A native of New York, contractor Charles G. Learned helped build New York City’s water-works system and the Erie Canal. Around 1837 Learned and his brother-in-law purchased several thousand acres of pine land in Michigan’s Thumb area. Two years later, Learned and his wife, Maria Raymond, came to Port Austin and bought a house and
In 1896 John Schroeder built this one and one-half story log home for his family on a farm about a mile west of Freehand. His son George resided there until 1968. Exhibiting hand-hewn, notched white pine logs, boarded gables and a wood shingled roof, the cabin was moved to the Hartley Outdoor Education Center in
I received the following press release from the DNR, it would be an unforgettable experience for someone like me who loves lighthouses. how often do you get the chance to live in a lighthouse. I wonder if they have a fog horn I can sound to wake up the campground in the morning? The Michigan Department of
In 1889, at the urging of Saginaw Congressman (later governor) Aaron Bliss, the Congress appropriated one hundred thousand dollars for the construction of a new federal building in Saginaw. During the next several years the project stalled as city leaders rejected two different sets of plans drawn by U.S. Treasury Department architects. Congressman William Linton,
Designed by Detroit architects Spier & Rohns, the 239-foot-long Grand Trunk Western Union Depot originally featured a spacious waiting room, a popular dining room, a lunch counter, areas for baggage and express mail, and telegraph and railroad offices. It was built of Missouri granite brick and Bedford cut stone and originally roofed in slate. Later
One of the inspirations for doing what I do is Mike and Frank from American Pickers, driving around in there van looking for “rusty gold”. I am not looking stuff to buy, but I am always looking for interesting things along the way that I can photograph. I always try to take back roads when
Besides roaming the back roads of Michigan, I wonder around the internet on google and I find some interesting stuff to take photos of. I found an article about an old monastery in Fenton, so you know I had to check it out while I was in the area. I was driving down
When they call off school my kids get a phone call, email and text, or you can go on several different web sites to find out instantly if school has been canceled. When I was a kid, I had to sit by the radio and listen for my schools name to be announced in a
I drove by this old school radio station on M52 near Owosso a few times going to my kids cross country races. I finally got a chance to stop and get some pics. I love the neon sign. I can just see the Disc Jockey spinning the tunes talking into the classic microphone with the
The Remick Heritage Center at Alma College, it was a nice autumn day when I took this photo so I thought I should post it while it’s still autumn. Alma has a beautiful campus.
