by Dave Votta, CADL Local History Librarian

The Grand River has played a pivotal role in the history and development of the village of Dimondale since Isaac M. Dimond built the first dam and mills in the 1850s. The dam and his mills were mostly washed away by freshets. However, Mr. Dimond persevered and in 1856, the year of his second ill fated mill, he platted a village and named it Dimondale. He then summarily returned to New York where, according to Durant’s History of Ingham and Eaton Counties “his death soon after occurred.”

Despite onerous origins milling became a viable business in the village. By 1880 there were saw, steam, planning and grist mills. Mechanic and millinery shops thrived. There was a post office, hotel and several stores. In October of 1897 the Dimondale News began.

Amid this description of a bustling, picturesque village a shadowy figure emerges steeped in American Gothic. One Delos Marvin, a resident of Dimondale, is described in the State Republican newspaper of 1908 as living alone in a “strange little house close beside the Grand River.” He occupied his time not only is constant verbal communication with an unseen or heard good spirit companion, but fighting and eradicating evil spirits. The interior walls of his one room domicile were covered in punctured scrap metal. The pieces included tin, iron, stove pipes, washboards and more, all perforated with nail holes. Each hole stated Marvin “destroys an evil spirit.” He wore a necklace of small, round, tin pieces with holes to ward off all disease and regularly struck up a resounding cacophony, banging a horseshoe on a tin pan to call the good spirits to him.

His self-esteem does not appear to have suffered from being a bit of an outsider. He is quoted saying “he is the most wonderful person living, having single-handedly and alone destroyed nearly every spirit of darkness.”

From Federal Census records Delos Marvin was born about 1846. In 1860 he is listed living in DeWitt with his family. His father S.P. Marvin was a Probate Judge. The 1908 story recounts him living off a federal pension. Records indicate he may have served in the 3rd Regiment of the New York Light Artillery during the Civil War. His father was from New York.

The neighbors apparently were not too unnerved by Marvin’s antics. He was declared a “unique citizen” and that he “furnishes its [Dimondale] people with a great deal of harmless amusement with his quaint vagaries and wonderful flights of fancy.” The paper describes community support and his receiving “generous baskets of food from public suppers” and “many a glass of jelly and other dainties from the good housewives of the town.”

It is unclear when, but Marvin is reported to have at one time been a “well paid” newspaper reporter. His fate is equally murky. To date, the last known documentation places him in the Kent County Detention Hospital. In the 1920 Federal Census we find him there listed as a patient.

-Dave V., CADL Local History Librarian

Sources Consulted

State Republican (December 15, 1908)
History of Ingham and Eaton Counties by Samuel Durant
Past and Present of Eaton County by the Rev. Wolcott B. Williams
1860 U.S. Federal Census

1820 U.S. Federal Census
Civil War records M551 roll 8
Photograph from the Caterino Collection at the Capital Area District Libraries’ Special Collections

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Do you suppose that Tom Izzo uses lines like "I can't offer you beaches and palm trees, but chances are you'll be playing on aircraft carriers and on national television in March."??

This Friday, November 11th at 7 PM on ESPN the Michigan State University Spartans men's basketball team will face the North Carolina Tar Heels aboard the USS Carl Vinson (Wikipedia/Facebook) in what is being dubbed the Quicken Loans Carrier Classic.  Friday is also Veterans Day, and former Lakers MSU great Magic Johnson and James Worthy of UNC, both former Lakers will be on hand as honorary captains.  They'll also have at least one VIP in the stands, President Barack Obama.

Home Post has a slideshow of the process of turning the deck of the USS Carl Vinson into a basketball court and ESPN has a pretty cool look at the science behind the challenges the players will face in an outside game on a ship. At the bottom of the post there's a video with a look at the special uniforms the Spartans will be wearing that also provides a nice chance to meet a team that is largely unheralded and facing the pre-season #1 team in the nation. A great primer by David Mayo of the Grand Rapids Press begins:

The night before Michigan State’s basketball season ended in March, athletic director Mark Hollis sat in a Tampa hotel, proudly disclosing plans for how this season would begin.

On his tablet, he swiped through artists’ renderings of how the USS Carl Vinson will look Friday night in San Diego Bay, with a temporary basketball arena on its flight deck, where the Spartans play top-ranked North Carolina in their Veterans Day opener, with President Barack Obama and thousands of military personnel dominating the invitation-only crowd.

Read on at the GR Press.

Photo credits

USS Carl Vinson PACIFIC OCEAN (June 3, 2011) The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) is underway in the Pacific Ocean. Carl Vinson and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 are underway in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Nicolas C. Lopez/Released) 110603-N-GZ277-247

Michigan State vs. Hillsdale Freshman guard Branden Dawson stretches out for an uncontested dunk early in the game against Hillsdale Friday night at Breslin Center. Dawson netted 10 points for the Spartans in the 80-58 victory. Matt Hallowell/The State News

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Common Ground Festival by M.Hallowell

Common Ground is an annual celebration along the banks of the Grand River in Adado Riverfront Park in downtown Lansing. Now in its 12th year, the festival draws over 80,000 people across 7 nights and has showcased over 300 artists including 36 Grammy Award winners and 21 Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame inductees.

The festival features an amazing slate of musical acts with a focus on top-level, national, contemporary music performers and some of the best regional musicians backed by state-of-the-art production. Add a variety of family entertainment and an assortment of food vendors and you can see why one of the Capital City's summer highlights. Day passes are available and they also offer a 7-Day Pass that can be shared with family or friends from day to day. At (currently) 7 nights for $79 it's a heck of a deal! Read on below the giveaway for featured performers, links to more information and a great video!

To enter to win a pair of passes to your choice of night at Common Ground and to be entered in every one of our Festival Summer giveaways, just join our email list using the form below!

All summer long Absolute Michigan will be partnering with some of Michigan's most amazing festivals & events to give our readers FREE tickets and a chance to enjoy the food, music and celebration that is part of summertime in the Great Lakes State!

Absolute Michigan will not share your email address with anyone. Period. Your inbox is safe with us. What we will share with you is a periodic but usually no more than weekly update, possibly including a special offer, potentially a prize or giveaway and definitely some great news about what is working and fun to do in the Great State called Michigan that we love!

Sammy Hagar by M.Hallowell

Featured Performers

• Monday, July 11: Trey Songz, Peter Rivera The Original Singer/Drummer Of Rare Earth
• Tuesday, July 12: Rick Springfield, Burton Cummings, The Verve Pipe
• Wednesday, July 13: Charlie Daniels Band, Aaron Lewis Of Staind, David Nail
• Thursday, July 14: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Blackberry Smoke, Duke Tumatoe
• Friday, July 15: Theory Of A Deadman, Black Stone Cherry
• Saturday, July 16: LL Cool J
• Sunday, July 17: Melissa Etheridge, Hot Chelle Rae, Locksley Sunday, Larry McCray

Head over to the Common Ground Green Room for some great photos from years past and a chance to listen to the musicians who'll be at Common Ground in July!

Here's an interview with Scott Keith, President and CEO of Lansing Entertainment and Public Facilities where he talks about Lugnuts games, Common Ground and summer fun in Lansing. Common Ground has some great Michigan acts including The Verve Pipe and Larry McCray. We'll close with a cool video of Larry performing Soulshine in Saginaw!

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by Dave Votta, CADL Local History Librarian

When he plummeted to his death during an air show in Vincennes, France, the Lansing Batman was known world-wide as an aeronautical daredevil. Clement A. "Clem" Sohn was born December 7, 1910, in Fowler, Michigan. In 1929 he became of protoge of Art Davis and his flying circus, performing in air shows around the country.

Lansing's second Batman Charlie Zmuda

Davis was a World War 1 pilot who became one of the most highly decorated stunt aviators and barnstormers of his time. His plane was christened the Spirit of East Lansing. The East Lansing Davis Airport is named in his honor.

Clem's signature act developed in 1933-1934 when he and Davis created a bat like suit made of steel tubing and zephyr cloth. He would free fall, sometimes gliding over 30 miles, deploy the parachute approximately 1,000 feet up and drift to the ground. He held the world's record for free fall, over 18,500 feet.

Accompanied by Davis, Sohn was invited to the 1937 Paris Air Show. They crossed the Atlantic by ship. Severe weather impeded swift passage to Paris. Because of the delay, it is reported he was unable to satisfactorily check his equipment. Clem jumped at 6,000 feet. It is unclear exactly went wrong. Some accounts cite his parachute may have been moistened from rain. Neither the primary or auxiliary chutes opened. He died instantly.

Sohn is buried in Fowler. At his funeral, planes circled overhead dropping flowers.

Upon his death, another took up the mantle. Charles F. "Charlie" Zmuda was the second Lansing or Michigan Batman. He too worked with Art Davis touring the world leaping from planes and glissading from several thousand feet. The above photograph is of Zmuda, probably in one of Sohn's outfits.

Zmuda survived the perilous vocation. He succumbed to a heart attack at 44 in 1959, survived by his wife and three daughters. At the time of his death, he worked as a pilot for American Airlines.

Sources Consulted

Michigan History Magazine (September/October 1983)
Lansing, city on the Grand, 1836-1939 by James MacLean and Craig A. Whitford
Lansing State Journal (April 26, 1937)
Lansing State Journal (April 9, 1959)
Time Magazine (May 3, 1937)
History of Fowler MI
Photograph Courtesy of the  Capital Area District Library Special Collections

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Lansing, Michigan, USA by Mario.Q

Next American City partnered with IBM and its SmarterCities initiative to encourage citizens across the nation to share how their cities are addressing the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. The prize for the city with the most posts to the SmarterCities Scan was a profile on their website, and Lansing, Michigan, blew the competition away. Their profile of Lansing by Ivy Hughes is a great read and shows why Lansing just might be Michigan's most overlooked success story.

For years, various groups have been trying to change the Greater Lansing Region's image as another Rustbelt city, but these efforts have really taken off in the last few years. Kiplinger recently ranked Lansing as one of the “10 Great Cities for Young Adults”; several Greater Lansing Region businesses have made Inc. magazine's 5,000 fastest-growing companies; Michigan State University (MSU) was chosen as the home base for a the $500 million Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) and is ranked only second to MIT in nuclear physics; and, in 2009, MSU made Entrepreneur magazine's list of “Top Colleges for Business.”

penthouse by TerryJohnston

The author lists some of the factors that make Lansing worthy of this honor including Development, Culture, Ideas, Entrepreneurship and Sustainability, saying:

Changing a city best suited for cars into a walkable, bikeable community is, at the very least, a challenge but several organizations are working to increase the number of bike lanes, walkways and shared use paths. The region's bus system, CATA, is one of most effective transportation systems among communities similar in size to the Greater Lansing Region and is a major player in the effort to shift the ratio of cars to people on the street. Discussions regarding the incorporation of a light rail system into the region's long-term transportation plan have just begun.

Sustainability is the driving force behind these transportation efforts and is the catalyst for the region's vast community garden network and the inspiration for the city's first urban garden — Urbandale farm. Many neighborhood organizations are working to increase the visibility and viability of sustainable eating in the region.

They close with:

...a big thank you to the groups continuing to make the Greater Lansing Region a place we all want to be. They are: #lovelansing, Capital Area Michigan Works!, Accelerate Lansing, YSG Lansing, Capital Gains Media, Keep Learning, LEAP, Grand River Connection, Mid-Michigan Tweet Ups, Prima Civitas, Impression 5, City of East Lansing, NOISE, MSU Catalyst, Walk and Bike Lansing; Greater Lansing Business Monthly; Help Make Mid-Michigan Walk and Bike Friendly!; Lansing Walking & Bicycling Task Force; Arts Council; Lansing Happy Hour Club; and a plethora of hardworking neighborhood associations.

Read more at Next American City and also check out the Lansing tag at Smarter Cities for some of the Capital City's many assets! There are videos there highlighting all kinds of things about the Greater Lansing area such as the many festivals which draw over 1/2 million people a year to the region and this one from Greater Lansing. While it's definitely idealized, it shows the amazing range of offerings the region holds.

Greater Lansing from Leap, Inc. on Vimeo.

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The festival encourages cross-cultural understanding of our diverse society through the presentation of musicians, dancers, cooks, storytellers and craftspeople whose traditions are rooted in their communities.

The festival includes nearly 100 musicians or dancers in groups, who perform at least twice and sometimes as many as four times over the weekend. Also featured are traditional and other food vendors, craft vendors and many other individual artists/demonstrators. There are five performance stages (including one with a 2,400 sq. ft. dance floor), a children's hands-on activity area, crafts demonstrations, and crafts marketplace. In addition there are special programs every year, which feature some aspect of traditional culture.

Photo credit: Patrick Power

Observes GLFF founding director Marsha MacDowell, "The folk festival is a unique celebration of the histories, traditions, and cultures of the many peoples of the world, and while we have a focus on Michigan and the Great Lakes, we also present artists from around the nation and world. This is one of the few venues in the country to regularly showcase award-winning state and national artists, including recipients of the Michigan Heritage Awards and the National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship Awardees. "

This award-winning event is one of the region's premiere arts programs and a summer-time high note -- and is expected to draw more than 90,000 visitors throughout the weekend to celebrate culture, tradition and community. GLFF was named the state's top public humanities program by the Michigan Humanities Council and the event received an artistic excellence grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to help produce this year's activities.

Festival hours are: Friday, Aug. 13, 6 - 10:30 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 14, noon - 10:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Aug. 15, noon - 6 p.m. For more information, call the MSU Museum at (517) 432-GLFF (4533) or learn more at http://www.greatlakesfolkfest.net and on Facebook and Twitter.

Admission to the MSU Museum's Great Lakes Folk Festival is free (donations are encouraged).

Get a feel for what the festival is like by checking out this flickr slideshow!
View Larger Map

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Skyline: Lansing, Michigan, USA by Mario.Q

Spotted in the Lansing State Journal today, Kiplinger magazine Lansing has been identified as one of 10 great cities for young adults. Ranking right along side the notable locations of Austin, TX, Charlotte, N.C., Chicago, IL, Kansas City, MO, New York, NY, Portland, OR, Salt Lake City, UT and Washington, D.C.. The criteria used to identify the cities were 6 key questions.

1. Will I find good work there?
2. Who lives there?
3. What colleges and universities does the city offer?
4. How much is rent?
5. How is the commute?
6. Will I have fun there?

From LSJ.com:

The "Love Lansing" contingent is growing, with a well-known financial group touting the Michigan city as one of the best places for young people.

Lansing has been named one of "10 great cities for young adults" by financial news organization Kiplinger.

They promote their town on Twitter with the keyword "#LoveLansing," talk about it during networking events and defend their decision to live here to their peers in other cities.

And now, they have something to back it up.

Kiplinger's made note of Lansing's cheap rent well below the national average, a respectable bar and club scene, high-paying job opportunities in bio and Internet technologies and an average commute of only 20 minutes.

Michigan's capital is a little-known hotbed for young professionals," Kiplinger said. "Granted, this Great Lakes community can't quite compare to the larger cities on our list in terms of job prospects or things to do. But it has a relatively low cost of living. And its youthful population, downtown renewal projects, and emerging technology sector make Lansing a stand-out in mid-sized cities.

Read the entire article here.

The Grand Rapids Press at mlive.com also has an article on the ranking: Is Lansing the coolest city for young people in Michigan? Kiplinger says so

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Yellow Dog by Luminous Light Huntress

Stand for the Land is asking folks to show up (wearing blue) at the State Capitol this Thursday (June 3) at 11:30 AM for a peaceful rally as they deliver a petition to the Natural Resources Commission regarding Michigan's first permitted sulfide mine. The event features speakers and Michigan musicians and you can get all the details on Facebook.

The mine is located on the Yellow Dog Plains north of Marquette, where this lovely little river flows. Acid mine drainage from sulfide mines has killed many of the rivers in the west, and there has yet to be a sulfide mine that hasn't created acid mine drainage.

Have a look at what acid mining has done to Sudbury, and then see if the "jobs" argument holds water when you put the 100 or so mine jobs in one hand and Michigan's countless tourism industry jobs in the other.

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Pretty clouds distract me
as I drive by merebearlandon

Memorial Weekend is the launch of the summer travel season. AAA Michigan estimates that 1.1 million Michigan residents will travel on state roads this Memorial Day weekend, paying 11 1.2 cents less per gallon of gasoline as compared to last week (and maybe even less by the weekend).

They list the top 10 Michigan destinations as reported by their members - check the links to read about what there is to see and do from Absolute Michigan and feel welcome to post where you're going!

1. Traverse City
2. Mackinaw City
3. Petoskey
4. Frankenmuth
5. Munising
6. Sault Ste. Marie
7. Boyne Mountain
8. Saugatuck/Douglas
9. Dundee
10. Lansing

Speaking of summer travel, here's a classic video that we get sent all the time!

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And what a ten years it had been. By spring of 1994 Bop (harvey) had performed almost 2000 shows together, cavorted with then‐new President Clinton, delivered one of the first‐season highlights of NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien, released nine recordings, played every major city in North America and shared the stage with the likes of UB40, Squeeze, Black Uhuru, Jerry Lee Lewis, and a dozen other international heavyweights.

“Bop (harvey) was the first American band that I had heard successfully integrate American pop, R&B and funk with island and African grooves and form,” commented Max Weinberg, Longtime drummer for Bruce Springsteen's E‐Street Band, Tonight Show drummer/personality and former president of Hard Ticket Entertainment, a division of then‐powerhouse BMG Records. “I flew out to Seattle and was blown away by the power coming off of the stage.” In no time the band was in the studio finishing up “Gitchee Gumee To Me”, their 1992 studio release.

And then the president called. Or to be more accurate, the Clinton campaign team, who were seeking an act to fire up crowds attending various Midwest rallies. The band ended up playing a string of Clinton events, including an election day airport rally, concluding with substantial face‐time with the candidate, who returned the favor by inviting the band to play not one by two events during his inaugural festivities. Suddenly the band was enjoying front page status (including the Detroit Free Press), and mega‐success seemed a few drum beats away.

But, as is frequently the case in the often fickle music industry, that was not to be the case. With early 90's American radio abandoning world music in favor of the Seattle sound, Bop (harvey) found itself falling into an endless cycle of one‐nighters, with little organized support from labels, managers and distributors.

“Remember, in the early nineties there was still no viable internet or home recording capabilities,” bemoaned St. Echo. “And while we had built a successful self‐run business, we were still forced to rely on all the big companies, none of which ever really knew what to do with us commercially.”

By 1994, the members of Bop (harvey) had becomes disillusioned with the business and exhausted from tour bus living. The band's two main songwriters, St. Echo and Sarder, were at creative odds, with Sarder opting for more traditional Jamaican‐influenced roots and St. Echo pushing more for pop and funk. So in the spring of that year, shortly after an appearance on Late Night to promote the release of their ninth recording, “The Monster Butt Beat Dance Test”, the band quietly called it quits.

In the fifteen years since those last performances, the individual members have gone on to various shades of fame, fortune, family and obscurity. There seemed little interest in a reunion until the band gathered for keyboardist, Randy Sly's 2006 wedding. Band politics, grueling schedules and business disappointments a thing of the past, the band again found its old sound and the original fun they had performing together. So when Scott Culling called earlier this year with the idea of an official reunion, everyone finally said yes.

“I have to tell you,” commented Culling, “I never thought we'd all be in the mood to do this again, but rehearsals have been a blast and we immediately locked in to that Bop (harvey) sound. I think the shows are going to sound like we spent fifteen days apart instead of fifteen years.”

And on May 22nd, the East Lansing crowd—likely looking a bit older and greyer than usual—will get their chance to once again put on their dancing shoes and hear one of their long‐time favorites. If you want to hear one of the area's most important musical exports of the late 80's/early 90's, don't miss this show.

Find out more information on the East Lansing Art Festival & MSU Arts and Crafts Show, May 22 & 23

Checkout the Bop (harvey) fan club on facebook for lots of great pictures, videos and memories!

Also read "Bop is back" in the Lansing City Pulse featuring a short interview with Dan “St. Echo” Stechow (bass/vocals)

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• 230 artist exhibitors from all over the U.S. and Canada
• 8 emerging artists affiliated with Michigan universities, colleges or art schools.
• Free performances on two stages highlighting a wide variety of music.
• Free arts activities for children and families.
• An international-style food court offering flavors from around the world.

East Lansing is a charming University town with a wide variety of shops, restaurants, galleries and the beautiful Michigan State University campus across the street. The East Lansing Art Festival is produced by the Art Festival Board of Directors under the auspices of the East Lansing Arts Commission/City of East Lansing.

The East Lansing Art Festival is held the weekend preceding Memorial Day weekend. The festival operates 10am-6pm on Saturday and 10am-5pm on Sunday.

Michigan State University Arts and Crafts Show

Celebrate spring at the Michigan State University Arts and Crafts Show on May 22nd & 23rd, 2010. In its 46th year, the show has more than 325 artists from across the nation and offers something for everyone.

The MSU Arts and Crafts Show is one of the largest arts and crafts shows in the state. This year's show includes many returning favorites as well as brand new artists. There will be a broad range of exhibitors selling handmade items. Items include; candles, furniture, jewelry, home and yard décor, aromatherapy, clothing, children's toys, painting, photography, pottery, sculpture and much more.

The Arts and Crafts Show is held outside on the grounds of the MSU Union. This show is held on Saturday and Sunday with over 300 exhibitors displaying items in a park-like setting on the MSU campus. Most exhibitors utilize portable structures for their displays. The UAB office can provide current booth fee prices. The East Lansing Art Festival is staged one block north of campus with over 225 exhibitors. More than 60,000 people annually attend these two outdoor shows.

The show takes place on the grounds of the MSU Union, near the corner of Grand River Ave. and Abbot Rd. in East Lansing. The show hours are Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission to the show is FREE!

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Photo Jimbo writes that yesterday afternoon:

...we proud MSU Spartan fans sent our Spartan basketball team off to Indianapolis for the men's final four and national championship weekend. Hundreds of people gathered at the State Capitol to wish our team the best of luck on Saturday. This is one of my buddies Danny G, who was given permission my the Governor to stop traffic and wave the Spartan flag.

His sets include Project 365, Downtown Lansing Photowalk and Favorites (slideshow).

Check out his Flickriver.

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A Love of Airplanes

Marion “Babe” Weyant of Lansing, Michigan loved airplanes. She kept scrapbooks about aviation, wrote a school report in 1932 recommending it as a career, and from her home west of the airport, she kept detailed logs of plane arrival and departure times. She talked to pilots whenever she had a chance, and plotted ways to get into the air. Her first successful attempt came in 1931, when Babe was thirteen.

That summer, Babe convinced her eighty-seven-year old great grandfather, Eugene Olin, to attend an air circus in Lansing. The Lansing State Journal offered $5.00 and a free airplane ride to oldest attendee at the fair. Babe felt that her great-grandfather had a good chance to win. He did, and together, they took that ride in a WACO Taperwing with Roger Don Rae, a stunt flyer from Lansing.

Photo Courtesy of Craig A. Whitford: Marion Weyant and Roger Rae, 1931

Following a Dream

After that first ride, Babe was hooked completely. A 1933 letter from Amelia Earhart encouraged her. “I believe that if you are not afraid to work very hard and really wish to enter aviation, you will be able to do so some day,” Earhart wrote. Lloyd Weyant, Babe's father, did not encourage her. He did not want his daughter to be around pilots. Marie Weyant, her mother, was more sympathetic. In 1934, she helped sixteen-year old Babe with an entrepreneurial venture that would pave the way to the sky. Cashing in an insurance policy, mother and daughter used the $65.00 to buy lumber to build a soda-pop stand located at the airport. The idea: sell soda pop to the pilots; make some contacts; get money for lessons. This outdoor canteen flourished and became an established restaurant, first located on the second floor of the airport terminal and then, attached to the left side of the new State Hanger (c. 1936). The Weyant women owned and operated the restaurant until 1941.

Photo Coutesy of Craig A. Whitford: Marie and Marion Weyants' Soda Pop Stand, circa 1934-1936

“Babe”

Propelled by canteen dollars, Babe flourished as a pilot. Her first teacher/mentor, Johnny Matthews, took her up in his Driggs Skylark for her first flying lesson on August 3,1934. Other mentors and more lessons, including winter flights, followed. On October 27, 1936, she soloed in an Aeronca two-cylinder plane owned by Harvey Hughes. At the time, Babe estimated that the flying lessons over two years cost $400. The reporter noted that the pilots called Marion Weyant, “Babe,” certainly a name that evoked her youth and petite stature, but failed to capture her determination. She told the press, “I want to be a transport pilot . . . I don't ever want to marry.”

Success!

By 1941, this Michigan aviatrix met her goals: she received her private pilot's license in 1937 and commercial pilot's license in 1941. In 1938, Babe prevailed against her competitors, primarily men, by winning third place in the Bernard McFadden Trophy Air Race. She won the Joyce Hartung Trophy in the 1940 Michigan Girl's Air show. During World War II, Babe, the civilian, taught instrument flying to military pilots using the Link Trainer, the precursor of modern flight simulators. In 1947, Babe did marry. Her husband's name was Dale C. Ruth, and she became Marion “Babe” Ruth, who continued to fly, compete and teach aviation. In 1986, she celebrated fifty years of flying and logged over 10,000 hours in the air. Marion “Babe” Weyant Ruth was inducted into the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame in 1988, Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame in 1992, and the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame in 2003. She died in 2004.

Photo Courtesy of Craig A. Whitford: Marian Babe Weyant Ruth, 2002

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For more information on the author and to get information on purchasing the book as well as a schedule of appearances visit his website.

The Michigan Notable Books program annually selects 20 of the most notable books published in the year. The selections are reflective of Michigan's diverse ethnic, historical, literary, and cultural experience. You can click to view more Notable Books featured on Absolute Michigan and learn more about the program at www.michigan.gov/notablebooks.

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Book news and reviews from The Plain Dealer has a glowing review titled 'Bonnie Jo Campbell's 'American Salvage' will rattle your bones in 14 collected stories that form one of the best books of the year'.

For more information on the author visit her website. For a full schedule of readings and workshops, visit http://americansalvagestories.blogspot.com/.

finalistread f campbell from National Book Foundation on Vimeo.

The Michigan Notable Books program annually selects 20 of the most notable books published in the year. The selections are reflective of Michigan's diverse ethnic, historical, literary, and cultural experience. You can click to view more Notable Books featured on Absolute Michigan and learn more about the program at www.michigan.gov/notablebooks.

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This holiday we thought we'd record a couple of Christmas songs with this talented group of friends to share with you all. It's a project we've all talked about for years, but something about 2009 made us all a little more thankful than ever for each other and spurred us to action. Maybe it's the ugly economy, an uglier war, the ugliest Detroit Lions…swine flu, who knows. Perhaps it was simply an excuse to make time out of our increasingly busy lives to celebrate our friendships and simply be together.

Happy holidays from Absolute Michigan!

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Abandoned Richardsonian Romanesque House in Detroit
( Former James Scott Mansion )
by Derek Farr

Michigan has 29 land bank authorities - more than any state. The Detroit News reports that Michigan is going to try to use these land banks to spur redevelopment and garner nearly $300 million:

With the federal money expected to come in January, cities such as Detroit and counties such as Oakland are starting land bank agencies for the first time. The state filed for the Housing and Urban Development funding through a coalition that includes 12 city governments and eight counties. It's a national competition, and the overall fund totals $1.9 billion. Battle Creek, Benton Harbor, Hamtramck, Highland Park, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Pontiac, Saginaw and Wyandotte also would be targeted for revitalization.

The Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority would provide land bank services in Detroit; Oakland County, including Pontiac; and Kent County, including Grand Rapids, until local land banks are ready to take over.

Under the plan, the Michigan land banks aim to buy and redevelop more than 6,000 foreclosed, abandoned and vacant properties. The land banks also envision razing 2,500 structures and rehabilitating or building 1,500 homes.

There's also an effort to encourage urban gardeners to develop empty city lots and allow homeowners to buy inexpensive vacant lots next to their property. "We expect (Detroit's land bank) to be the most aggressive developer in the city," said Douglas Diggs, interim director of the city's land bank office.

Good news for Michigan cities! Check out the Abandoned slideshow from the Absolute Michigan pool for some likely suspects for the money!

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Russell Leavenworth founded Leavenworth Photography in 1895. For twenty-five years, he photographed the booming lumber and mining industries of northern Michigan. His photographic subjects would change drastically in 1919. That year, Lansing industrial giants vacationing in northern Michigan persuaded Leavenworth to photograph their city's burgeoning manufacturing industries. Leavenworth's business prospered, as REO, Oldsmobile and other large industrial firms became clients. Leavenworth and his son-in-law/business partner Hiram Maple expanded the commercial photography business to include “subjects as diverse as street scenes, car parts, workers' strikes, vaudeville troupes and football games, Leavenworth lived up to the slogan plastered on the door of his company car: “Anything photographed, anywhere, anytime.”

Cold Storage

To ensure that R.C. Leavenworth's valuable negatives will not degrade, the Archives of Michigan has begun to preserve them. The Archives does this through cold storage, using the Critical Moisture Indicator (CMI) packaging method. This process involves placing the negatives in an airtight polyethylene bag and storing the package in specially designed archival storage boxes. Two four-ply matboards are microwaved for thirty seconds to remove moisture, and the sealed bag is placed between the matboards in the storage boxes. These boxes are then carefully labeled for future accessibility and sealed in a polyethylene bag with silica gel to prepare them for cold storage. A box in cold storage need only be defrosted for three hours to safely view the negatives. The CMI packaging method protects the negatives for several years against moisture and humidity, until they have to be repackaged. Using this process, the Archives of Michigan has successfully processed 120 boxes of Leavenworth's negatives for Oldsmobile, REO Motor Car Company and Lansing Board of Water & Light.

When Negatives Go Bad

Due to improper storage and excessive heat and humidity, portions of the Leavenworth collection have been damaged. Nitrate negatives too deteriorated to identify or save are safely discarded in a large hazardous materials storage bin. Nitrate negatives must be properly disposed because they can actually self-ignite if the temperature rises above 106 degrees Fahrenheit for a sustained period of time. Damaged safety film negatives must be properly discarded as well due to “vinegar syndrome.” Vinegar syndrome is the term to describe, “the chemical reaction occurring during the natural deterioration of triacetate film base in a sealed container.” The degradation of cellulose triacetate combined with moisture forms acetic acid and a pungent odor. Damaged negatives that can be scanned were digitized to preserve the image before their disposal. The Archives of Michigan documented discarded negatives using a Microsoft Access database that identifies the negative's number, former box location, and subject.

Click through to Seeking Michigan to see a step-by-step look at how nitrate film deteriorates (scroll down). You can also see some of Leavenworth's commercial photography in Oldsmobile in Pictures.

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Coaching philosophy - Via Wikipedia

Izzo's teams are known for guard play, toughness and rebounding. Izzo got attention when people learned of his "war" rebounding drills, in which the players have sometimes worn football helmets and shoulder pads. His motto is "Players Play – Tough Players Win". His other coaching philosophy is that "he doesn't determine playing time, players do."

We'll play anybody, anyplace, anytime. It doesn't matter, morning, noon or night, and it doesn't matter who it is.
—Tom Izzo

For more on his record breakiing accomplishment check out:

Izzo becomes MSU's all-time wins leader as Spartans blitz UMass 106-68 - The State News

Spartans blow out Minutemen - Freep.com

Izzo becomes MSU's winningest coach as Spartans rout UMass - USA Today

Izzo tops MSU win list in 106-68 win over UMass - Sports Illustrated

Izzo sets school record for wins as Spartans down Minutemen - ESPN.com

Coach Izzo is a ringer for the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame so via ESPN.com we wanted to point you to their video your of Izzo's MSU memorabilia collection at his home in East Lansing.

Just to keep the MSU coach grounded we present via YouTube: MSU Basketball Coach Tom Izzo Goes to Broadway

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silver bells 2007 by Michphotog

The 25th Annual Silver Bells in the City will take place on Friday, November 20, 2009 from 5-9 p.m. in downtown Lansing.

Silver Bells in the City, which attracts 120,000 attendees, annually features an Electric Light Parade followed by the lighting of Michigan's official Christmas tree and a firework show (weather permitting) over the State Capitol.

The entire evening is also filled with free family entertainment including free admission to Lansing's cultural institutions, horse-drawn wagon rides on Washington Square, and performances by more than 50 local arts and cultural institutions throughout downtown Lansing.

Watch the 4 part video series Silver Bells in the City in Lansing Michigan by Barman6 on YouTube!

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It's Lansing's Birthday! by Eridony

2009 is the Sesquicentennial of the City of Lansing. The Lansing 150 Grand Finale is next Friday (Nov 20) immediately following Silver Bells in the City from 8-11 PM in the Lansing Center. This event concludes Lansing's year long Sesquicentennial Birthday Party and will include free entertainment and a free reception.

As part of the celebration they are holding an "I AM LANSING" contest. Area residents, businesses and organizations can submit photos, videos and/or essays about Lansing and judges will decide the Best Lansing Story. The winner will receive a $500 cash prize and you can enter until midnight this Friday! Head over to lansing150.com for all the details!

The City of Lansing history page (and the City of Lansing) begins:

In the winter of 1835, two brothers from Lansing, New York plotted the area just south of downtown Lansing, naming the territory "Biddle Town." Most of this land was in a floodplain and underwater for much of the year. Despite the condition of the land, the brothers returned to New York to sell the plots to unsuspecting individuals wanting to test their fortunes in a new land. The group of settlers arrived to Mid-Michigan only to find their plots submerged under several feet of water. Nevertheless, many in the group chose to stay and established what is now Metropolitan Lansing. They christened the town "Lansing Township" after their home village in New York.

You can get a ton more great old photos of Lansing from Seeking Michigan, check out a sweet view of Lansing from the Lansing standpipe in the late 1800s on Michigan in Pictures and learn lots more about Lansing at absolutemichigan.com/Lansing!

Photo: Bird's eye view of the city of Lansing (Mich.); 1866. Courtesy Seeking Michigan.

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The contest is now complete and the winners have been notified.

If you did not win tickets they are still available for purchase online. Reviews of the tour have been very positive, so if youare a fan we suggest you don't miss Daughtry's first arena tour!

Their most recent release Leave This Town continues its impressive streak of success. The album, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, has sold more than a half million copies in it's first five weeks. The album's first single, "No Surprise," reached No.1 on the Hot A/C chart. It is the band's fourth #1 hit, a rare feat for any recording artist.

After finishing a sold out club tour, Chris Daughtry stated the band is busy preparing for the upcoming arena tour. "We dreamed about how it would feel playing these songs to packed arenas, and we're excited to get our chance," Chris says, "We have a great show planned and can't wait to hit the road to share it with our fans."

Check out the video for daughtry's latest single "No Surprise"

Check out many more videos on Daughty's Official YouTube Channel

Join Daughtry on Facebook and MySpace

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Michigan Wine & Spirits Competition

Be among the first to try winning wines from the 2009 Michigan Wine and Spirits Competition and taste the breadth of quality from Michigan's vineyards. Sip a glass of wine while chatting with winning winemakers to learn more about their wines.

The Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center will host the 32nd Annual Michigan Wine and Spirits Competition, and a public Gold Medal Reception unveiling Michigan's top wines, on Thursday, August 6 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. This year marks Kellogg's ninth year hosting the competition, which will bring together wine experts to judge their way through nearly 400 Michigan wine entries. Best of Class wines will be perfectly paired with delicious foods prepared by the Kellogg Center's chefs. Other double gold, gold and silver medal wines will be available for sampling, along with a generous array of culinary treats. The Gold Medal Reception is expected to bring out an audience of 350 supportive consumers, industry members and industry associates. Tickets for the Michigan Wine and Spirits Competition Gold Medal Reception are $40 per person and are available through the Kellogg Center at 517-432-4000.

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This year's festival will take place Friday, August 7 (4pm-12:30am), and Saturday, August 8, 2009 (2pm-12:30am), in the streets of Old Town, surrounded by the best of the Capital City's art galleries as well as unique retail stores and grand architecture. Vendors line the streets offering ethnic food, beverages, art, clothing, and crafts, and nearby galleries and boutiques open their doors during festival hours.

Check out the 2009 Lansing JazzFest Line-Up!!!

Lansing JazzFest continues to grow thanks to the contributions of its sponsors and volunteers.

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“Buy Local, Buy Fresh — Select Michigan” Farmers' Market

It's summertime in Michigan, and that means it's fresh produce season! You are invited to a special “Buy Local, Buy Fresh -- Select Michigan” farmers' market on the east lawn of the State Capitol. This year's event takes place on Thursday July 23rd.

The market is held at the Capitol, and with 50 vendors signed up to participate, this year's market will be bigger and better than ever! Local farmers and specialty food producers from across Michigan will offer their locally grown, processed and manufactured products for sale, including fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, honey, wool products, grains, beans, jams, jellies, baked goods, lamb, Lake Superior whitefish, flowers, plants, specialty foods, and much more.

Buying locally means you receive fresher, high quality foods, and these local purchases support our farmers, agri-businesses, rural communities, and our state's economy. In fact, if every Michigan household spent just $10 per week on Michigan-produced food, it would generate nearly $40 million each and every week. Whether this is your first trip to the Select Michigan farmers market, or you are a return shopper, come and experience the benefits of local foods firsthand.

The farmers' market is sponsored by the Michigan Department of Agriculture; Michigan Food and Farming Systems; and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service, with additional support from the Michigan Farmers' Market Association, the Food Bank Council of Michigan and Michigan farmers and specialty food producers. If you have questions, please contact Jeanne Lipe, Michigan Department of Agriculture, at 517/373-9790.

For a listing of community farmers' markets, local on-farm markets, and u-pick establishments in our state, visit www.michigan.gov/mda-upick. The Michigan Farmers' Market Association also has a listing of community farmers' markets on its Web site at www.farmersmarkets.msu.edu.

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Michigan Film Festivals

TCFF 2008 by tcfilmfest

Mitten Film Project & Festival
1st Tuesday of every month, Royal Oak

The Mitten Movie Project is committed to showcasing world class movies in Detroit, headquarters of the MiniDV Revolution.

Waterfront Film Festival
June 2009 in Saugatuck
Outstanding independent films from all over the United States are screened in casual, intimate settings every June in the resort village of Saugatuck. The Waterfront Indie Screenplay Competition is seeking screenplays that can be produced for under 5 million dollars, and that can be shot in Michigan. More about the Saugatuck Waterfront Film Festival from Absolute Michigan.

Detroit Windsor International Film Festival
June 25-28, 2009 in Detroit

The Detroit Windsor International Film Festival takes place at venues all around Detroit and Windsor and seeks to engage the community in the growth of the film culture of the region and to promote storytelling through film, video, games, the web, music and other channels through panels, workshops, special events, a job fair and (of course) screenings of all kinds of films!

Traverse City Film Festival
July 28-August 2, 2009 in Traverse City

The festival presents fulls days of the best independent, foreign, and documentary films available in several indoor movie houses and free, classic movies on a giant, inflatable outdoor screen overlooking Grand Traverse Bay. Panel discussions with directors, writers, actors, and other members of the film industry are offered daily.

Ann Arbor Film Festival
March 2010 in Ann Arbor
Established in 1963, this internationally-renowned festival showcases independent and experimental film and video and is the oldest of its kind in North America. Each year the festival attracts entries from artists worldwide and screens more than 100 films. Every year they select a four-hour program of awarded and highlighted films for the Ann Arbor Film Festival Tour that travels around the country from March through December to college classrooms and auditoriums, art theaters, and museums.

American Dreamz by East Lansing Film Festival

East Lansing Film Festival
March 2010 in East Lansing
The ELFF was created in 1997 in cooperation with the City of East Lansing and Michigan State University, and is the largest and most diverse film festival in Michigan to screen independent and foreign feature, documentary, short and students films from around the world. The festival also holds the Lake Michigan Film Competition that gives cash awards to the filmmakers whose film was either filmed, produced, or financed in the states that border Lake Michigan.

Find out more about the 2008 East Lansing Film Festival right here on Absolute Michigan.

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So we present to you:

Be A Tourist In Your Own Town brought to you by the fine folks at the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau. Consider organizing one in your area!

About Be A Tourist In Your Own Town

Fifteen years ago, the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau created this event to increase community awareness of it's attractions and the tourism industry's impact on the area. So once again the doors are open for you to explore culture and creativity in mid-Michigan.

As Lansing celebrates its 150th anniversary, take this opportunity to enjoy attractions that highlight both Lansing's unique history as well as its innovative and progressive future. This year they have included old favorites such as Impression 5 Science Center, Potter Park Zoo and the Michigan Historical Museum, and added new hot spots like the FRAG Center, MSU's Breslin Center, WKAR Studios and taste the new “Capital City Sundae” ice cream flavor at the MSU Dairy Store. You can view a complete list of the participating places to go and things right here.

How it Works:

For only $1 you can purchase a “passport” which allows you FREE admission to more than 60 area attractions, local businesses, and special activities on May 30, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. **Ages 3 and under do not require a passport. Get from place to place with CATA. For only 50 cents you will receive a stamp which will allow you to ride the Be A Tourist routes for the rest of the day for no extra charge.

Check out a slideshow of the Lansing area from the Absolute Michigan Flickr pool!

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This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Old Town Commercial Association (OTCA) Festival of the Sun. For the past decade, Festival of the Sun and, more recently Festival of the Moon, has brought together friends, families, and neighbors from all over Michigan to the heart of Old Town. Celebrating the beginning of the summer season, revelers take part in Mid-Michigan's premier wine, beer, and food sampling event and enjoy live music throughout the weekend.

"Old Town and the Festival of the Sun have both grown tremendously over the past ten years. A couple years ago the OTCA launched the Festival of the Moon and just last year, the Festival of the Sun expanded - almost doubling in size - to accommodate the large crowds. It's so exciting to see these festivals continue to grow, attracting more people to Old Town and raising money to continue the revitalization efforts," said past Festival Director Shannon Rolley.

Festival of the Moon will be held on Friday, June 26th from 6-11 p.m. This year's festival continues the tradition of offering Bell's Beer on tap and will include music by Thriving Ivory, Suburban Euphoria, and Alco. Attendees will receive a keep sake beer tumbler to use while sipping on select Bell's Beers.

Festival of the Sun will be held on Saturday, June 27th from 2-10 p.m. Vistitors will be able to taste wine and food from all over Michigan and dance the day away to music provided by Ritmo, The Dewaynes, The Lash, and Hot Club of Lansing on the main stage or relax with a drink by the acoustic stage with music by The Pantones, Nervous but Excited, and Daughters of New Grass. Tickets include a complimentary “throw back” wine glass with designs from the past ten years.

For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit www.festivalofthesun.com or www.festivalofthemoon.com

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Certain groups opposed this bill. Companies that made bottles and cans were against it because they were afraid they would lose their jobs. Stores did not like the bill either, because they would have to set aside space in their stores for returned bottles and cans. Although most Michiganians favored it, lawmakers ignored Jondahl's bill.

In 1976, the Michigan United Conservation Club (MUCC) took action through an initiative. An initiative gives people the power to propose laws, enact laws, or reject laws by placing them on a ballot. In order to get the issue on the ballot (called a proposal), the MUCC gathered 400,000 signatures. That's twice the number they needed. The first person to sign the petition was Governor William Milliken, who wanted Michigan to become “a model state” in the fight against pollution.

On November 2, 1976, voters went to the polls. About 2 out of 3 voted yes. By doing so, voters made a new law. Today, Michigan is the only state with a ten-cent deposit (as opposed to a nickel in other participating states). A full ninety-six percent of eligible containers are recycled. According to the MUCC, more than a half million tons of waste are diverted from landfills every year because of Michigan's Bottle Bill.

For more great stories on Michigan's past, look to Michigan History and Michigan History for Kids magazines. For more information or a free trial issue, call (800) 366-3703 or visit www.michiganhistorymagazine.com.

Article By Christine Schwerin

Photo and tile by Sporck Tileart

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ballin' by Beth☮♥♬

With the 2009 Final Four taking place in Detroit, it's probably fitting that both the University of Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans have received NCAA Basketball Tournament bids

It's the first NCAA tournament bid for the Wolverines since 1998, a #10 seed in the South Region with a draw of Clemson (23-8). UM takes a record of 20-13 into the 6:10 PM game on Thursday (Mar 19).

The Spartans (26-6) secured the #2 seed in the Midwest region. This is the 12th consecutive bid and they will face Robert Morris in the opener. Despite a disappointing loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten tourney, they are expected to do well after playing one of the toughest schedules in the country.

More UM & MSU Links (add more in the comments below!)

• Green & White from the Lansing State Journal and mLive's UM Wolverine's page.
• University of Michigan and Michigan State at rivals.com
• Michigan State & University of Michigan and at ESPN's Clubhouse
• The blogs: MGoBlog & Spartan Tailgate
• YouTube: Michigan State Spartans opening video & University of Michigan team celebrates with fans on Selection Sunday

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