Tag: Great Lakes

A group of five freshwater lakes of central North America between the United States and Canada, including Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. The Great Lakes connect Midwestern ports with the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Daily Great Lakes Ice Cover Report (1.4%)- April 27, 2026

Posted on April 27, 2026 by Michael Hardy

The Winter of 2025-2026 is now underway across the upper Great Lakes region. As ice cover increases, changes in weather

Daily Great Lakes Ice Cover Report (5.6%)- April 12, 2026

Posted on April 12, 2026April 12, 2026 by Michael Hardy

The Winter of 2025-2026 is now underway across the upper Great Lakes region. As ice cover increases, changes in weather

Daily Great Lakes Ice Cover Report (Below 10%) – April 4, 2026

Posted on April 4, 2026April 4, 2026 by Michael Hardy

The Winter of 2025-2026 is now underway across the upper Great Lakes region. As ice cover increases, changes in weather

First Female Lighthouse Keeper Michigan: The Untold Story of Catherine Shook

Posted on March 19, 2026March 19, 2026 by Malcom Mott

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.

Detroit Buffalo Steamship Travel – The Fierce 1902 Rate War on the Great Lakes

Posted on March 15, 2026March 15, 2026 by Michael Hardy

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 Cheboygan Michigan – A River Town Between Timber and the Great Lakes (1840 – 1940) – Video

Posted on February 20, 2026April 14, 2026 by Michael Hardy

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.

John Jacob Astor’s American Fur Company Headquarters 1817 – The Robert Stewart House – Video

Posted on January 27, 2026April 14, 2026 by Michael Hardy

The American Fur Company headquarters on Mackinac Island once controlled trade across the Great Lakes. Built in the early 1800s, it shaped Michigan’s economy, society, and role in early American capitalism.

History of Au Gres, Michigan – From Rich Native Lands to Charming Tourist Town (1890-1940)

Posted on December 16, 2025February 23, 2026 by Michael Hardy

The history of Au Gres, Michigan unfolds through rare photos and vivid storytelling. From Native fishing camps to sawmills and steamboats, this lakeside town’s past is rich with change, work, and water.