Built out of necessity throughout the 19th century, covered bridges allowed farmers and country residents to cross rivers and streams which separated rural areas from urban centers. It was widely believed that when building or repairing these structures, it was easier to climb on the rooftops and replace shingles than it was to battle the currents while repairing floorboards and walls `from the water.
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Michigan historian, storyteller and author Dianna Stampfler will be presenting two programs in early September about the Carnegie Libraries of Michigan. Her program on Tuesday, September 3 (5pm) at the Escanaba Public Library and Wednesday, September 4 (5:30pm) at the Ishpeming Carnegie Library are both free and open to the public.
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Throughout the pages of the recently-released historical novel The Penny by Michigan author Stewert James, readers find intertwined storylines that bring generations of families and friends together during often difficult times. One of the more compelling stories, one that warrants a more in-depth look, is Hugh Matthews – James’ great-great-grandfather.
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It should come as no surprise that Ernest Hemingway chose northern Michigan as the setting for his first wedding. This rural countryside was his first real love, so it was fitting that he and his muse would begin their marriage alongside the towering trees and flowing rivers which shaped his life. This year – September 3 – marks the 100th anniversary of the marriage between Hemingway (at the time, a life-long summer resident on Walloon Lake) and Hadley Richardson.
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The United States celebrates its 243rd birthday today…but several Michigan communities pre-date the historic signing of the Declaration of Independence
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Michigan’s many historic lighthouses were home to dozens of women who served as keepers while also raising their families in often remote locations. This Mother’s Day, we pay tribute to these “Mothers of the Lights” here in the Great Lakes State!
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So we stayed at the haunted Nahma Inn in October of 2019 and met several locals who shared stories with us about Nellie Fleming and her spirit who resides within this 1908 building. Apparently there are as many as 5 ghosts here – maybe Charles Good who lived for a time in the room (#17) across from Nell (#16)…and an on-again-off-again affair was known within the town. At one point, Nell’s sisters also lived here (1930 census)…including Anne (pictured) who was a local boys high school basketball coach and school superintendent (and I suspect is actually a sister-in-law, married to Nell’s only brother, John).
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It isn’t often that a place can be regarded as opulent and intimate at the same time, but that is exactly the feeling one gets when visiting the 30,000-square-foot Ford House (fordhouse.org) along the shores of Lake St. Clair in Grosse Pointe Shores.The former home of Edsel Ford (the only child born to Henry and Clara Ford), his wife, Eleanor (Clay) and their four children, was completed in 1928. Inspired by England’s Cotswold storybook cottages, it features sandstone exterior walls adorned with ivy, along with a limestone shingled roof.
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Dean Templeton was a lot of things. Above all, he was a character with a colorful yet often dark past.
Born in Flint, Michigan in 1921 to Ralph and Myrtle Templeton (the second of five children), Dean’s childhood was riddled with neglect, abuse, mental anguish and broken hearts. As an adult, he became consumed with the idea of running for President of the United States and began a cross-country, hitchhiking campaign which landed him in Washington state in 1975. It was there, Dean’s bid and his life abruptly ended at the hands of an assassin. Today, more than 45 years later, Dean’s murder remains unsolved.
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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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Ford was the only U.S. president to hail from Michigan and now, decades after his service, his legacy is being celebrated in a new digital way. The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation has partnered with Midland, Michigan-based Map-N-Tour to develop a web and mobile app to educate and entertain visitors on a self- guided tour of sites around Grand Rapids that help tell the Ford story.
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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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For nearly 20 years, Dianna Stampfler has been speaking about Michigan’s lighthouses, their keepers and their ghosts. This fall, she will present a series of free programs called “Michigan’s Ghostly Beacons” at libraries around the state.
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