First Female Lighthouse Keeper Michigan: The Untold Story of Catherine Shook
In 1849, Catherine Shook was appointed the first woman lighthouse keeper in the State of Michigan. She ran the Pointe Aux Barques Lighthouse until 1851.
Search Results for: Bay Port
Steamship Excursion From Detroit 1910
While railroads had been in service for much of the major cities in southern Michigan, excursion steamships were still a comfortable and viable option to get to Michigan’s northern resort areas. You could board a ship on a Friday evening, have dinner on board, and arrive in north Michigan the next morning.
Detroit Buffalo Steamship Travel – The Fierce 1902 Rate War on the Great Lakes
the Harbor Beach News from July 1902. It highlights a fare war between the railroads and the steamships on excursions between Buffalo, New York, and Detroit, Michigan. It signals a sign that it’s the beginning of the end of steamship dominance on the Great Lakes in favor of railroads.
History of St. Johns Michigan – The Secrets of Mint City When it Ran on Rail Time (1890-1940)
St. Johns, Michigan, has long been the place in Clinton County where the official business gets done. It is the county seat, and for much of the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was also a hub of commerce—a place where …
History of Cheboygan Michigan – A River Town Between Timber and the Great Lakes (1840 – 1940) – Video
These early postcards capture Cheboygan when the riverfront did the heavy lifting. Steamships tied up at the dock, a canning plant and paper mill hummed nearby, and Main Street stayed crowded day after day. It’s a snapshot of a town built to move goods, not commuters.
History of St. Helen Michigan – From Logging Boom to Beautiful Lakeside Village (1870-1940) – Video
Learn how St. Helen, Michigan transformed from a bustling lumber town into a peaceful lake community and even the boyhood home of Charlton Heston.
Short History of Camp Custer Michigan – Eye-opening Views of a Boot Camp, Hospital, and Military Legacy (1917 – 1968)
The history of Camp Custer Michigan begins in 1917, when farmland near Battle Creek became a massive Army training center. Its soldiers, nurses, hospitals, and barracks shaped two world wars and left a lasting mark on the region.
Tragedy at Denmark Junction Near Vassar
Two Michigan Central freight trains met head-on at Denmark Junction in 1916, shattering a quiet night north of Vassar. Vintage photos and reports capture the moment when steel, steam, and fate collided on rural rails.