The southwestern Michigan town of Three Oaks was named after, you guessed it, three oak trees that stood nearby when the area was settled in 1850. This adorable little brick depot was constructed in 1898. It was used by the railroad until 1959. The little depot sat empty for years before it was restored in
If you have lived in Michigan for a long time you have probably visited Mackinaw City, The Island, and the Fort along with other sites at the tip of the mitten many times. On my last trip to northern Michigan, I took a ride on the Yankee Sunshine. It is a glass-bottom boat operated by
Deep in the forests in the center of the Keweenaw Penisula is the stone ruins of a once prosperous mine and town that supported it. The Cliff Mine is the first successful mine in the Michigan Copper District and dates from 1845. The highly successful mine was the largest copper mine in the US for
Along the Lake Huron shoreline in the Thumb is the town of White Rock. It was named after, you probably guessed it, a white rock. They rock is about a half-mile offshore. Over the years it has broken up in the ice and is not as prominent as it once was but it is still
In the heart of downtown Buchanan is the Pears Mill. It was built in 1857 and is the last of thirteen mills that were built on the McCoy Creek. It was slated for demolition in 1983 after the co-op that used the building moved out. A group of citizens saved and restored the historic mill
I feel fortunate to live in a country that I can travel freely and pursue my happiness. My ancestors came to this country looking for a better life for themselves and their families. I feel as if I owe it to them to do what I can to continue on with the dream this great
The town of Idlewild near Baldwin was started as a resort town for African Americans in the early part of the 1900s. Because of discrimination, many African Americans were limited to where they could vacation. Called the “Black Eden of Michigan”, from 1912 through the mid-1960s, Idlewild was an active year-round community and was visited
This general store, the Nahmah Inn next to it, and some houses still remain in the company town of Nahmah. It stands along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Big Bay De Noc east of Escanaba. The town was established in 1881 by the Bay de Noquet Lumber Company of Oconto, Wisconsin. At Its peak, the
In 1867, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers dredged the Saginaw River channel so that larger vessels could navigate the river. In 1876. a pair of lighthouses were erected in a range light configuration. It is generally believed (but not well documented) that the Saginaw River lighthouse was the first place where range lights were installed. The “front” range light was
Deerfield Hills Nature Preserve is southwest of Fenton. The 365 acres have hiking trails that wind their way through the trees and to Howe Lake. It is a wonderful place to explore the great outdoors. What captured my attention is the foundations near the parking lot. I am not sure what they are from but
