Category Archives: The Michigan Pages: History

Michigan Historic Homes: The Pickle Barrel House

Pickle Barrel House by agilitynut
Here's a fun one!
Two huge barrels make up this unique and much-loved landmark that has been restored and opened back up as a museum. The house was built for William Donahey creator of the Teenie Weenie comic cartoon feature by a grocery distributor grateful for the attention that the Teenie [...]

Michigan Historic Homes: Governor's Residences

There are two official Governor's Residences in the state of Michigan. One is in Lansing and the other, a summer residence, is on Mackinac Island. Both residences are owned by the state of Michigan and are maintained with private donations.
The Governor's Lansing residence was built in 1957 for Howard and Letha Sober, who donated it [...]

Michigan Restaurants: Legs Inn of Cross Village

legs inn by 46137
The Legs Inn is a "monument to nature" built on a high bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. The fantasy-like atmosphere of this medieval looking stone, timber and driftwood landmark was created by Polish immigrant, Stanley Smolak who fell in love with Northern Michigan and its people and decided to settle in Cross Village [...]

Michigan History: The Tri-Motor Conquers the South Pole

1929 Ford Tri-Motor by Fernando Gomes Semedo
Six hours into their flight, the four explorers aboard the Floyd Bennett, a specially equipped Ford Tri-Motor airplane, stared at the mountain range ahead, blocking their way. Veteran pilot Bernt Balchen eased the plane upwards and entered the pass, which proved much narrower than anticipated. At the end of [...]

Jerry Linengar: Five Months in Space

Jerry Linenger is one of more than a dozen Michiganians who have been (or still are) astronauts. Born in 1955 in Eastpoint (a Detroit suburb), Linengar graduated from East Detroit High School and earned a degree from Wayne State University. After many years of hard work, schooling and experience in the military, Linengar was accepted [...]

Michigan Books: The Sound the Stars Make Rushing Through the Sky: The Writings of Jane Johnston Schoolcraft edited by Robert Dale Parker

The Sound the Stars Make Rushing Through the Sky: The Writings of Jane Johnston Schoolcraft edited by Robert Dale Parker (University of Pennsylvania Press) brings to the public for the first time the complete writings of the first known American Indian literary writer, Jane Johnston Schoolcraft (her English name) or Bamewawagezhikaquay (her Ojibwe name), Woman [...]

Michigan Authors: Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899- July 2, 1961) an American novelist, short-story writer and journalist. Born in Oak Park, Illinois. Hemingway adopted his father's outdoorsman hobbies of hunting, fishing and camping in the woods and lakes of Northern Michigan. The family owned a house called Windemere on Michigan's Walloon Lake often spending [...]

Michigan Roadside Attraction Stories, Photos & Souvenirs sought

Giant Uniroyal Tire at Dawn by BarGal
Another (Michigan) Roadside Attraction over at Michigan in Pictures has all the details on a call for stories, pictures and artifacts from Michigan tourist traps and attractions for an exhibit by the Michigan Historical Museum.
If you're wondering where you might go to take a photo, check out any [...]

2008 Michigan Sports Hall of Fame Induction

The Michigan Sports Hall of Fame 53rd Annual MSHOF Induction Ceremony takes place on Monday, February 11, 2008 at the Max M. Fisher Music Center on Woodward in Detroit.
The Class of 2007 inductees (along with the best articles we could find) are:

The Captain, Detroit Red Wing and NHL legend, Steve Yzerman (steviey.net, fan site dedicated [...]

Michigan Books: One Thousand Tracings: Healing the Wounds of World War II by Lita Judge

One Thousand Tracings: Healing the Wounds of World War II by Lita Judge (Hyperion Books for Children) is the story of Judge's mother and grandmother, set during World War II in Pinckney. The book is illustrated with a combination of paintings, collages of original photographs, and foot tracings. Foot tracings? From the publisher's page on [...]