My wife went with me on this recent trip around the south west part of the state, I think she was thinking it would be a mini vacation, but I thought she was hanging out with me while I was, what I call, working. I don’t think she was planning on me driving all
In the nineteenth century, railroads provided the prime transportation link between small villages and the rest of the country. The first Columbiaville depot was built near this site in 1872. In 1893 William Peter (1824-1899) replaced that structure with this Romanesque inspired depot with its rounded arch, beveled-glass windows. Peter, Columbiaville’s dominant merchant and
On June 6, 1822, an employee of the American Fur Company on Mackinac Island, named Alexis St. Martin, was accidentally shot in the stomach by a discharge of a shotgun loaded with a buck shot from close range that injured his ribs and his stomach. Dr. Beaumont treated his wound, but expected St. Martin to die from his injuries. Despite
When Detroit Grocer Chauncey Hurlbut died in 1885, he willed the bulk of his fortune, some $250,000, to beautify Waterworks Park on Jefferson Ave. The architectural philosophies of the era called for construction of monumental gates at the entrances to public places and part of Hurlbut’s fortune was used to construct just such a gate. Herman
Sometimes fate has a way of showing me what to photograph. On a recent trip heading down 46 I had to use the facilities somewhere since my 44 year old bladder does not work as well as it used to. knowing the Fred Meijer Heartland Trail was nearby I stopped at a parking lot that
I like visiting Onaway and looking at the giant heads made by the Moran Iron Works. You never know who you might see, I know they have made a few different ones over the years and the first one I saw was George Washington a few years ago. when I was there recently they had
On East Mitchell Street in Downtown Petoskey there is this old Library building of which Andrew Carnegie donated money to build. I liked the architecture, but then I noticed there was a small sign near the steps about Ernest Hemingway. It Reads When living in Petoskey in 1919 the library was a favorite haunt
Cast iron grilles in an ancient Greek floral motif highlight the frieze of this temple-front Greek Revival house. Built in 1853 for Henry D. Bennett, Secretary and Steward of the University of Michigan, it became the home and studio of local musicians Reuben H. and Pauline Widenmann Kempf in 1890. Trained in Germany, Mr. Kempf (1859
My grandfather was listed as a clerk and a cook in the army during WWII. He rarely ever talked about the war, other than he said he was in France. He passed away about 20 years ago and going thru his belongings my mother found a lot of photographs and then we realized he was
While I was in Midland getting some photos for Memorial Day weekend I stopped by Dow Gardens and was surprised to see it all decked out in tulips and blossoms on the trees. With this crazy weather we are having I guess spring was a little late, and I guess I am posting these a
