On March 3, 1955 (65 years ago), the eastern white pine tree (Pinus Strobus, also known as a “soft pine”) was adopted as the official State Tree of Michigan. This conifer tree can be found in almost every county of the Upper and Lower Peninsula, typically growing in mixed forests and sandy plains. Click here to learn more about this and the other Michigan State Symbols.
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Saturday was spent traipsing around the snow-covered landscape at Treetops Resort in Gaylord, celebrating Michigan Winter Trails Day with the find folks at Great Lakes Winter Trails Council. After a snowshoe hike and a winter rafting trip, I was ready to warm my mind, body and soul with a relaxing massage at the Spa inside Treetops main lodge.
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Yesterday we celebrated my family Christmas at my dad’s house on Gilkey Street in Plainwell — the house where his mother was raised and where we lived from when I was about six until moving out on my own after college. My paternal grandparents lived next door at the time – until they sold the house and moved to the cottage at Pine Lake (and also spent winters in Florida).
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In celebration of Halloween, we’ve dug up 31 haunted sites around Michigan worth a visit.
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By Jon H. Ringelberg – Member, Clare County Historical Society No matter how it is written* the underlying message implied
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Inspired during cemetery visits while researching “Michigan’s Haunted Lighthouses” comes our latest project…tracking down some of the state’s most noted, historic and forgotten cemeteries. Join our quest by following Michigan Tombstone Tourist on FB.
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During our most recent trip to Mackinac Island, we had the honor of staying at the newly renovated Mission Point
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There are as many tall tales and legends tied to American gangster Al Capone as there are presumed bodies ordered by his deadly hits. However, there is little question that he often escaped the heat of Chicago (both the temperature and the law) by sneaking off to Michigan, as far north as the Upper Peninsula.
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In 1869, the State of Michigan was just 32 years old (statehood day was January 26, 1837…while President Thomas Jefferson had first created the Michigan Territory on January 11, 1805). The population at the time would have been over one million (the 1870 census reports 1,184,059…up 58.1% from the previous census in 1860 (at 749,113).
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Five years, and some change. Just over 60 months…or about 264 weeks…something like 1,852 days (including leap year). I can’t believe my “5 Year Anniversary” of living in northern Michigan escaped me last month. And usually I am one who pays close attention to such things.
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Throughout history, food has served as one of the great sexual indulgences. Aphrodisiacs – named after the Greek Goddess of
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It’s finally happening. My book is getting closer to publication every single day and it has recently appeared for pre-order on The History Press website and Amazon.com (AMAZON….OMG). Autographed copies will also be sold on this website in March. It’s also listed with the popular book review site, GoodReads.com. It’s surreal…to say the least.
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What a year it has been! Right off the bat I crossed of “visiting the Upper Peninsula in winter” off my travel bucket list when we rang in the blustery cold New Year in downtown Marquette. It would be the first of seven trips to the UP throughout the year: snowmobiling and yurt camping in March; lighthouse touring, book research and a paranormal conference all in August; a beer fest and to volunteering for Michigan Cares for Tourism in Copper Harbor on the Keweenaw Peninsula in September.
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