Bishop Frederic Baraga by Michael Payment in 1856. In 1845, Payment moved to Sugar Island and established a small settlement, known at the time as “Payment’s Landing” or “Payment Settlement.” Bishop Baraga was a frequent visitor to the settlement,
If you have ever been to the Traverse City area you have probably driven through the M-37 and US-31 intersection. It is a busy intersection with a lot of traffic and businesses. Fast food restaurants, a Rite Aid, and Walgreens ( where there is one you will find the other) and Menards along with a
This historic red light stands at the end of the Menominee North Pier. At one time it had a catwalk that went out to it but that has been removed when the light was automated in the 1970s. The Menomonee River is the border between Michigan and Wisconson. If the light was on the other
This old forgotten cemetery sits up on a hill not far from the parking lot for the Hamlin Lake beach in Ludington State Park. Long before the area was a state park it had a sawmill town called Hamlin. It was founded in 1852 by lumberman Charles Mears. He built a wooden dam on the
This old diner north of Rockford sits empty along with a couple of other historic old diners. It is Rosie’s that is the most notable. It was the diner used in the famous Bounty paper towel commercials with Rosie the waitress saying they are the “quicker picker-upper” The commercials were filmed in this diner in
East of Sault Ste. Marie the Sugar Islander II car ferry transports vehicles across the St. Mary’s river to Sugar Island. It is one of the largest islands along the river that shares a border with Canada. For $20 you can ride in your car over to the island and back. There is not a
