Pure Michigan’s Iconic Pop Culture

October 29, 2018 Dianna Stampfler detroit, faygo, history, pop, pop culture, pure michigan, soda

The Faygo Book is the social history of a company that has forged a bond with a city and its residents for more than a century. The story of Faygo, Detroit’s beloved soda pop, begins over a hundred years ago with two Russian immigrant brothers who were looking to get out of the baking business. Released this fall from Wayne State University Press, this 136-page book ($24.99) is a must for anyone interested in Michigan history, industry, innovation and pop culture (pun intended).

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The Lost Art of Handwritten Notes

September 25, 2018 Dianna Stampfler good habits, handwritten notes, personal touch, thank you cards

In reading various posts online, I’m finding I’m not alone in my thoughts that it’s time for a comeback for the handwritten note. Many well-established marketers, professional business leaders and authors are echoing this message.

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Getting Out of My Comfort Zone (& into the Woods)

August 9, 2018 Dianna Stampfler camping, ccc, frank lloyd wright, lake michigan, lake superior, michigan history, north manitou island, point iroquois, pure michigan, sleeping bear dunes, upper peninsula, whitefish

My earliest travel memory was at about age three, when my family went camping at Leelanau State Park in Northport.

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An evolution of writing

June 11, 2018 Dianna Stampfler author, beacon, book, haunted, history, lighthouse, michigan, publish

I’ve been writing professionally (meaning getting paid) since I was in high school. From news articles to magazine features stories, I have hundreds of pieces with my byline. In 2019, I’ll add a book–titled “Michigan’s Haunted Lighthouses”–to my portfolio. Research and writing continues, and I want to hear YOUR stories if you have any to share about your ghostly encounters at any of Michigan’s historic beacons.

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Cooking Up Food & Friendships

April 7, 2018 Dianna Stampfler agriculture, chef, community, cooking, dinner, farm, food, friendship, michigan, neal dionne, table, traditions, wine

Growing up, many family traditions were centered around the table. After launching Promote Michigan in 2004, I found myself drawn to certain sectors of the hospitality industry: restaurants, wineries, breweries, distilleries, farm markets and agricultural organizations. Yes, I found a way to get paid to eat and drink…how lucky! I was also building a network and often friendships with chefs who were eager to feed my desire to learn more about locally-sourced ingredients and unique ways to prepare them into delicious dishes.

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Celebrating Michigan’s Irish Communities

March 12, 2018 Dianna Stampfler beaver island, clare, corktown, dublin, emerald isle, ireland, irish, irish hills, march 17, michigan, michigan history, pure michigan, roscommon, st patricks day, waterford, wexford

Irish immigration to Michigan dates back to the early 1800s, with a heavy increase between 1845 and 1855 during a period of famine in Ireland, lasting well into the 1920s. Starting first in Detroit, the Irish made their way north and westward, landing throughout both the Lower and Upper Peninsulas where they found work in factories, fishing villages and copper mines. Nearly one-third of Michigan’s foreign-born population was from Ireland in 1870. Today, only about 10% of the state’s 9.9 million population is of Irish descent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Shedding Light on Michigan’s Historic Female Keepers

March 7, 2018 Dianna Stampfler great lakes, lake huron, lake michigan, lake superior, lighthouse, michigan coastline, michigan islands, michigan lighthouse, michigan maritime, michigan nautical, michigan shoreline, womens history month

Serving as a lighthouse keeper was the only “non-clerical” government job that women were allowed to have in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Michigan had more than 60 women documented as lighthouse keepers at these historic beacons, often serving as assistant keepers with their husbands, fathers or brothers—and in the case of tragedy, many were promoted to the role of head keeper.

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2018 Milestone Years

January 7, 2018 Dianna Stampfler 2018, anniversary, birthday, brewery, chevrolet, chevy trucks, craft beer, lighthouse, milestones, pure michigan, stormy kromer

Michigan was founded on January 26, 1837 as the 26th state of the United States of America—making this year its 181st Birthday / Anniversary (depending on how you look at it).

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Giving Thanks for Life in Northern Michigan

November 20, 2017 Dianna Stampfler northern michigan, pure michigan, thanksgiving

It was Thanksgiving of 2009 when it really sunk in for me…spending five days alone in Empire for the holidays and being at peace with it. This year, I will celebrate Thanksgiving in Walloon Lake at “Mi Storybook Cottage” – where I am blessed and thankful once again for being able to live in such a beautiful place, making a living doing what I love and having the support of my family and friends.

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Digging Up Michigan’s Historic Ghost Stories

October 26, 2017 Dianna Stampfler ghost stories, halloween, haunted, pure michigan

I’m intrigued by legends of historic sites that house such unsettled souls. I’ve researched, written and presented on “Michigan’s Ghostly Beacons” for nearly 20 years (and am actually working on a book on this topic). I’d say about two dozen of Michigan’s 120+ beacons have haunted stories attached to them. In anticipation of Halloween, I started digging around looking for other sites rumored to be haunted…here’s what I came up with!

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Charting your course in Pure Michigan

October 22, 2017 Dianna Stampfler balance, life, michigan, pure michigan, travel, true north

In this crazy busy world in which we live, it is often difficult to find balance between work and

Promote Michigan Blog

Three Decades of Grand Mackinac Memories

July 2, 2017 Dianna Stampfler grand hotel, historic hotel, mackinac island, pecan ball, pure michigan, westminster

This year, Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island celebrates its 130th year of serving seasonal guests. As the world’s largest summer hotel, the Musser family’s Grand Hotel boasts 385 rooms, is a member of Historic Hotels of American, is listed with the National Register of Historic Sites, holds countless other distinctions for its time-honored hospitality and is considered one of the top family-run tourist businesses in the state.

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Great Lakes, Great Times – in Pure Michigan

May 29, 2017 Dianna Stampfler best beaches, freshwater, great lakes, lake erie, lake huron, lake michigan, lake superior, michigan beaches, michigan tourism, pure michigan, upper peninsula, west michigan

Michigan has been welcoming travelers since the 1800s who arrived by steamer ships, trains and later personal automobiles to escape the city heat in Chicago, St. Louis and other locales. They were drawn to the sugar sand beaches, the cool waters and the often allergy-free environment.

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