Images of America: Michigan
Series · 185
books · 1998-2016
Books in series
#1
20th-Century Retailing in Downtown Detroit
2008
As Detroit developed northward from the riverfront, Woodward Avenue became a mecca for retail, restaurants, and services. The 1870s and 1880s saw many independent merchants open their doors. By 1890, a new type of one-stop shopping had developed: the department store. Detroit's venerable Newcomb Endicott and Company was closely followed by other trailblazers: J. L. Hudson Company, Crowley Milner and Company, and the Ernst Kern Company. At its peak in the 1950s, the Woodward Avenue area boasted over four million square feet of retail, making it one of America's preferred retail destinations. Other Detroit emporiums such as the homegrown S. S. Kresge Company set trends in consumer culture. Generations made the trek downtown for back-to-school events, Easter shows, holiday windows, and family luncheons. Then, with the advent of suburban shopping centers, downtown stores began competing with their own branch locations. By the 1970s and 1980s, the dominoes began to fall as both chain and independent stores abandoned the once prosperous Woodward Avenue.
#2
20th Century Retailing in Downtown Grand Rapids
2014
For decades, downtown Grand Rapids enjoyed a long run in the limelight as the epicenter of shopping in western Michigan. The vibrant Monroe Avenue corridor included three homegrown department stores, several chain department stores, five-and-dime stores, and scores of clothing and specialty retailers. It weathered mother nature, wars, the Great Depression, the advent of neighborhood shopping centers, and civil disturbances—but the one change it could not overcome was the regional shopping mall.
#4
Albion in the Twentieth Century
2002
The Albion Malleable Iron Company was the major influence in bringing hundreds of workers from eastern and southern Europe, and from southern U.S. states to Albion, Michigan, in the early 20th century. These workers established their families and lived their lives in this industrial town, which grew to become a true "melting pot" of ethnic diversity in the 20th century.Albion in the 20th Century features more than 225 photographs from the personal collection of Albion historian Frank Passic, which chronologically show the changes in the community. The book focuses on everyday workers (including union officials and factory workers) and ball teams-plus "famous" people such as wildlife artist Lynn Bogue Hunt and writer-photographer Gwen Dew. Notable events chronicled include the capture of the Purple Gang car, the 1994 NCAA Division III Albion College Britons national football championship, and the Cardboard Classic sled race.
#8
Allen Park
2007
Allen Park’s history begins when Native Americans hunted, fished, and paddled their canoes along the banks of Ecorse Creek. The French were among the earliest settlers, and after the land was cleared, German farmers arrived. Ecorse Township, known today as Downriver, was divided into seven different cities, and Allen Park was born. Once characterized as a “lazy, farming hamlet,” Allen Park’s residents were the most influential in developing the Village of Allen Park out of Ecorse Township, in 1927, and worked to become the City of Allen Park in 1957. Henry Ford’s $5 workday prompted many farmers to sell to developers and go to work for Ford. Hungarians, Poles, Italians, and Armenians moved in, becoming the major ethnic groups within the community. Among the city’s celebrities there have been writers, radio and sports personalities, cartoonists, and fashion designers. Towering over the Interstate 94 corridor in Allen Park, the Uniroyal Giant Tire has become an American icon, and although the Veterans Administration medical center is gone, it will forever live in residents’ hearts. Enjoy the city’s story, gathered from the files of the Allen Park Historical Museum.
#9
Alma
2009
Ralph Ely, founder of Alma, selected 10 acres of old forest on the bank of the Pine River in 1853. In this central-Michigan wilderness, he built a log cabin, a log store, and two steam-powered mills—a sawmill and a gristmill. At first, his growing settlement was called Elyton, but within a few years, it was renamed Alma, memorializing a battle in the Crimean War. Alma was energized by the acquisition of millionaire lumberman and entrepreneur Ammi W. Wright, who poured his resources into the town. Wright encouraged the establishment of Alma College in 1886 and the state Masonic home for the elderly in 1911. Wright laid the foundations for Alma's great Republic Truck Company, the largest exclusive maker of trucks in the world by 1920. The discovery of several oil fields prompted the establishment of two oil refineries in Alma in the 1930s and saved the town from the doldrums of the Great Depression. By the 1950s, Alma was a key national manufacturer of house trailers and mobile homes. This photographic panorama reflects the city's economic cycles and its institutions that have given Alma an enviable stability through the years.
#10
Alpine Township
2007
Alpine Township's roots are in harvesting. Native Americans harvested cranberries near a lake by the same name, Cranberry Lake. After logging out the forested area of the township, starting 160 years ago, farmers found peach trees, then apples, and a variety of fruit grew well on the rolling hills of this area referred to as "the Ridge." The name Alpine came from the combination of two words, all pine, in reference to the trees that grew in abundance in the township. Today Alpine Avenue has become a major commercial district on the northwest side of Grand Rapids, in western Michigan.
#13
Arab Americans in Metro Detroit
A Pictorial History
2001
Arab Americans have been an integral part of Detroit's history since the 1880s. Early Arab immigrants worked as peddlers, grocers, and unskilled laborers, first settling downtown and later on the east side of Detroit. Their numbers increased after the First World War. They were attracted to the area by the booming automobile industry, and Ford's $5 for an 8-hour work day. This visual journey explores the history of four generations of Arab Americans in metro Detroit. It takes us to the days that preceded the automobile to modern 21st-century Arab America. Through more than 180 images, this book portrays the challenges and triumphs of Arabs as they preserve their families, and build churches, mosques, restaurants, businesses, and institutions, thus contributing to Detroit's efforts in regaining its position as a world class city.
#16
Baseball in Detroit
1886-1968
1998
Covering over 80 years of America’s favorite pastime, Baseball in Detroit 1886–1968 takes fans back to the glory days of Ty Cobb in the early 20th century and follows the progress of the Detroit Tigers. From the three-time pennant winners of this century’s first decade to the last real championship team of 1968, Detroiters have flocked to see their team play, win or lose. The fact that they have played at the same intersection of town for over a century is a tribute to the pride and loyalty that each has shown for the other. It could be said that no other baseball franchise has such a close relationship with its constituency. This relationship is clearly shown in a fascinating photographic collection, and sports fans everywhere will appreciate this candid glimpse into our nation’s favorite game. As we approach the next millennium, a new stadium is under construction for this historic team. It, too, will be the place of legends, where great players and fans will create another glorious 100 years of baseball history in Detroit. The American League, to which the Detroit Tigers belong as charter members, is fast approaching its own centennial.
#18
Bay View
2014
Bay View is a jewel box of a Northern Michigan Chautauqua community along the shores of Little Traverse Bay, southwest of the Mackinac Bridge. Founded in 1875 and now a National Historic Landmark, its 31 public buildings and 450 cottages are among the most pristine examples of 1900-era High Victorian architecture in the United States. Historical photographs capture the fascinating journey via rail and Great Lakes steamer to the early campground’s beech-forested hillside. Rare images trace its path from a wilderness Methodist campground to a vibrant embodiment of Chautauqua’s four pillars: the arts, education, recreation, and religion. Building on the Camp Meeting and Chautauqua traditions, the founders forged a unique lifestyle that ends every November only to resume with renewed energy every April. The turrets, towers, and gingerbread of this timeless Brigadoon excite the imagination today just as they did more than 135 years ago.
#19
Bedford Township
2005
Located in southeast Michigan, Bedford Township is Toledo, Ohio's largest suburb. It has been widely recognized as the garden spot of Monroe County and is a great place to raise children. Emerging out of Erie Township in 1836, Bedford Township grew from a group of 60 pioneering families, many of whom still have descendants in the area. Bedford encompasses the three unincorporated villages of Lambertville, Samaria, and Temperance. All have developed a strong sense of local pride, manifested in various annual events including homecomings, trade fairs, and school and family reunions. Bedfordians who have achieved wide recognition include ballplayer LeRoy "Bud" Parmelee, "Brighten the Corner" hymnist Ina Duley Ogdon, bus safety-mirror inventor Reid Stout, artist Howard J. Schuler, World War II hero Ensign Harry Lee Corl, and Sens. Norm Shinkle and Bev Hammerstrom. We invite you to browse these pages, noting family names—if your friends or relatives are mentioned, enjoy renewed acquaintances. Next time you are back home check out our Local History Room in the grand new Bedford Branch of the Monroe County Library, where you may find your ancestors on the shelves.
#20
Belding
2014
Belding is located in the northwest corner of Ionia County along the Flat River. The land was first settled by Charles Broas in 1837 and became known as Broas Rapids. The name was later changed to Patterson Mills, and in 1871 the small village was renamed Belding in honor of the Belding family. The Belding brothers manufactured silk and brought much activity to the community. Between 1885 and 1917, the Beldings operated four silk mills, two dormitories, Hotel Belding, a hospital, an opera house, a library, and many more downtown businesses. The silk mills alone employed more people than all other area factories combined. With the brothers controlling 90 percent of the American silk market, Belding became known as "Silk Capital of the World."
#23
Birmingham
2007
Long before it became a premier residential community and a social, cultural, and commercial center, Birmingham was a pioneer village in search of an identity. The first three settlers, John West Hunter, Elijah Willits, and John Hamilton, established taverns within shouting distance of one another on a trail used by Native Americans and trappers. The isolated outpost was soon a fledgling village with a railroad, mill, and foundry. Early leaders had high hopes that Birmingham would one day become an industrial center to rival its namesake in England. But the Industrial Revolution largely bypassed Birmingham, instead landing on four wheels at nearby Detroit and Pontiac. By the 1920s, the quiet and cozy village of church bells, ice-cream socials, and tidy storefronts was well on its way to becoming one of the most desirable communities in the country.
#25
Blissfield
2014
In 1824, Hervey Bliss, who according to Duane DeLoach's Blissfield's First 150 Years stood "about five feet, three inches tall, with a somewhat florid complexion and . . . blue eyes," left Monroe County, blazed a trail 20 miles through the woods, built a log cabin, and founded the village of Blissfield on the west bank of the River Raisin. In 1826, George Giles, a neighbor of Bliss in Monroe County, moved onto land on the east side of the river in a place he called Lyons. Before the river was bridged, Blissfield consisted of two separate communities, each with its own schools and downtown areas; the village retains some of that split personality. Triple bridges, once nationally famous, remain the proud symbol of Blissfield, joining what the River Raisin keeps separate and what, as floodwaters insist, the river can still force apart.
#30
Canton Township
2006
Canton Township, which took its name from the city in China to distinguish itself from other early American communities, has a rich agricultural heritage, evident in its onetime moniker "Corn Capital of Michigan." The pioneers who traveled to Canton in the first half of the 19th century were a hearty breed of farmers and settlers who cleared land, built roads, and forged a life for their families in the wilderness of the Northwest Territories. No single town center emerged, but two villages—Sheldon Corners and Cherry Hill—sprang up to provide centers of community activity in their churches, post offices, and general stores. Eventually the appearance of the automobile and the expressway dramatically altered the landscape of Canton Township, leading to the commercial development and housing boom of today.
#31
The Caro Area
2011
In the beginning, the Caro area was part of the vast forests that covered Michigan. It was home to the Chippewa Indians, among others; but by the 1840s, the timberland with cork pine had attracted lumbermen. They were soon followed by pioneers ready to farm the now open fields. By 1855, the settlement of what would become the village of Caro had begun. The great forest fires of 1871 and 1881 made land clearing and farming even easier, and agriculture became the financial engine that drove the growth and prosperity of the area. By the beginning of the 20th century, Caro was the vibrant and busy seat of Tuscola County. The Caro Area shows this evolution through photographs of all aspects of rural and village life from settlement through World War II.
#34
Chesterfield Township
2011
The first French explorers and missionaries came to the area that would later be known as Chesterfield Township around 1611, naming the dominant waterway Luc Sainte Claire. The first purchase of government land was made by Fabian Robertjean on August 20, 1820, in Section 11, near New Baltimore's Washington Street. In 1842, via Public Act 57, the Michigan State Legislature officially created the charter township of Chesterfield. Chesterfield is nestled between two old Michigan cities, New Baltimore and Mt. Clemens. The history of the township is closely aligned with these two cities, especially New Baltimore, with whom it has shared a post office from the time the New Baltimore Post Office was established in 1851 as Ashleyville (named for founder Alfred Ashley) and given its current name in 1855. New Baltimore was a part of Chesterfield until 1931, when it "seceded" from the township.
#36
Chevrolet
1960-2012
2012
Images of America: Chevrolet: 1960–2012 is the second of a two-volume photographic history of Chevrolet, one of the world’s best-known automotive brands, symbolized by the bow tie emblem. From 1960 to 2012, the US auto industry and Chevrolet experienced fundamental changes in their products and business plans. In the 50-plus years illustrated here, two basic changes in the marketing of motor vehicles is evident: the rising proportion of trucks among all vehicles sold and the incursion of European and Asian brands into the market. Even though the number of different Chevrolet passenger car models tripled, total car sales for the brand fell. Chevrolet: 1960–2012 relates the year-by-year evolution of the US auto business via what was once the largest-selling make.
#37
Chrysler Heritage
A Photographic History
2001
Founded in 1924 by one-time railroad mechanic Walter P. Chrysler, Chrysler the car actually preceded Chrysler the corporation. With roots entwined with several pioneering automakers and industries, Chrysler made it possible for Detroit to become the Motor City. Featured here in over 200 vintage photographs is the heritage of one of Detroit's most renowned automakers. Chrysler Heritage: A Photographic History follows the fortunes of the company, its founders, and its products for over a century. Through its acquisition of Dodge and the introduction of Plymouth and DeSoto, Chrysler rose quickly. Renowned for its advanced engineering, it surpassed mighty Ford Motor Company for second place in sales after GM in 1933. Showcasing photographs from the Chrysler archives along with in-depth captions, this new book captures the muscle of Detroit, including the corporation's unparalleled involvement in the Second World War and the Cold War.
#38
The City of Wayne
2003
When settler George M. Johnson arrived in the area now known as Wayne, Michigan, in 1824, he may have only imagined that the site of his log cabin would later become home to a bustling, thriving, progressive city. Incorporated as the Village of Wayne in 1869 and the City of Wayne in 1960, its growth was heavily influenced by the development of railroads and the Chicago Turnpike, and it has evolved into a prosperous and multi-ethnic community. Through a collection of rare photographs drawn from the Wayne Historical Museum, author Valerie Latzman takes readers on a visual tour of Wayne's history, exploring the community's agricultural, industrial, commercial, and social origins. Discover the influential places, people, and events that have contributed to Wayne's unique heritage.
#39
Clare
1865-1940
2012
Mid-Michigan was an untamable wilderness, good only for trappers and Native Americans until America’s population exploded and the demand for timber suddenly changed everything. By the 1860s, Clare was at the center of this lumberman’s paradise. Starting from a small village beside an abandoned lumber camp, the town prospered as farmers, ranchers, and merchants replaced loggers. Hastily thrown-up frame buildings gave way to brick, and interesting local life mirrored small-town America of the early 20th century. Then came oil, and colorful men such as Henry Ford and Jack Dempsey arrived. Purple Gangsters from Detroit moved in to take advantage of a “clean” investment. A famous murder at the local grand hotel brought national attention. On the eve of World War II, Clare had risen from the wilderness to be a fascinating community tucked away in middle America.
#40
Clarkston
2015
The noteworthy architecture throughout Clarkston remains a tribute to a time when brothers Jeremiah and Nelson Clark were among the early settlers. In 1838, the enterprising Clarks bought Butler Holcomb's sawmill, quickly building a larger dam and adding a gristmill. In 1842, the Clarks platted the village that would bear their name. The next decade brought trains to the new Clarkston depot, enabling easier commerce and a stronger stream of vacationers visiting the inns and cottages that dotted the banks of Deer Lake, Parke Lake, and the Mill Pond. In the 20th century, the same waterpower enticed Henry Ford to construct a hydroelectric factory on the Clarkston Mills property and renovate the former Clarkston School building on Main Street into a small manufacturing plant. The Ford Motor Company also transformed a farm on the outskirts of town into a renowned tractor-training facility. Today, Clarkston's national historic district remains a testament to its mill-town heritage.
#41
Clawson
2004
Located in southeast Oakland County, the area now known as Clawson was first settled in the 1820s. Farming was the primary industry during the first 100 years, but in the 1920s, Clawson began to develop into a "bedroom" community within the 2.2 miles that now comprise the city limits. Through a large collection of photographs from the Clawson Historical Museum, Images of America: Clawson documents the people, places, and events that have contributed to Clawson's rich heritage. Join author Deloris Kumler on a visual journey through Clawson's history, from its settlement and incorporation through the origins of its schools, streets, and buildings.
#42
Coldwater
2004
The Coldwater area was first settled on the historic Sauk Trail in the 1830s. Coldwater became a village in 1837, and after the arrival of the railroads in the 1850s, it became a city in 1861. Majestic homes and buildings were constructed, churches and schools were established, and a vibrant community began to take shape. The 1900s brought more growth and challenges, as residents encountered the Great Depression, World War II, and subsequent eras of transition, renewal, and expansion. This book showcases a rare collection of historic images to document Coldwater's progress and development throughout the 20th century.
#44
Crystal Lake
2009
Since 1835, when Ziba Beardsley declared, "The water is as clear as crystal," generations of people have enjoyed the area's spring-fed lake. The pages of this book take readers on a trip back through time to learn more about the twin towns of Nunda and Crystal Lake and their eventual union. Meet some of Crystal Lake's first settlers, as well as those who came later, and discover how they shaped the community. See photographs and descriptions of summer resorts, country clubs, parks, schools, and churches. Trace the development of both Virginia Street and the historic downtown district through vintage street scenes. Some of the buildings shown in Crystal Lake were removed long ago, yet others are still standing to serve as silent reminders of the community's rich and proud heritage.
#45
Dearborn Inn
2011
Henry Ford innovated the American automobile and the assembly line, but few know that Ford also applied his ingenuity to creating his ideal of a modern hotel. That vision, combined with a touch of grandeur, became the Dearborn Inn. Designed by noted architect Albert Kahn, with meticulous oversight by Henry Ford and his son Edsel, the inn opened in 1931 in Dearborn, Michigan. The famous landmark, with the charming appointments of a New England inn, originally accommodated pilots and passengers from the Ford Airport as well as visitors to Dearborn. Designated as both a national and Michigan state historic site, the Georgian-style Dearborn Inn includes five historic cottages replicating homes of famous Americans. As renovations have brought updates to the facility, great care has been taken to preserve the original character and integrity Ford envisioned. Follow the exciting journey from vacant land to airport hotel to world-class inn that still offers today's visitors charming and hospitable lodgings as well as outstanding, memorable meals.
#46
Dearborn
2003
Located on the banks of the Rouge River just ten miles from Detroit, the city of Dearborn began as a humble pioneer settlement in the 1780s. Over the course of two centuries, it has developed into a close-knit community, a college town, a major tourism center, and a world-famous industrial city. Through an impressive collection of photographs drawn from the Dearborn Historical Museum, Images of America: Dearborn, Michigan documents the influential people, places, and events that have shaped Dearborn's rich history. This book traces Dearborn's spirit of innovation through engaging glimpses of the 19th century U.S. Arsenal, the historic River Rouge Plant, Mayor Hubbard's lasting influence, and the legacy of Henry Ford. From the European settlers who first settled on the banks of the Rouge, to the streets, buildings, and schools that were named for them, Dearborn is revealed as a vibrant urban community with a strong sense of civic pride.
#47
Detroit Area Test Tracks
2009
The catastrophic failure of a new but unproven copper-cooled Chevrolet in 1923 led the General Motors Corporation to buy back the 100 cars it had sold to the public and recall another 400 in company and dealer hands. As a result, in 1924 General Motors started building the industry's first scientific proving ground to test new vehicle designs before they were released for production and sale. Before this, all automakers tested new cars haphazardly on public roads and within limited engineering laboratories. Better known by the public as test tracks, the proving grounds became a source of curiosity for decades about the secrets they might hold. Detroit Area Test Tracks goes behind the test track walls to show how the facilities evolved and what typically takes place inside.
#48
The Detroit Athletic Club
1887-2001
2001
Since its establishment 114 years ago, the Detroit Athletic Club (DAC) has played a crucial role in the amazing history of the City of Detroit. Originally a club for amateur athletes, it was reorganized in 1913 by prominent automobile and industrial leaders. In that year, Albert Kahn, a renowned architect, designed the magnificent six-story clubhouse that still stands in the heart of Detroit's theatre and sports district.Beginning with the birth of the original club on Woodward Avenue in 1887, this book chronicles the history of the DAC up to the present, in over 200 vintage photographs-many never before seen outside of the club. Images gathered from the club's archives cover the formative years at the first club, the building and opening of the new club, the DAC's great athletic traditions, its membership and staff, social activities, the art of the DAC and its magnificent restoration at the end of the 20th century.
#49
Detroit Fire Department
2016
Once known as the "Paris of the West," Motown became synonymous with urban abandonment and arson as job and population decline took hold in the late 20th century. No other fire department has experienced the hardships of the job on such a consistent basis as the Detroit Fire Department (DFD). Detroit firefighters have ridden the waves of unprecedented prosperity and tragic decline. Determined faces mask many layoffs, station closings, and a reduction in workforce. Despite these perils, dedication and the belief in their city remains a constant among Detroit firefighters. The official Detroit motto, "We hope for better things; it shall rise from the ashes" holds as true today as it did when first uttered over 100 years ago.
#50
Detroit Police Department
2008
Since its inception in 1865, the Detroit Police Department has been a trailblazer and pioneer in adopting revolutionary advances in law enforcement that are essential to policing today. The Detroit Police Department was among the first police departments to put its officers on bicycles and developed one of the earliest motorized forces using motorcycles, ultimately becoming the first department to utilize Harley Davidson motorcycles. Of its firsts, arguably the most important and synonymous with the city of Detroit being recognized as the "Automotive Capital of the World" is the department's deployment of its first patrol car in 1909. This photographic book highlights the Detroit Police Department's rich history, resplendent with groundbreaking advancements in the field of law enforcement. Over the years, many of the issues that proved challenging to large metropolitan cities, such as urban unrest, school busing, labor disputes, crime, and poverty, also produced challenges for the department. This book illustrates how the department met those challenges and continued to serves its community with the utmost professionalism, respect, and pride. The vision of the Detroit Police Department is "building a safer Detroit through community partnerships," a with the unquestioned dedication and hard work exhibited by Detroit's finest, this vision has become a reality.
#51
Detroit Television
2010
Detroit broadcasting history is rich with character . . . and characters. It began atop the Penobscot Building on October 23, 1946, when WWDT shot a signal to the convention center, part of a "New Postwar Products Exposition." WWJ-TV offered scheduled programming in June 1947, and WXYZ-TV and WJBK-TV jumped in a year later. The medium has influenced the city's personality and social agenda ever since. Soupy Sales turned getting a pie in the face into an art form. Mort Neff celebrated the state's outdoor charms. George Pierrot showed Detroiters the world. Other beloved personalities include: Milky the Clown, Ed McKenzie, Sonny Eliot, John Kelly, Marilyn Turner, Robin Seymour, Bill Bonds, Dick Westerkamp, Jingles, Bill Kennedy, Lou Gordon, Captain Jolly, Johnny Ginger, Auntie Dee, and many more.
#52
Detroit in World War I
2015
World War I was the catalyst that ushered in themes that would define the 20th industrialization, urbanization, and the struggle for equality between social classes, gender, and race. During this time, from 1914 to 1918, Detroit was a city rapidly on the rise, with spectacular economic, industrial, and population growth. These were years when some of the city's most beautiful structures were built, when its industry practices became the international standard, and when its population exploded with new, hopeful emigrants from across the globe. The war provided a unifying theme to a city struggling to define itself and caused its people to come together in new and unexpected ways to support the war effort at home and abroad, often stepping into unfamiliar roles outside of societal norms. Detroit in World War I offers a visual exploration of a city and a people caught in a time of dynamic change—from the men who served the cause to the communities they left behind—who rose to the challenge splendidly and helped create one of the 20th century's most remarkable and vibrant cities.
#54
Detroit's Cass Corridor
2012
Welcome to the Cass Corridor, an area geographically bound by freeways and major thoroughfares, yet boundless in its rich history and influence. Since the French established the sleepy ribbon farms in the 1700s, the Cass Corridor has experienced a fascinating evolution. Home to affluent gentry in the Victorian era, the area became the hub for automotive parts suppliers, film distribution, and pharmaceuticals at the turn of the 20th century. The interwar period saw the area transition to a working-class neighborhood that descended into a slum. The Cass Corridor, however, redefined itself, Detroit, and the nation as a home to the counterculture movement of the 1960s and 1970s. The corridor has long been a cradle of creativity that many renowned personalities called home, including Charles Lindbergh, Gilda Radner, Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, Marcus Belgrave, and others.
#58
Detroit's Historic Drinking Establishments
2008
Taverns, saloons, and restaurants have always played an important role in the development of large American cities like Detroit. Historically Detroiters probably regarded their neighborhood watering hole as no more than a place to drink and discuss politics. In fact, these gathering places also served as the backdrop for important social, civic, and economic events that impacted the lives of residents and affected urban development. Detroit's Historic Drinking Establishments traces the evolution of these places from the city's roots as a fur-trapping settlement to Detroit's dominance as a manufacturing giant. Using historical images from a number of sources including the Detroit Public Library's Burton Historical and Virtual Motor City Collections and the Detroit Historical Museum, this book paints a vivid picture of early Detroit as a destination highly prized for its abundant natural
resources and its incomparable hospitality.
#59
Detroit's Historic Eastern Market
2013
Established in 1891, Detroit's Eastern Market is the largest historic market district in the United States. This cultural and commercial landmark remains a bustling, vital place today on several levels: a wholesale market featuring the freshest local produce, a weekly Saturday shopping tradition for thousands of metro Detroiters, a special-event venue, and the original home for some of the city's oldest specialty food and dining businesses. Although much has changed through the years, Eastern Market is still a place for generations of metro Detroiters to gather to buy produce and plants, shop its unique stores, enjoy a great meal, and meet friends both old and new—all in a historic and authentic market setting.
#60
Detroit's Historic Fort Wayne
2007
Michigan's historic Fort Wayne, located on the narrowest point of the Detroit River, is named for Revolutionary War hero Gen. "Mad" Anthony Wayne. The fort was built in the 1840s to protect Detroit from British invasion following the strife of the 1838 Patriot War in Canada. Originally constructed of earth and wood, the fortifications were rebuilt in masonry during the Civil War, but the fort has never mounted cannons, as peace came to the international border and remains to this day. Fort Wayne has served the military as a training center, home to infantry regiments, supply depot, prisoner of war camp, and major induction center. It was a source of work for the unemployed during the Great Depression, a place of confinement during the Red Scare of 1920, and home for those displaced by civil unrest in Detroit during the 1960s. The fort continues to invite people to its riverfront view, not as soldiers but as guests, to enjoy community events on its broad parade fields and to learn about those who lived, drilled, and worked there.
#61
Detroit's Historic Water Works Park
2012
Detroit’s Historic Water Works Park takes the reader on a nostalgic trip back to when it was possible to see beyond the horizon from the top of the tallest freestanding structure in the Americas. At one time, Water Works Park’s colorful, stunningly beautiful, and varied floral displays were reason enough for thousands of people to travel hundreds of miles or more to Detroit. In addition to its primary function as a source of high-quality drinking water for Detroit and neighboring communities since 1879, Water Works Park was a popular place of rest, reflection, and recreation. At one time, its popularity among Detroiters and visitors to the city was exceeded only by Belle Isle, the city’s big island playground in the Detroit River.
#62
Detroit's Holy Cross Cemetery
2009
In the early hours before dawn on October 6, 1907, a raging fire illuminated the sky as the historic chapel that stood on the cemetery grounds for over half a century reduced to a pile of cinders and ash. Lit by sparks from a nearby barn ablaze from an act of arson, the fire destroyed priceless paintings, relics, statues, and artifacts that held sacrament to the area's earliest settlers. So ended the era of the cemetery's obscure past and launched a new era for the little mission?turned?graveyard nestled southwest of Detroit. Detroit's Holy Cross Cemetery is a collage of persons whose immigrant dreams landed them in an area budding with industry. The cemetery's evolution reflects the waves of immigration, from the early French to the Irish, Germans, Hungarians, Poles, and Hispanics. From its 1838 2-acre roots to its current 65-acre span, Holy Cross Cemetery filled the need for a Catholic cemetery on Detroit's west side.
#63
Detroit's Holy Family Church
100 Years of Sicilian Tradition
2008
The traditions of the Sicilians and Italians have been present in Detroit and Holy Family Church since the early 1900s. The church being the very root of their soul, they have maintained their ancestors' culture and the rituals they brought with them over 100 years ago. Some of these customs date back hundreds of years in their homelands of Cinisi, Terrasini, Trapani, and many other cities. Bonnie Leone was born, raised, and still resides in Detroit. Originally appointed by Gov. John Engler to the position of Wayne County jury commissioner, Leone is a member of several genealogical societies, tracing some of her ancestors as far back as the 1500s. Her strong sense of history, art, and tradition brought her to this church, so that she may help to preserve and protect the traditions of the last 100 years of the Sicilians in Detroit.
#64
Detroit's Hospitals, Healers, and Helpers
2004
The modern hospital evolved from both military garrisons and poorhouses. It wasn't until the mid-19th century that facilities with a wider purpose were founded in Detroit to combat diseases like cholera, tuberculosis, and mental illness. Religious institutions and benevolent societies established homes and treatment centers for the ill and abandoned, while public institutions were created for the very first time. This fascinating pictorial history of health care in the Detroit area features over 200 photographs and postcards of early hospitals, sanitariums, and orphanages, and the kindhearted people who staffed them. From St. Mary's, founded in 1845 and later known as Detroit Memorial Hospital, to Henry Ford Hospital, founded in 1915, this book documents the variety of institutions that sought to relieve or cure medical conditions. Most of these historic facilities no longer exist, and are known only by the photographs that preserve them. The images provide a rare glimpse of what health care was like at the turn of the century.
#67
Detroit's Mexicantown
2011
Mexican immigrants began to settle in Detroit at the beginning of the 20th century. They were attracted by the jobs available in the automobile industry and the rest of the rapidly expanding industrial base. Like other immigrant ethnic groups, Mexicans came to Detroit intent on providing a better life, and future, for their families. They opened businesses like specialty grocery and retail stores, barbershops, and restaurants. They bought homes, educated their children, served in all branches of the military, and became model Americans. What they brought to Detroit were family values, faith, and a strong work ethic. Detroit's Mexicantown offers a glimpse into when and where the community started.
#71
Detroit's New Center
2004
The northern anchor of Detroit's greater downtown, New Center is a diverse and vibrant neighborhood that offers shopping, entertainment, and dining among landmark architecture, historic districts, and contemporary homes and businesses. Shortly after General Motors built their headquarters three miles north of downtown, the Fisher Brothers conceived the idea of a "new center" and proceeded to construct the landmark Fisher and New Center Buildings. From this initial activity in the 1920s sprung a new commercial district, a new neighborhood, and a New Center for the City of Detroit. Detroit's New Center takes readers on a journey from New Center's origins as a planned business district to its current life as a thriving area where Detroiters live, work, and play.
#72
Detroit's Olympia Stadium
2000
Also known as the Old Red Barn, Olympia Stadium was the largest rink in the United States when it opened in Detroit on October 22,1927. Robert Wimmer has compiled over 200 historic photographs and detailed captions for this new book, that follows the life of a sporting and entertainment landmark in the Motor City until its demolition in 1986. For over half a century, the Olympia Stadium hosted many of the top shows and stars coming through Detroit. The historic landmark filled its seats for the multitude of sporting events in Michigan, including championship boxing, wrestling, and lacrosse, and was also the home of the Detroit Redwings and the Pistons. Although there are many anonymous people pictured here who contributed to the history of the stadium, readers will recognize the more familiar faces and acts of Elvis Presley, the Beatles, the Roy Rogers Rodeo, Dick the Bruiser, and many others.
#73
Detroit's Paradise Valley
2003
One of the most prominent and dynamic African-American neighborhoods in U.S. history, Paradise Valley served as a social and cultural mecca for Detroit's black community from the 1920s through the 1950s. Now the site of stadiums and freeways, the area was once home to places like the Gotham Hotel and the Surf Club, and welcomed the likes of Billie Holiday, Joe Louis, and Sammy Davis Jr. This book uses more than 200 previously unpublished photographs to take readers on a rare tour of the entertainers, entrepreneurs, businesses, and events that made the now-lost Paradise Valley legendary.
#74
Detroit's Polonia
2006
More than a century has passed since the first Poles settled in Detroit. The first communities were established on the east side of Detroit, but the colony expanded rapidly to the west neighborhoods, and Poles in Detroit still identify themselves as East- or Westsiders. The pioneers left Poland for freedom of language and religion, and to own property. They replicated village life in the big city, living in close-knit neighborhoods anchored by the parish church. Polish immigrants made cigars, built railroad cars, molded stoves, established businesses and breweries, and moved into the political arena. The struggles and triumphs of these early settlers are on display in the pages of Detroit Polonia, a photographic history that links future generations with their Polish heritage.
#75
Detroit's Statler and Book-Cadillac Hotels
The Anchors of Washington Boulevard
2002
During the first three decades of the 20th century, Detroit's Washington Boulevard was transformed from a minor backstreet into a major commercial and social center. Three brothers named Book dreamed that Washington Boulevard would become "the Fifth Avenue of the Midwest." It was through their efforts, as well as those of businessmen like E.M. Statler, that the dream became a reality. The two fundamental developments that anchored this dream were the massive Statler and Book-Cadillac Hotels.Between the 1920s and 1960s, Detroit's finest hotels fiercely competed with one another for the lion's share of tourist, convention, business, and dining traffic. This book serves as a comparative study of the Book-Cadillac and Statler Hotels of Detroit, and their impact on the development of Washington Boulevard. Here you will find the story of these two legendary institutions, illustrated with over 180 photographs from the Burton Historical Collection, Manning Brothers, the Walter Reuther Library, and private collections.
#76
Detroit's Thanksgiving Day Parade
2003
Since 1924, Detroit's annual Thanksgiving parade has delighted people of all ages. The parade's spectacular balloons, floats, bands, special guests, and holiday spirit have made it the most celebrated civic event in Detroit. This book commemorates the parade tradition with a look back at over 75 years of magic and enchantment. A unique assortment of historic photographs leads readers on a nostalgic journey down Woodward Avenue and through the memories and hearts of generations.
#78
Detroit's Woodlawn Cemetery
2003
A repository of community memory, exquisite architectural structures, and lasting tributes to the departed, Woodlawn Cemetery serves as a testament to Detroit's multi-faceted history. Considered by many as an outdoor museum of Detroit's architectural, economic, social, and cultural vitality, Woodlawn is the final resting place of the Dodge Brothers, Edsel and Eleanor Ford, Hazen Pingree, and James Couzens, along with countless other historic figures. Through a rare collection of photographs, this book serves as a guided tour along the paths of Woodlawn, from the work of noteworthy architects and sculptors to the legacies of the extraordinary people who have shaped Detroit history.
#79
Detroit's Woodmere Cemetery
2006
In 1867, a roomful of men gathered in the office of a noted attorney to discuss Detroit's need for a rural cemetery. They decided to form an association and invested their own money to purchase a plot of land that had once been occupied by Native Americans and then French settlers, a few miles from the heart of the city. They chose this heavily wooded area because it offered many acres of land that could accommodate the growing need for more burial space, and it became the cornerstone of one of the city's oldest and most historic cemeteries, Woodmere Cemetery. Cemetery acreage has been bought and sold, and buildings on the grounds have been raised and later razed. Funeral procedures have changed, as well as cemetery ownership. Still, Woodmere has remained one of Detroit's most beautiful treasures, where visitors can take a historical step back into time. From the very rich to the very poor, many thousands have chosen Woodmere Cemetery to be their final resting place. Through archival images, Detroit's Woodmere Cemetery takes a look at the movers and shakers of Detroit found in these bucolic grounds and glimpses the ordinary citizens who have lived and died through extraordinary circumstances.
#85
Detroit
Ragtime and the Jazz Age
2009
Detroit has always been at the forefront of American popular music development, and the ragtime years and jazz age are no exception. The city's long history of diversity has served the region well, providing a fertile environment for creating and nurturing some of America's most distinctly indigenous music. With a focus on the people and places that made Detroit a major contributor to America's rich musical heritage, Detroit: Ragtime and the Jazz Age provides a unique photo journal of a period stretching from the Civil War to the diminishing years of the big bands in the early 1940s.
#86
Detroit
The Black Bottom Community
2009
Between 1914 and 1951, Black Bottom's black community emerged out of the need for black migrants to find a place for themselves. Because of the stringent racism and discrimination in housing, blacks migrating from the South seeking employment in Detroit's burgeoning industrial metropolis were forced to live in this former European immigrant community.
During World War I through World War II, Black Bottom became a social, cultural, and economic center of struggle and triumph, as well as a testament to the tradition of black self-help and community-building strategies that have been the benchmark of black struggle. Black Bottom also had its troubles and woes. However, it would be these types of challenges confronting Black Bottom residents that would become part of the cohesive element that turned Black Bottom into a strong and viable community.
Local historian Jeremy Williams combines careful research with archived photographs for insightful look at Black Bottom's early beginnings, its racial transformation, the building of a socioeconomic solvent community through various processes of institution building and networking, and its ultimate demise and the dislocation of its residents.
#87
Dowagiac
2005
The story of Dowagiac's first 100 years may ring familiar to other small cities across the United States. After Dowagiac was established on a railroad line in 1848, new settlers arrived and had the opportunity to establish large-scale factories in the young village. This growth would last for a full century, fueled by the Round Oak Stove Company and other manufacturers in the city. Because of its manufacturing base, immigrants moved to Dowagiac, and the small city enjoyed strong business and manufacturing districts, solid educational institutions, and a vibrant social life. Surrounding lakes provided one venue for entertainment, while downtown Dowagiac offered theaters and fairs. This book documents and celebrates the history of Dowagiac with over 200 photographs from the collection of the Museum at Southwestern Michigan College.
#89
Dundee
2011
Shortly after its founding in 1824, Riley Ingersoll and George Wilcox built cabins in the wilderness that would become Dundee. Sybrant Van Nest platted the village along the north shore of the River Raisin and offered it for sale in 1835. His broadside advertised "two first rate Sawmills and one small Gristmill in the village, and a large and elegant Tavern House." Eventually so many trails and roads crisscrossed in Dundee that the little farming community was dubbed "The Hub of the Highways." During the Great Depression, Henry Ford saved the decrepit Old Mill by turning it into a Village Industry. Michigan's only triangular downtown, with its 1870s brick Italianate buildings, and the Old Mill were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
#90
Dutch Heritage in Kent and Ottawa Counties
2009
On February 9, 1847, Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte chose a site on Michigan's Black River and founded what became Holland. Motivated in part by a potato famine and crop failures, the settlers also sought religious freedom. Other countrymen followed, leaving an indelible mark on the character of southwest Michigan. Jan Douma and Matteus Notier, Union soldiers from Graafschap, guarded the bier of slain president Abraham Lincoln. Newbery Medal-winning children's author Meindert DeJong came from Grand Rapids, as did Caldecott Medalist Chris Van Allsburg. The legacy includes Hope, Calvin, and Kuyper Colleges, the world-class Fredrik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, the Fred and Lena Meijer Heart Center at Spectrum Hospital, DeVos Performance Hall, Van Andel Arena, the DeGraaf Nature Center, Windmill Island, Dutch Village, and Veldheer's Tulip Gardens. The Dutch forefathers passed their values on to their progeny to make the area what it is today.
#91
East Lansing
Collegeville Revisited
2002
The modern city of East Lansing, Michigan is a thriving community of 46,000 people located just a few miles from the state capital building in Lansing. Originally a crossroads of Indian trails and encampments, the first modern development at the site was the Agriculture College of the State of Michigan. Founded in 1855, it later became Michigan State University. A surrounding community soon sprang up as a result of the college's establishment and growth. First named Collegeville, this community organized, petitioned for, and received a city charter from the state in 1907. The city and the college still share a symbiotic relationship, but they have developed into two diverse and distinct communities. This pictorial history presents images of the town as it originated and grew, in less than 100 years, into one of Michigan's most interesting cities.
#92
Eastern Lapeer County
2014
The Northwest Territory opened Michigans wilderness and what later became Lapeer County and its first settlement, Almont. Through a dense forest, thick with undergrowth and quagmire, these determined settlers fought the primitive frontier and their own fears. Today, the sounds of church bells ring out across the hills, whispering of the soldiers, pioneers, and Native Americans of yore, of their heartache, hardships, and joy. Like an old-fashioned quilt, their threads of courage, fortitude, and unwavering Christian beliefs wove a colorful picture through the years. Settlers and Native Americans found a commonality trading their wares, working and recreating together. Whether it is the minister doing his masters work, the bounty hunters seeking out runaway slaves and abolitionists of the Underground Railroad, or the wealthy tycoons making their fortunes during the railroad era, their stories are within the pages of this book. Here, strangers are greeted country style, as the panoramic view of Eastern Lapeer County comes alive with history, heritage, and hospitality.
#93
Eastpointe
2003
Known today as "A Family Town," the city of Eastpointe, Michigan possesses a vibrant history and a unique heritage. This book showcases over 220 historic images, including rare plat maps, to document Eastpointe's growth and development throughout the past two centuries. Eastpointe, Michigan serves as a visual tour of the area's rural roots and urban progress, from the 1830s, when immigrants began to settle in the region, through the present day, when it thrives as a multi-ethnic suburb of Detroit. In these pages, discover Eastpointe's founding families, its notable historic homes and businesses, and its evolution from an agricultural hamlet into a celebrated suburban community.
#96
Emmett Township
2012
On February 19, 1850, the land that would be called Emmett Township was taken from the township of Clyde by an act of the Michigan Legislature. The town was not officially organized until years later when the name was changed to Emmett on April 21, 1883. The founding fathers named the area, the township and the village, after the person they considered to be a true Irish hero: Robert Emmett. The first land purchasers in Emmett were thought to have been Patrick and Bridget Keough Dunigan and their friend Michael Harrington. Much of the land was still inhabited by Native Americans, mostly from the Chippewa tribe. White settlers told stories about Indians coming into the cabins and sleeping by the fire on nights when the temperature was below zero. To pay for the night's lodging, rabbits and other small offerings might be found on the roof of the cabin in the morning. (Why the roof? To keep the meat away from wolves.)
#98
Flat Rock
2011
Located between Monroe and Detroit in Michigan, Flat Rock's history begins with the Wyandot, Huron, and Seneca Indians who once hunted and fished along the Huron River. Founded in 1823 by Michael Vreelandt, the area started to grow and prosper when settlers discovered the fertile lands and waterpower of the Huron River. The power of the river attracted settlers to build and operate two sawmills, a flour mill, and a blacksmith shop. When Pres. Abraham Lincoln called for volunteers to join the Civil War, many men from Flat Rock enlisted under Walter H. Wallace's encouragement. The largest number of volunteers came from Michigan, and that state suffered the largest number of wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg. Discover the town's story through these archival images from the Flat Rock Historical Society, showcasing the businesses, churches, community, and people whose hard work helped the city to prosper.
#99
Ford Dynasty
A Photographic History
2002
Founded in 1903, Ford Motor Company has enormously impacted the history and development of America, and the world, in the 20th century. What began as a small operation in a converted Detroit wagon factory has become the second largest industrial manufacturing corporation in the world, with active operations on six continents. Unlike other automotive corporations, the Ford company has remained under the control and active management of its founding family for 100 years. Like the Kennedys, Vanderbilts, and Roosevelts, the Ford family has made an irreversible impact on American history and society. Through a collection of over 200 images, Ford Dynasty tells the story of one extraordinary American family, their company, and its accomplishments over the course of a century.
#101
Frankenmuth
2008
Frankenmuth is a truly unique community. With a population of less than 5,000, it annually attracts almost 3.5 million visitors. Some come to sample the world-renowned cuisine, some shop for Christmas decorations, and some visitors simply wish to absorb the gem tlichkeit, the friendly ambience that permeates the town. Early community outreach, around 1845, had a different focus. Frankenmuth, which means "courage of the Franconians," was the name taken by the mission colony dedicated to sharing the Christian gospel with local Chippewas. While it is easy to see the contrasts over time, it is important to recognize the bonds that connect the past and present. The Franconian standard of responsibility, individual and social, is evident today, and the desire of those first settlers to touch a larger community is reflected in the hospitality enjoyed by all who pass through this colorful hamlet. The settlers were firmly committed to maintaining their German Lutheran culture and heritage, and the transition, over many generations, from an agrarian village to a major tourist destination is a fascinating journey.
#102
Fraser
2013
Native Americans were the first to inhabit Fraser. In fact, Mulvey Road, the oldest street in Fraser, was originally a Native American trail. As French and English pioneers settled Macomb County, Alexander D. Fras(z)er came from Detroit and established the settlement of Frazer in 1858. Many of the first inhabitants were of German descent. In 1875, a lumber business was established in Frazer by Charles Steffens, who would later serve as president of the village; his son George and George's son Walter also held that office. Another major business started in the community was Reindel Hardware, which began in 1898 and is still in operation. In 1894, Frazer was incorporated as a village. Its English and German spellings, Fraser and Frazer, were used interchangeably until 1928, when a vote was taken to establish the community with an "s." In 1905, Fraser had a major fire that destroyed many of the town's buildings, although a bucket brigade saved many of the residences from the blaze. The State Bank of Fraser was established in 1910, and in 1930 its majestic new building, which still stands today, was built at Fourteen Mile and Utica Roads. In 1956, Fraser was incorporated as a city.
#103
General Motors
A Photographic History
1999
The General Motors Corporation was established in 1908 by William C. Durant, who combined the Buick, Oldsmobile, and Oakland companies and, later, Cadillac, to form GM. From the 1920s onwards, GM grew from a firm that accounted for about 10% of new car sales in the U.S. to become the largest producer of cars and trucks in the world. The peak of the company's power and market dominance came in the 1960s, which proved to be the decade of change for the U.S. auto industry. With the introduction of federal safety regulations and control tailpipe emissions, GM's position as the world's largest industrial corporation changed. Its marketing strategy was undone by competitive challenges, and the business was never to be the same again. General Motors: A Photographic History explores the growth of the company in a series of over 200 black-and-white images. From the first assembly line to post-Second World War recovery, images from the world auto shows and the consequent re-organization of GM take the reader on an intriguing visual tour of a tremendously important era in the industrialization of America.
#104
Gibraltar
2013
From its early beginnings in 1750 as the head village of the Wyandot (or Huron) Native Americans to the present, Gibraltar has been influenced by its location along the banks of the Detroit River. For this wetland area, water is and always has been a part of life. With many canals, the city is known as the "Venice of Michigan." Early shipbuilding and lumber mills, rum-running, summer cottages, marinas, and a steel mill have all found their way to Gibraltar's shores. Hunting, fishing, and trapping along the water have served as mainstays. Gibraltar was incorporated as a village in 1954 and as a city in 1961, making it the second smallest city in Michigan at that time. Hy Dahlka was the first village president and a pioneer in wildlife conservation, founding the Michigan United Conservation Club (MUCC), the Waterfowl Festival at the Pointe Mouillee State Game Area, and the Monroe Rod and Gun Club.
#105
Gladwin County
2008
Gladwin County, named after a British commander of Fort Detroit, is situated in upper mid-Michigan. Settled at the beginnings of the Civil War, this area has been blessed with the ability to survive and thrive from its natural resources and the hardy pioneer and entrepreneurial spirit of its people. The white pine forests provided much of the wood for homes downstate, and the railroads brought in the people to fill lumber camps and towns with names like Cedar (now the city of Gladwin) or Grand Forks (now known as Beaverton) and long-lost crossroads such as Lyle, Hard Luck, and Podunk. As the lumbering era came to a close, the rails brought in farmers to replace the woodsmen. The horses came out of the woods to plow the fields. When the tractor replaced the horse, oil was discovered and a new boom began. But that soon went bust, and Gladwin once again reinvented itself by becoming the thermoforming capital of the world. The area is ripe with waterways, rivers, and lakes, both natural and man-made. Once clogged with logs and now bulging with watercraft, many of the lumber camps from a century ago today have become new recreational settlements.
#107
Grand Marais
2009
The village of Grand Marais, on the south shore of Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, is one of the oldest inhabited places on the Great Lakes. Native Americans camped along its beautiful natural harbor, naming it Kitchi-bitobig, or "Great Pond." The French voyageurs traded furs along these shores, and in the early 1860s, a trading post was established. The lumber boom soon followed, and by the mid-1890s, Grand Marais was a bustling town of 2,000 inhabitants. The good times did not last, and by 1911, the sawmills closed, the railroad pulled out, and almost overnight the population dwindled to a mere 200 or so. But Grand Marais refused to die, and those hardy individuals who stayed somehow found a way to make a living, many in the commercial and sport fishing industries. The opening of a state road into town brought vacationers to enjoy the many recreational delights of the area. Today Grand Marais is a popular tourist destination that still retains its small-town friendliness and historic atmosphere.
#108
Grand Rapids in Stereographs
1860-1900
2007
Beginning around 1865, as the fledgling art and science of photography began to appear in cities and towns across the United States, a small group of photographers, using new methods and equipment developed a few years before in Europe, began producing and offering for sale stereographic views of the people, places, and events that made up daily life in the then nearly 40-year-old city of Grand Rapids. These photographic views were unlike others that had preceded them and when viewed using a special device, they presented a detailed, three-dimensional portrait of the young city. Once introduced, stereographic views of the city, alongside those of more distant lands, became wildly popular and soon graced the homes of many in this city and elsewhere. The stereographic cards themselves today offer a rare and detailed glimpse of the city, its residents, and some of the special and unusual events that occurred nearly 150 years ago.
#111
Grand River
2015
Stretching 265 miles, the majestic Grand River is Michigan's longest waterway, and it was once considered one of the Midwest's most important. The river starts as a trickle just south of Jackson and gains power as it surges toward Lake Michigan in Grand Haven. Trappers first used the river to trade with the Native American villages along its banks. Later, the lumber industry transported logs via the Grand. The river shaped the towns and cities that grew up along its banks, providing them with transportation and power for manufacturers, including the once-renowned Grand Rapids furniture industry. Fertile farmlands have always played an important role in the history of the Grand River Valley. Today, the river is used primarily for recreation, including boating, fishing, and, in Grand Ledge, rock climbing.
#112
Grand River Avenue
From Detroit to Lake Michigan
2014
Grand River Avenue, or Michigan US-16 as it was ultimately designated, is one of Michigan’s true “Blue Highways”—an original two-lane, blacktop road still serving as a direct path through roadside America. Originally a Native American trail, this ancient path has been a westbound route from the Straits of Detroit to the eastern shores of Lake Michigan for more than 1,000 years. Over time, it has served as a footpath, horse trail, wagon rut, stagecoach route, plank road, and ultimately a two-lane highway that gave some of America’s earliest motorists their first taste of long-distance automobile travel.
#115
Grosse Ile
2007
Grosse Ile Township today is made up of a dozen islands in the Detroit River. The largest island was given the name Grosse Ile by early French explorers who found it being used by the Native American tribes as a fishing and hunting ground. In 1776, Detroit merchants William and Alexander Macomb purchased Grosse Ile from the Potawatomi Indians and, to help establish their ownership rights, built a home and a gristmill and secured tenant farmers to till the land. Later acreage was sold off and settlement began in earnest, although it remained largely an agricultural community. The railroad came to Grosse Ile in the 1880s and attracted both visitors and new residents. Hotels sprang up to accommodate summer visitors who were drawn to Grosse Ile by its healthful climate, natural beauty, and opportunities for outdoor recreation. Today Grosse Ile is home to more than 11,000 residents who have come here to enjoy many of those same unique qualities—all in close proximity to a large metropolitan area.
#116
Grosse Pointe War Memorial
2010
In many ways, the story of the 1910 mansion The Moorings tells the story of one segment of life in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. For more than two decades, the home represented life on the lake for a typical wealthy family. It was built by Russell A. Alger Jr., the lumber baron and industrialist who cofounded the Packard Motor Car Company and helped the Wright brothers finance their first company. What makes the story of the home complete is what happened when the family no longer lived there. After 12 years as a branch of the Detroit Institute of Arts, the home fulfilled its destiny as a memorial to veterans and a center for arts and education: the Grosse Pointe War Memorial. Today it is truly a hub of activity for Grosse Pointe and the surrounding communities. Guests can still enjoy the beautiful design of the home while attending a memorial service, lecture, stage production, luncheon, or summer concert outside on the lawn. The Grosse Pointe War Memorial today is a testament to the generosity of its original owners and their desire to share the beauty of their home with generations to come.
#117
Grosse Pointe
1880-1930
2001
If Detroit was characterized as "The Paris of the Midwest" at the turn of the 20th century, then Grosse Pointe was the Riviera. There wealthy summer colonists, influential transplants from the bustle of the metropolis, founded private clubs where they could pursue polite pleasures and high society soirees away from the honky-tonk atmosphere of the area roadhouses which shared the shoreline of Lake St. Clair. Architecturally significant mansions on rambling estates soon replaced quaint French farm houses a nd gingerbread "cottages." As the good times rolled, no one was willing to let a little thing like Prohibition spoil the fun The fact that the residents' elegant yachts and iceboats had to share the waters with rumrunners and federal agents only added to the excitement of an area fast becoming one of America's premier suburban enclaves. This new publication successfully captures the magical spirit of the Pointes. With photographs from personal and public collections, the authors have painted a wonderful picture of what it was like to live in Grosse Pointe during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
#119
Hamtramck
The World War II Years
2007
With a population made up overwhelmingly of Polish immigrants and descendents of Poles, Hamtramck was especially hardhit by the impact of World War II. Most of the city's residents had family contacts with the old country. When Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, Hamtramckans reacted with shock and anger—and with a determination to see fascism defeated and Poland freed. Thousands of Hamtramckans fought in the war, hundreds died. And those who remained at home dealt with the wartime life as best they could. Hamtramck: The World War II Years presents a portrait of the city at war. It tells and shows how Hamtramckans—of all ages, races, and backgrounds—coped with shortages, the threat of attack, and the everpresent dread that the next telegram may bring news of a soldier's death. It was a challenging time that demanded strength, dedication, and sacrifice. Hamtramckans stood up and delivered all that was required—and more.
#120
Hancock
2014
Hancock is a 19th-century mining boomtown in the heart of Michigan's Copper Country. Situated on the northern shore of Portage Lake, it grew into a regional center of shipping and commerce. Hancock's early residents were predominantly emigrants from Prussia, Ireland, and England (largely Cornwall) who came to work in area mines. Germans and French Canadians were also part of the diverse ethnic mix, and they were later joined by Finns, Scandinavians, and Italians. The harsh winter climate and geographic isolation, with limited means of transportation for roughly half the year, required a hardy citizenry. The pioneer inhabitants were resolute achievers, forging a community that with each generation grew less dependent on mining and its ancillary industries. Hancock became the Copper Country's first city in 1903 and remains Michigan's northernmost city to this day. It is also home to the only private university in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
#121
Harbor Country
2002
The eight villages of Southwest Michigan's Harbor Country-Michiana, Grand Beach, New Buffalo, Union Pier, Lakeside, Harbert, Sawyer, and Three Oaks-have evolved from a group of humble frontier communities into a vacation mecca. Just 90 minutes from Chicago, Harbor Country's unspoiled beaches, marinas, antique shops, and shady country lanes have offered a weekend refuge to weary urbanites for years. The New York Times once called Harbor Country "the Hamptons of the Midwest," perhaps because the area draws Chicago's illuminati to its shores. Yet most of the region's first settlers were lumbermen, farmers, fishermen, and railroad workers, and Harbor Country's rustic, small-town ambience remains as their legacy. Through nearly 200 vintage photographs, this book documents the history of Harbor Country and its many roles throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Once an aspiring Great Lakes port, then briefly a railroad center, as well as a lumbering community that supplied the timber to build Chicago, Harbor Country is revealed as an area with rich history and everlasting appeal.
#123
Harrison Township
2002
"The Gateway to Water Fun"-Harrison Township's motto says it all. From the Native Americans, missionaries, and farmers who tamed the wilderness to the boaters who flock to the Township's launches, marinas, and ever-increasing subdivisions, the adventurous have found a home in the area now commonly referred to as Boat Town U.S.A. Illustrated in over 200 vintage photographs, Harrison Township, Michigan captures the events and everyday activities that have come to define this eastern Michigan township. Featured in this wonderful collection are current and past attractions, such as Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Metropolitan Beach Metropark, and the many marinas and waterfront restaurants. This pictorial history explores the trials, successes, and dreams of the Township's founders, revealing a history that lives on in the mind's eye and in images passed on through generations.
#126
Holly
2004
Located in the far northwest hills of Oakland County, Holly is a vibrant community with a rich cultural heritage rooted in commerce and transportation. In 1864, it became the first Michigan community with a railroad junction, called the Holly and Flint line. The Holly, Wayne and Monroe Railroad was introduced in 1870 and later consolidated with the Holly and Flint line to become the Flint and Pere Marquette. As the railroad brought new growth to the village, Holly quickly developed into more than a mere whistle stop. By the 20th century, homes, schools, churches, and businesses took root and provided the foundation for a community that still thrives today.
#128
Houghton County
1870-1920
2006
"Go West, young man . . ." When Horace Greeley made his famous statement in the pages of Harper's Weekly, he was not referring to the goldfields of the late-1840s California, he was speaking of Michigan's western Upper Peninsula. In the mid- to late 1840s, Michigan's copper resources were rediscovered by state geologist Douglass Houghton, setting off a mining boom rivaled only by the gold rush of 1849. The richest copper and silver ores, and even some gold, were found in the mines of Houghton County. Famous mines such as "Old Reliable," the Quincy mine, and the Calumet and Hecla mines gave up billions of tons of pure native copper and millions of dollars to eastern investors for over 100 years. Railroads, steamship lines, and eventually trolley lines served Houghton County, offering connection to the outside world. Between 1850 and 1920, mining companies attracted immigrants from Cornwall, England; Germany; Italy; Finland; Ireland; the Austro-Hungarian empire; and French Canada. The area was a true melting pot. Although this era of prosperity saw the rise of labor unions, the period culminated in the tragic and unsuccessful strike of 1913.
#129
Houghton Lake
2014
Nestled among northern Michigan's pine trees in Roscommon County is the state's largest inland lake, Houghton Lake. Lumbermen made use of its 20,044 acres to move timber. They banked logs on the lake, the headwaters of the Muskegon River, during the winter cutting season and drove them downriver in the spring to southwestern lumber yards. As Houghton Lake's reputation for good fishing grew, visitors came to try their luck. By the mid-20th century, Houghton Lake became one of the most popular destinations in Michigan. Now, the area is known for its bars, resorts, and winter festival Tip-Up Town USA. Water sports, summer cottages, and nightlife still attract thousands of visitors from Lower Michigan and surrounding states today.
#130
The House of David
2007
In 1903, Benjamin Purnell, a long-haired, bearded itinerant preacher, arrived in Benton Harbor. He and his wife, Mary, stepped out of their covered preacher’s wagon, and gazing across a thriving summer resort, they saw their long-awaited paradise. Acquiring this paradise, they established a religious colony called the House of David, which grew to over 1,000 members from around the world, with phenomenal talents in music, sports, entertainment, and architecture. A pre-Disneyland-type amusement park was constructed, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. As the colony’s leader, the very charismatic and convincing Purnell called himself a brother to Jesus, and members flocked in, handing over their homes, wealth, and worldly possessions for the promise of everlasting life, creating huge wealth. Soon they built exquisite mansions, hotels, restaurants, cruise ships, factories, and miniature railroads. Holdings included diamond and gold mines, an island in Lake Michigan, thousands of acres of farmland, an Australian resort, an art studio, orchestras, vaudeville acts, a famous bearded baseball team, and more. This book will take readers on the fascinating journey of the House of David.
#132
Howell
2013
Images of America: Howell features vintage photographs of Howell, most of which have never before been published. This visual documentation spans the decades from the 1850s to the 1950s, telling the story of Livingston Centre, known today as the city of Howell. Unique images in this volume include turn-of-the-century street fairs and parades, the first paving of the Grand River, and World War I inductees marching to the courthouse to be sworn in to federal service. Furthermore, historically significant photographs document Howell's cultural keystones: the courthouse, Carnegie Library, and the Opera House. Also, see views of the Ann Arbor and Pere Marquette railroad depots, street scenes, merchants, businesses, industry, and social organizations that illustrate Howell's evolution from a tiny settlement to a vibrant and thriving city.
#133
Hudson's
Detroit's Legendary Department Store
2004
For over a century, the J.L. Hudson's Department Store on Woodward Avenue was more than just a store—it was a Detroit icon and a world-class cultural treasure. At 25 stories, it was the world's tallest department store, and was at one time home to the most exceptional offerings in shopping, dining, services, and entertainment. The store prided itself on stocking everything from grand pianos to spools of thread. In addition to departments offering fashionable clothing and home furnishings, the original Hudson's store featured an auditorium, a circulating library, dining rooms, barber shops, a photo studio, holiday exhibits, a magnificent place called Toytown, and the world's largest American flag. As a legendary symbol of urban and entrepreneurial American history, the J.L. Hudson's Department Store earned a permanent place in Detroit's collective memory. Although "the big store" no longer graces Woodward Avenue, its legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of generations, and in the remarkable photographs that preserve its reign.
#134
Huron County
2001
Huron County, Michigan, was organized by the Michigan legislature in 1859 and quickly became known for its abundant natural resources-in particular, lumber. In the summer of 1881, disaster struck, as 1,500 square miles of forest burned. Huron County rose again, replacing lumbering with agriculture as its major industry. This agricultural tradition, along with commercial fishing, continues to this day. In Huron County, Michigan the Huron County Historical Society showcases the histories of the communities of Bad Axe, Bay Port and Ora Labora, Caseville, Elkton, Harbor Beach and Port Hope, Pigeon, Port Austin, Sebewaing, Ubly, and White Rock, using over 200 vintage photographs. Stop by the Caseville Mercantile or visit the old Caseville High School. Go back in time to the 1933 Sebewaing Farmers and Merchants parade that wound its way through the downtown area. A 1920s Prohibition scene comes to life in Bad Axe as Deputy Duncan McKenzie dumps illegal whiskey into the sewer at the site of today's "Old City Hall."
#137
Iosco County
The Photography of Ard G. Emery 1892-1904
2015
In 1892, artistic photographer Ard G. Emery established a studio and gallery business in a bustling East Tawas community overlooking Lake Huron on the sunrise side of Iosco County, Michigan. For 12 years, Emery captured the culture and history of the area through his camera lens. His collodion glass negatives celebrated personal triumphs, honored the strength of the working man, and saluted the candidness of the young. Emery used the most modern techniques and finest materials, but he was fascinated by the ordinary. Emery often journeyed with his travelling studio to the countryside to photograph the everyday life of normal people. Zealous about his craft, Emery not only preserved days gone by, but he also preserved his own spirit—one that will be forever remembered in Iosco County.
#139
Ironwood, Hurley, and the Gogebic Range
2006
Situated on the south shore of Lake Superior, the Gogebic Iron Range of Michigan and Wisconsin exudes a strong sense of place. During the 1880s, a mining boom lured settlers, investment, and controversy. Investors from Milwaukee, Chicago, and Cleveland hoped to become rich, but many were pulled into scams or poorly managed mines and ended up losing their money. After iron stocks crashed, mining investors were more cautious. Many mining locations were abandoned, but towns such as Ironwood, Bessemer, Wakefield, and Hurley grew. For over 80 years, iron mining gave the Gogebic Range distinctive ethnicity and settlement patterns resulting in its unique cultural landscapes. The physical setting enhances the drama of the Gogebic. Lake-effect snowfall results in picturesque yet harsh winters, and thundering waterfalls have long attracted visitors.
#140
Isabella County
1859-2009
2008
An ancient revered gathering and hunting place for Chippewa Indians becomes the modern home to one of the nation's largest Native American tribal-owned casino/resort complexes. A rough-and-tumble timbering center sees Michigan's first lumber millionaire plat a town, dedicating five acres for a county seat. Residents organize a private normal school for teacher training, to become Michigan's fourth-largest university, Central Michigan University. Hardworking immigrants carve farms, villages, and towns from the timbered-out wilderness near the center of the Michigan Lower Peninsula "mitten." From harvesting lumber above the ground to harvesting petroleum below the ground, the area ushers in an oil boom on time to be saved from the financial tribulations of the Great Depression. Incorporated in 1859, during the turbulent times just ahead of the Civil War and birth year of the United States oil industry, the area becomes a modern-day commerce center. This is the saga of Isabella County, told as the county celebrates 150 years of economic and cultural diversity.
#141
Isle Royale
2007
This history of Isle Royale traces almost 5,000 years of human efforts to harvest its natural resources. From the Paleo-Indians who extracted native copper to the 19th-century miners, fishermen, farmers, and sportsmen, this isle apart has been visited, mined, and plundered for centuries. Under the protection of the National Park Service since 1940, the island is returning to the natural regime that preceded the arrival of the first humans. Moose, wolves, and bald eagles now share the island with low-impact campers and boaters. The reader will visit the lighthouses, steamships, fish camps, and resorts and the people of the last two centuries who left their footprints on this jewel of Lake Superior.
#142
Italians in Detroit
2005
People of Italian descent have been present in Detroit since Alfonso Tonti, second-in-command to Antoine Cadillac, participated in the founding of the city in 1701. By the close of the 19th century, the trickle of Italian immigrants had become a torrent, as thousands rushed to the growing industrial center. Settling on the lower east side, the community grew rapidly, especially north and east into Macomb County. Italians in Detroit did not remain in a “little Italy,” but mingled with the diverse population of the city. Through a combination of hard work and strong family and community ties, the Italians of Detroit have achieved their dreams of a better life. They have met the challenges of living in a new land while nurturing the culture of the old country. The challenge that remains is to nurture a love of heritage among young Italian Americans as the immigrant generation fades.
#143
Jackson County
2013
Michigan was not yet a state in July 1829 when Horace Blackman of Berkshire, New York, arrived in Ann Arbor to visit his friend Jonathan F. Stratton, who advised Blackman to make a location claim in a new county that had just been surveyed west of Washtenaw County. Blackman began traveling with Capt. Alexander Laverty, a woodsman and land surveyor, and Pee-wy-tum, a Native American guide. Along the way, they came to the mouth of the St. Joseph Indian Trail, which crossed the Grand River. The earliest pioneers of Jackson stayed there for the first night at what are now Jackson and Trail Streets. The town was first called Jacksonopolis. Later, it was renamed Jacksonburgh. Finally, in 1838, the town's name was changed to simply Jackson.
#144
Jewish Ann Arbor
2006
The earliest Jewish settlers arrived in Michigan during the mid-18th century. Primarily traders associated with the burgeoning fur industry, few of these entrepreneurs remained permanently. During the early 1840s, the five Weil
brothers, farmers and tanners from Germany, became the first prominent Jewish settlers in Washtenaw County. By the end of that decade, a Jewish cemetery was established on what is now the site of the Horace Rackham Building on the University of Michigan campus. Though the Weil family
eventually moved west, the cemetery remained as a marker for what was then a miniscule Jewish presence. In the early 20th century, Osias Zwerdling and the Lansky family arrived. In addition to reestablishing a Jewish presence in Ann Arbor, they helped form what became Beth Israel Congregation. Growth of the Ann Arbor Jewish community coincided with the evolution of the university, as well as the city. By the end of the 20th century, a vibrant community representing all facets of Judaism had been established.
#145
The Jewish Community of Metro Detroit 1945-2005
2006
After the end of World War II, Americans across the United States began a mass migration from the urban centers to suburbia. Entire neighborhoods transplanted themselves. The Jewish Community of Metro Detroit: 1945 -2005 provides a pictorial history of the Detroit Jewish community's transition from the city to the suburbs outside of Detroit. For the Jewish communities, life in the Detroit suburbs has been focused on family within a pluralism that embraces the spectrum of experience from the most religiously devout to the ethnically secular. Holidays, bar and bat mitzvahs, weddings, and funerals have marked the passage of time. Issues of social justice, homeland, and religion have divided and brought people together. The architecture of the structures the Detroit Jewish community has erected, such as Temple Beth El designed by architect Minoru Yamasaki, testifies to the community's presence.
#146
Jewish Detroit
2002
In 1762, Chapman Abraham became the first Jew to set foot in Detroit, and the Jewish community has played a significant role in Detroit's history ever since. Sarah and Isaac Cozens formed the Beth El Society in 1850, when the census showed 51 Jewish adults living in Detroit. The cholera epidemic of 1854 claimed the life of the rabbi of Detroit's only Jewish congregation. But the community continued to grow, and to serve. Two-hundred and ten Jewish soldiers from Michigan served in the Civil War-more than one per family.Jewish Detroit chronicles in photographs the history of this remarkable community in Detroit, from its growth within the city to its migration to the suburbs, from its battles against anti-Semitism at the hands of Henry Ford and others to celebrating its own heroes like Hank Greenberg, the all-star first baseman of the Detroit Tigers.
#147
Kalamazoo
2003
Since the arrival of its first settler in 1829, the story of Kalamazoo has been an interesting one. Out of the southwest Michigan wilderness, a small 19th century village quickly blossomed into a 20th century city. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a wide variety of industries made Kalamazoo a boomtown. Everything from paper, corsets, taxicabs, and pharmaceuticals allowed Kalamazoo to develop into a major center of manufacturing. At the same time, several colleges that would establish the area as a center for education were organized and expanded. Fortunately, much of Kalamazoo 's development has been well-documented through photographs and other visual illustrations. These images are the subjects of this volume, which is organized to show the varied elements of Kalamazoo 's history. Gathered from local archives and private collections, most of these rare photographs have never before been published.
#148
Kentwood
2006
In 1836, pioneers settled in a fertile, gently rolling land south of Grand Rapids. Although surveyors said the area was "not destined to amount to much," the hard-working farmers who settled Kentwood, then known as Paris Township, created a quiet, affable community where life focused on farming, family, and friends. By the 20th century, the strength of the township had attracted thousands. Whether they were fleeing city life in Grand Rapids or emigrating from other countries, everyone longed to share in the prosperity the area offered. Kentwood captures the evolution of this community as it blossomed from a rural farming area into a flourishing city. Images of farms, homes, businesses, and people document the history of a remarkable, ever-changing community.
#149
Keweenaw County
2014
Although the largest Michigan county with land and water combined, Keweenaw County is also the most sparsely populated—at least during the vicious winters. The population blooms in the summertime when seasonal residents come in droves to enjoy their little slice of heaven. The county was formed in 1861 as an offshoot of Houghton County and now encompasses the top half of the Keweenaw Peninsula, where Michigan's Upper Peninsula juts north into Lake Superior. Throughout the 1800s, the area was at the center of the copper mining boom, spurring construction of Fort Wilkins in Copper Harbor. The military outpost served to keep order among miners and the area's native inhabitants, the Ojibwa. Moving through time, Keweenaw County would also serve as a hub for the maritime, fishing, and lumbering industries before becoming the resort community it is today.
#150
Labor in Detroit
Working in the Motor City
2001
On July 24, 1701, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and his band of about 50 soldiers and fur trappers landed on the banks of the Detroit River and built Fort Pontchartrain. The village of Detroit became the fur trading capital of North America, tempting thousands of immigrants from around the globe. Showcased in nearly 200 photographs is the continued legacy of working class struggle in the Midwest's "Union Town."Detroit has always been a haven for the working class. Headquartering the most powerful industrial union in American history, the UAW, the city's labor movements have had the power to influence national urban and social policy. Captured here are Detroit's nationally recognized labor campaigns, from the first sit-downs of 1937, to the powerful unions inspired by the radical philosophies of Jimmy Hoffa and Walter Reuther. Through the contribution of arms and tanks to World War II, to the devastating decline of the unions in the 1970s and '80s, the photographs here capture the multitude of races and faces that made Detroit one of America's greatest industrial cities, and the world's undisputed Motor City.
#151
Lake City and Missaukee County
2013
Missaukee County, established in 1871 in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula, has a rich history of logging, farming, and seasonal celebrations. Lake City, located on the shores of the beautiful 2,000-acre Lake Missaukee, is known for its "Four Seasons of Fun" and as the "Christmas Tree Capital" of the nation. Scenic, freshwater lakes and streams encourage swimming, boating, fishing, and camping throughout the year. The summer season finds people enjoying the rustic beauty and celebrating the Greatest Fourth in the North festival. Opportunities for hunting, snowmobiling, skiing, and ice fishing abound during fall and winter with over 100,000 acres of public land to explore. Each fall, the Christmas tree and lumber industries are celebrated with the annual Festival of the Pines. Chapters of this book explore interesting facets of the county's history: logging, farming and agriculture, schools, sports and teams, and festivals and tourism. Discover places, people, and little known facts that define the area, including the once-thriving towns that have almost disappeared.
#152
Lake County
1871-1960
2009
Native Americans roamed the beautiful lands of northern Michigan for many years, leaving a legacy of mature forests, clear waters, and plentiful game. By 1871, waves of immigrants were arriving from Europe, as well as Union soldiers after the Civil War. These pioneers brought with them the tools, know-how, and determination to transform the wild land into an economy based on the timber, railroads, and farming. Schools, churches, businesses, and tourism blossomed. The county's 156 lakes and 46 trout streams offered pristine settings for swimming, boating, hunting, and fishing. Resorts, sporting clubs, and cottage colonies sprang up to meet the needs of seasonal visitors. Early fishing guide and hotelier Andrew J. Bradford, financiers Curtis W. MacPhail and Robert J. Smith, philanthropist Martin Johnson, and others nurtured the growth of the communities. The Civilian Conservation Corps replanted the forests and built roads, the African American resort of Idlewild showcased black entertainers, and Raymond W. Overholzer built Shrine of the Pines, all promoting the county's development.
#153
Lake Orion
2006
Orion Township, established in 1835, became a prosperous agrarian and resort community by the beginning of the 20th century. The village of Lake Orion developed as the center of commerce for township residents and a summer community of tourists and revivalists. Passenger boats and an amusement park popularized Lake Orion as a vacation destination with hotels and summer cottages. Suburban development has since transformed the landscape, but township signposts proudly display a vestige of the past: "Orion Township, where living is a vacation."
#154
Lake Superior Country
19th Century Travel and Tourism
2002
What attracted 19th century travelers to the rugged landscape of Michigan's Upper Peninsula? Most travelers had to brave the frigid, gigantic, and the often-perilous Lake Superior to gain entrance to the Upper Peninsula. But although the lake and rugged terrain often made it difficult for travelers to traverse the Upper Peninsula, it also often made travel an adventurous and enjoyable occasion. Lake Superior Country: 19th Century Travel and Tourism to Michigan's Upper Peninsula will follow these 19th century travelers, from the explorers in search of land titles and valuable mineral deposits in the early part of the century, to "literary travelers" seeking to witness the romantic region made famous by Henry W. Longfellow's poem "The Song of Hiawatha," to the sportsmen and sportswomen who found a bounty of wildlife and fishing grounds. It will also illustrate the various methods of travel undertaken by these people, from birch bark canoes, to steamers, to the railroads, and how these different methods of travel defined the overall tourist experience.
#156
The Lapeer Area
2006
Legends about the Ottawa, Chippewa, and Nepessing Indians have left an indubitable mark upon the Lapeer area. Streets, rivers, and towns sing out the melody of their ageless legacy, just as those first settlers of Lapeer left their footprints upon the towns and cities for generations to follow. Like a comfortable rocker, the lyrics of hospitality linger, whispering of a way of life not easily left within the pages of a history book. Frugal, yet compassionate, these early pioneers shared their meager provisions and scant shelters with the tribes and wayward travelers alike. Lumberjacks sawed and farmers harvested their crops, threshed their grain, raised their barns, and worshipped together. Feuds never lasted and families never parted. The people of the Lapeer area worked, voted, and played together, creating a place of beauty for the generations they would never know. The gentle rolling hillsides still ring with their music, whether it is the moccasin footsteps of the first hunter, the boot-clad lumberjack or farmer, or the European tradition of riding to the hounds-for here the panoramic view of the Lapeer area comes alive with heritage, horses, and hills.
#157
Lighthouses of Eastern Michigan
2013
From the Straits of Mackinac to the Detroit River, Images of America: Lighthouses of Eastern Michigan reveals intriguing stories of lighthouses and the people who depended on them. Readers will enjoy discovering what happened when a large ship fell 20 feet over one of the Soo Locks and the captain commented, "Good-bye Old World," as well as of a persistent ghost that caused havoc with the Coast Guard. Which lighthouse was a construction miracle in 1874? And whatever happened to the lost lighthouses of the Detroit River? A collection of the mysteries, storms, fires, and heroics surrounding the lighthouses of eastern Michigan are waiting within.
#160
Lincoln Park
2005
The origins of Lincoln Park can be traced back to the 1763 Conspiracy of Pontiac and French ribbon farms belonging to the Goodells, Keppens, Drouillards, LeBlancs, and Bourassas. This book, composed by the Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance and featuring over 200 rare photographs from the Lincoln Park Historical Museum, reveals how a sleepy agricultural community known as Quandt's Corners grew into a village and eventually a bustling business community—due in large part to Henry Ford's innovative "five dollars a day" incentive at the nearby Ford Rouge plant. Through these vintage photographs, Lincoln Park captures the events and everyday activities that have come to define one of southeastern Michigan's most distinctive communities. Featured in this collection are Lincoln Park's schools, churches, businesses, and organizations, as well as its 20th-century identity as a melting pot of Italian, Hungarian, Greek, Slovakian, and Mexican immigrants.
#162
Livonia Preserved
Greenmead and Beyond
2006
Livonia Preserved: Greenmead and Beyond tells the story of Greenmead and the Livonia Historical Village and other historic resources through photographs and other ephemera. The story begins with Livonia's earliest attempts to preserve its history at Quaker Acres, how it came into being, and the buildings that were moved to the site. These early efforts were expanded to a 100-acre farm complex-called Greenmead-acquired by the city in 1976. In addition to stories surrounding the Greenmead Historical Park, Livonia Preserved features other interesting structures and sites, such as Henry Ford's Newburg Mill, the Wilson Barn, the Felician Motherhouse, historic cemeteries, and private homes. Each of these represents a unique piece of Livonia history.
#163
Lost Ann Arbor
2004
Ann Arbor might have become just another small Michigan village had it not been for one crucial event: its designation as the home of the University of Michigan in 1837. Its subsequent development into a thriving cultural and intellectual community was marked by its extraordinary architecture, from the grand 1878 courthouse to the exquisite original university buildings and fashionable East Huron Street. The expansion of the town and university, the arrival of the automobile, and frequent fires began atransformation of Ann Arbor that led to the tragic demolition of some of its most remarkable structures. Lost Ann Arbor is a tribute to these long-lost treasures and the 19th century way of life that accompanied them.
#165
Lost Benzie County
2011
After the Civil War in the 1860s, veterans came to Benzie County and settled the farmlands, lumber companies began to harvest the timber, and railroads soon crisscrossed the landscape. Villages with churches and schools such as Nessen City and Aral came to life. Mill owners and workers and their families built company towns like Carter Siding, Averytown, and Watervale. When the lumber died out, these towns virtually disappeared, and the largest towns, such as Thompsonville and Honor, were reduced in size and population. But by then, the Ann Arbor and Pere Marquette railroads were bringing tourists to the county, and entrepreneurs turned mill towns, farmland, and lakefront into Worden's and Thompson's Resorts on Platte Lake and Robinson's and Pautz's Resorts on Crystal Lake. Today, they exist only in local lore, along with the mill towns and lumber camps that preceded them and the railroads, ships, and ferries that once transported Benzie County's people and merchandise.
#166
Lost Coldwater
2014
In 1831, Rev. Allen Tibbits and Joseph Hanchett arrived in the area that would become Coldwater. Together, they platted out a village and named it Lyons after their hometown in New York. Potawatomi Indians called the area "chuck-sey-ya-bish," which translated to "cold water," and within two years the settlers followed the Indians' example in naming the village. Many pioneers traveled on the Historic Sauk Trail (now US Route 12), which connects Detroit to Chicago, putting Coldwater on the map. The introduction of the Erie Canal in 1825—and railroad transit in 1850—revolutionized travel and spawned rapid growth. By 1861, Coldwater was recognized as a city. As a result of this growth, cottages at Coldwater Lake started showing up in the late 1870s as "summer getaways," enticing tourists to the area. In addition, cultural outlets like the Tibbits Opera House, built in 1882 and boasting Second Empire architecture, graced the downtown area.
#167
Lowell
2010
Settlement of the Lowell area centered on the confluence of the Grand and Flat Rivers. Joseph and Magdaleine LaFramboise first established a fur trading post near the Ottawa village, Segwun, where the rivers meet. The community grew as settlers poured into the area attracted by the growing lumber industry and rich farmland. Diverse businesses emerged including a cutter factory, a vibrant clamming industry, and the state's oldest family-run flour mill. A unique feature of the area is Fallasburg Historic Village. Once an active mill town on the Flat River, Fallasburg slid into obscurity when the railroad passed it by. At the height of the Great Depression, businessmen of Lowell joined together to build a showboat to draw visitors to town. The Lowell Showboat is now one of the most recognizable attractions in Lowell. This book explores both well known and more obscure aspects of Lowell's history through a wealth of images, many never published before.
#168
Ludington Car Ferries
2010
Not-a-pe-ka-gon was the Native American name given to the Ludington area and translates as "heads on sticks." The name refers to a battle between the Ottawa and Mascouten Indians in the 17th century that raged along the river toward Lake Michigan. The heads of the defeated Mascoutens were placed on sticks as a warning to all. Later a bluff overlooking the lake and river was the site of the 1675 death of Fr. Jacques Marquette, a Jesuit missionary and explorer. When the first settlers of European descent arrived, they gave the name of Pere Marquette to their village, lake, and river in honor of the fallen missionary. Eventually renamed after lumber baron James Ludington, the community became a bustling maritime port and the home of the largest car ferry fleet in the world.
#169
Ludington
1830-1930
2005
The lumbering industry brought thousands of workers and their families to labor in the mills of Ludington and in the forests along the Pere Marquette River in the 19th century. Though some moved on to new lumbering areas, many remained and prospered as Ludington grew to become a manufacturing, transportation, and tourism center in the 20th century. Ludington: 1830-1930 features more than 220 images from the collection assembled by Ludington historian James L. Cabot, which show the progress of the community from a lumber-era boom town to a solid and enduring city. The book focuses on Ludington people and places during this pivotal century. Notable events chronicled within include the 1876 assassination of Luther H. Foster, the precipitous decline in lumbering in the 1890s, and the completion of the Million Dollar Harbor, which in 1914 confirmed the city's status as an important Great Lakes port.
#173
Madison Heights
2014
Madison Heights is known as the "City of Progress," with high levels of community spirit and volunteerism. Incorporated as a city on January 17, 1955, the area grew from contiguous, productive farmlands in the mid-1800s. Pioneering families such as Kendall and Lamphere contributed portions of their land for one-room schools. Later, mom-and-pop stores, automobile services, and taverns gave rise to the first businesses. The area, then known as Royal Oak Township, saw major growth following World War II, when many residents were employed by the auto industry. With a population expanding to over 40,000, the area offered a wide range of homes, senior housing, three quality school districts, and a variety of recreational, sports, and church opportunities for community involvement through numerous organizations. Emphasis has shifted from auto manufacturing to light industrial, medical, and technology companies. Madison Heights is a city of "hometown" warmth, and all of these qualities are illustrated through photographs and personal recollections in Images of America: Madison Heights.
#174
Maltese in Detroit
2011
Most Maltese immigrants came to the United States during the first decades of the 20th century after the discharge of skilled workers from the Royal British Dockyard in 1919 following the end of World War I. More than 1,300 Maltese came to the United States in the first quarter of 1920. Many people found work in the automobile industry, and with about 5,000 residents, Detroit had the largest Maltese population in the United States. Maltese in Detroit focuses on the many people of Maltese descent who made their homes in Detroit's Corktown area. By the mid-1920s, it is believed that more than 15,000 Maltese had settled in the United States. After World War II, the Maltese government launched a program to pay passage for Maltese willing to immigrate and remain abroad for at least two years. By the mid-1990s, an estimated more than 70,000 Maltese immigrants and descendants were living in the United States, with the largest single community in Detroit and its surrounding suburbs.
#175
Manistee County
2006
Between 1860 and 1900, some say, Michigan lumber made more fortunes than California gold. Many of those fortunes were made in Manistee. Home to hardworking, self-made millionaires, Manistee also became a thriving cultural center, with elegant architecture, theatrical performances, and intellectual societies that debated the issues of the day. Steamers and schooners brought tourists across Lake Michigan to stroll the grand streets, relax on the beaches of Onekama's Portage Point Inn, or attend the latest play at the Ramsdell Theater. Manistee County also offered opportunities for America's newest immigrants. Drawn by the promise of land and economic opportunity, the new arrivals established communities in the city and surrounding townships. For some of these settlers, such as the Finns who founded Kaleva or the small religious community of Brethren, Manistee County held the promise of utopia. When the lumber era ended, Manistee County reinvented itself, replacing sawmills and lumberyards with salt wells, hydroelectric dams, and power plants. As it continued to draw tourists from across the lake and along newly built roads, Manistee County entered the modern age with a vibrant future to match its fascinating history.
#176
Manistique
2009
Manistique, as with many towns in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, became a boomtown as interest in natural resources made its westward movement. The area was first populated by Native Americans and occasional fur traders. Fr. Frederic Baraga made his appearance in the early 1800s bringing Christianity, but development of the area did not begin until the latter part of the 1800s. With the eastern United States' timber gone, Manistique was discovered in the 1870s and the timber rush began. Until the early 1900s, Manistique was a boomtown with sawmills, subsidiary companies, and supporting merchants and services. Once the timber was cut, the companies moved westward to find more timber and Manistique was left behind. As time went along in the last century, Manistique retained a few industries, but its primary focus has become serving as a mecca for tourism.
#178
Maritime Bay County
2009
Since the 1830s when the first hints of permanent settlement appeared on the banks near the mouth of the Saginaw River, the river and bay have supported the busy traffic of a major Great Lakes seaport, the humming saws of hundreds of lumber mills, the waves caused by countless vessel launches, and the many other sounds, sights, and smells indicative of industry and innovation. Bay City and West Bay City became major players in the lumbering, shipping, and shipbuilding industries on the Great Lakes from the mid-1800s into the 19th century. Indeed, innovation and perseverance have been the keys to Bay County's world-class maritime industry and culture that are still apparent today.
#179
Maritime Grand Haven
Coast Guard City USA
2006
Settlers arrived at the mouth of the Grand River on November 2, 1834. Their community was christened Grand Haven, as it offered a secure harbor. As the logging industry grew, shipping expanded, and Grand Haven Harbor became especially busy during the financial boom and westward expansion that followed the Civil War. Northwest Ottawa County became an established resort destination, and passenger boats frequented the harbor as well. Heavy traffic through Grand Haven caused concern about shipwrecks. The first crew of lifesavers was formed in 1871 and soon joined the United States Lifesaving Service. In 1915, the United States Lifesaving Service merged with the United States Coast Guard. Grand Haven has long had a proud association with these dedicated crews, and in 1998, the relationship was marked when Congress designated it "Coast Guard City USA."
#180
Maritime South Haven
1900-1950
2004
The period between 1900 and 1950 was a time of great change for the small lakeside village of South Haven. During this pivotal era, the town was transformed from a rough commercial port into a beautiful tourist attraction. Although South Haven is now entirely a recreational harbor, this compilation of archival photographs provides a glimpse of an earlier time when shipments of coal, stone, pig iron, paper pulp, and clay came to port instead of pleasure boaters. Showcasing the remarkable photography of Roy S. McCrimmon, Maritime South Haven: 1900-1950 documents South Haven's nautical heritage with images of large foreign freighters, hardy fish tugs, bustling passenger steamers, carefree pleasure cruisers, and sprightly sailboats.
#182
Marshall
2007
A charming Michigan town and recipient of the Dozen Distinctive Destinations award by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Marshall boasts homes and businesses that are immaculately restored architectural gems whose styles include Gothic Revival, Queen Anne, and Second Empire. To stroll along the streets here, past the Honolulu House, home to the Marshall Historical Society and a paean to a 19th-century judge's passion for the tropics, toward the National House, an old stagecoach inn dating back to the 1840s and now a thriving bed-and-breakfast, is to appreciate the homage to the past that has kept this jewel of a town a major travel destination for those who honor history. History comes alive to those dining at Winn Schuler's, the oldest restaurant in the state and a mainstay in downtown Marshall since the beginning of the 20th century. In Marshall, it is easy to step back in time and enjoy all that life had to offer to travelers of a different era.
#184
Meridian Township
2015
Meridian Township began as a collection of small pioneer communities. Pine Lake was the largest body of water in Ingham County, and Native tribes camped along its shores and cut a trail along the west side of the lake. White pioneers appeared in 1836 and began to turn the thick forests into viable farmland. In the late 19th century, James Haslett helped establish a community focused on the practices of spiritualism. The new Haslett Park community hosted a summer camp for believers, and the little Pine Lake community was renamed Haslett and the lake to Lake Lansing. The village of Okemos began as a settlement along the Red Cedar River, the major waterway south of Lake Lansing. The area was the seasonal campsite for Chief Okemos and his Chippewa and Ottawa followers. The community was originally named Sanford after the first white settler, renamed Hamilton after Andrew Hamilton, and finally to Okemos in honor of the old chief who died in the 1850s.
#185
Michigan Humane Society
Animal Welfare in Detroit, 1877-2002
2002
Throughout its 125 years of service, the Michigan Humane Society has played an integral role in the development of Detroit and its commitment to social service. Early policy makers, officers, and board members of the Michigan Humane Society included prominent Detroiters such as Henry Ford, Mr. and Mrs. Abner Larned, Frank Cody, Mrs. Henry Ledyard, Mr. and Mrs. John Dodge, and Thomas W. Palmer, who later went on to become a U.S. Senator. These dedicated individuals possessed a vision that set the course for today's Michigan Humane Society. Early Society efforts focused on improving the working conditions and treatment of the city's work horses, protecting women and children from abuse and neglect, and teaching humane values. Today's Michigan Humane Society provides for the rescue, shelter, veterinary care, and placement of domestic animals, as well as the rescue, rehabilitation, and relocation of wild and exotic animals.
#186
Michigan Memorial Park
2007
In 1926, a former two-time University of Michigan All-American football hero decided that a pastoral area of Huron Township could be transformed into a cemetery. Two years later, Michigan Memorial Park opened its gates to begin serving the needs of this growing community tucked away in a corner of the township located southwest of Detroit. Bordering on the peaceful Huron River, this former home to the Wyandott tribe and later French settlers has become a sprawling 300-acre parcel of land still surrounded by woods and farmland. It is Michigan's largest nondenominational cemetery whose ownership has remained in the same family for four generations. Thousands of trees, a plethora of sculptures and fountains, and swan-filled ponds adorn the gardenlike grounds adding to the tranquility experienced by all those who visit. Michigan Memorial Park has remained one of the pillars of the community, not only providing a resting place for many thousands who have passed away but also giving back to the community through its involvement in civic activities.
#187
Michigan Oil and Gas
2006
Michigan is commonly recognized as a manufacturing center and for its splendid tourist attractions. Lesser known is Michigan's role as a leader in the production of oil and gas. Since the discovery of commercial quantities of oil in Saginaw in 1925, Michigan has grown to become the 12th-largest natural gas and 17th-largest crude oil producer of the 34 states producing oil and gas. Michigan's petroleum heritage spans 64 of the state's 68 Lower Peninsula counties and has played a role in shielding communities from the financial devastation of the Great Depression, funding acquisition of hundreds of public recreation projects through the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, and rising to meet environmental challenges through improving technologies. Michigan Oil and Gas documents that heritage with photographs from the Clarke Historical Library Norman X. Lyon and Michigan Oil & Gas News Collections.
#188
Michigan State Fair
2010
First held in 1849 in Detroit, the location of the Michigan State Fair rotated in the early years between Detroit, Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo, Adrian, Jackson, Grand Rapids, East Saginaw, Lansing, and Pontiac before settling permanently in Detroit. When Detroit department store magnate Joseph L. Hudson sold 135 acres of Woodward Avenue farmland to the Michigan State Agricultural Society in 1905 for $1, the permanent home of the Michigan State Fair was established. On February 12, 2009, Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm signed an executive order effectively ending a 160-year tradition—the Michigan State Fair.
#189
Michigan State Ferries
2007
For half a century, the Mackinac Bridge has connected Michigan's peninsulas. Before that, only ferryboats crossed the historic Straits of Mackinac. Huge, ice-crushing railroad ferries first appeared in the 1880s. But by the 1920s, growing automobile ownership, improved roads, and creative tourism promotion brought demands for better, cheaper, and more frequent service. Politicians listened, and in 1923, Michigan became the first state to operate a ferry as part of its highway department. The "Great White Fleet" began with just a tiny used boat and ended with a flotilla including the largest, most powerful ice-breaking ferry in the world. The operation became the biggest employer in the region while battling severe winter weather, partisan politics, and ever-growing lines of summer motorists. Over 34 years, Michigan State ferries united communities, built businesses, and transported millions of eager tourists and travelers across the Great Lakes' "Water Wonderland."
#190
Michigan's Drive-In Theaters
2014
Few American phenomena are more evocative of time, place, and culture than the drive-in theater. From its origins in the Great Depression, through its peak in the 1950s and 1960s and ultimately its slow demise in the 1980s, the drive-in holds a unique place in the country's collective past. Michigan's drive-ins were a reflection of this time and place, ranging from tiny rural 200-car "ozoners" to sprawling 2,500-car behemoths that were masterpieces of showmanship, boasting not only movies and food, but playgrounds, pony rides, merry-go-rounds, and even roving window washers.
#191
Midland
Her Continuing Story
2002
Once a small settlement at the junction of the Tittabawassee and Chippewa Rivers, Midland began as a humble community and grew to become a testament to industrialization. Settlers populated the city and ambitiously founded a tiny lumbering village, which soon developed into a regional hub of the lumbering industry. Nearly a century after it was settled, Midland County experienced an oil boom, and consequently became the state's leader in oil production, bringing prosperity and further industrialization to the area. In their previous book, Midland: The Way We Were, Virginia Florey and Leona Seamster documented the significant people and places that have shaped Midland's rich history. In their second installment, Midland: Her Continuing Story, they have included the history of neighboring towns-Averill, Sanford, Coleman, Hope, and Edenville-that played a significant role in the lumbering era. Through nearly 200 historical photographs and a collection of unprecedented personal stories, Florey and Seamster again explore this fascinating region and focus on its proud heritage as an industrial leader.
#193
Midwest Skiing
A Glance Back
2000
The history of skiing in the Midwest closely parallels the history of the settling of the region. The Norwegians, Finns, and Swedes who emigrated to the Midwest brought with them this sport, one that began as necessary means of transportation in their native Scandinavian homelands. Whether it be the excitement of the cross country race, or the daring young men and women risking life and limb jumping the hills, skiing captured the imagination of the immigrants and locals alike. Together they formed local ski clubs and participated in competitions across the region throughout the long winter months, and many of these same daredevils showcased their talents to the world as members of US Olympic teams. Midwest Skiing: A Glance Back is a stunning visual history that allows us to look back not only on the early times and places, but the people who made this pastime into one of the most popular recreational and competitive sports.
#194
Milan
2010
John Marvin started the town of Milan in 1831 by placing a two-story log building beside a dirt Native American trail. The Saline River was just a few steps away. About that time, Native Americans were either moving to reservations west of Michigan or blending in with the melting pot. Milan and its neighboring communities, such as Azalia, Paint Creek, and Mooreville, grew quickly with the influx of settlers from out East. Shoemakers arrived, along with grocers, flour mills, and even cheese factories. The Milan Area Historical Society holds a treasure trove of photographs, maps, and drawings showing the heritage in and around Milan. One of its citizens was nationally known for his scale inventions. Other citizens achieved notoriety for pulling off a stock scam in New York promoting the Electric Sugar Refining Company. Two magnificent homes near Milan were built with "sugar money."
#196
Monroe
The Early Years
2005
One of the oldest settlements in Michigan, Monroe is a treasure trove of American history.
The area had been occupied by various cultures of indigenous people for hundreds of years and later claimed by French explorers before becoming part of the Michigan Territory following the Revolutionary War, explaining the town's previous name of Frenchtown. The Monroe area is national known as the site of the Battles and Massacre of the River Raisin, among the largest engagement of the War of 1812, and it was after the war that the town was renamed in honor of Pres. James Monroe. Perhaps the town is better known as the home of Gen. George Armstrong Custer, the Civil War hero who valiantly led Union troops to victory, only to perish at the Battle of Little Bighorn. This collection uses rare images and historical insights to document and celebrate Monroe's early development, military legacy, architectural splendor, and legendary figures.
#199
Mount Pleasant
1854-1954
2003
Nestled on the scenic Chippewa River, the city of Mount Pleasant, Michigan, is home to a unique community with a vibrant heritage. An area first inhabited by the Saginaw Chippewa tribe, it has evolved from a humble settlement into a center of commerce, relying upon agriculture, lumbering, oil and gas, banking, and higher education throughout its first century. Although the source of its prosperity has changed over the years, Mount Pleasant's pioneering spirit has remained constant. This book utilizes a collection of archival photographs drawn from the Clarke Historical Library to document Mount Pleasant's progress and expansion from 1854 through 1954.
#201
New Baltimore
2013
The city of New Baltimore is a waterfront community that has evolved from an early manufacturing and shipping community to one with resort ships bringing tourists to visit world-class hotels, as well as being the epicenter of an interurban railroad system between Port Huron and Detroit and, in modern times, a friendly waterfront community. The area post office was established in 1851 and called Ashleyville for founder Alfred Ashley. In 1867, New Baltimore officially became a village, and it soon prospered and grew. The village became a city in 1931 and annexed land from St. Clair County, which meant leaving the governing authority of Chesterfield Township.
#202
Newaygo County
1850-1920
2006
Pioneers in Newaygo County were motivated by the call of adventure and a chance to make a fortune in the vast wilderness. The first settlers came to lumber the virgin white pine that grew in the Newaygo forests. The Muskegon River flowed through the region and, along with the White River and many creeks and lakes, offered a major waterway to float logs to Lake Michigan. As early as 1837, Newaygo loggers were floating logs to market, becoming large contributors to the lumbering industry. Lumber from Newaygo County was used to rebuild Chicago after the Great Fire of 1871. In 1851, legislature gave Newaygo independence to form a county and Newaygo County entered a growth spurt that continues to this day. With the coming of the railroad in 1872 and a rapid increase in population, small settlements started popping up. As areas became logged out, many of these settlements died and have been long forgotten; many others remained and thrive today. Newaygo County: 1850-1920 preserves the history of these settlements and the people who built them.
#204
Northville
2010
Most of the first pioneers came from New York by steamship across Lake Erie, disembarking in Detroit in the 1820s. From Detroit, it would take three days of treacherous travel through dense forests, thick brush, and swampy countryside to reach their destination;a hilly region in the northwest corner of Plymouth Township that would come to be called Northville. In the nearly 200 years since the first pioneers cleared the land and established their homesteads, Northville has distinguished itself as one of southeast Michigan's most desirable communities. Its rich historical heritage and small-town charm are evident in the stately Victorian architecture of the city's vibrant downtown and tree-lined neighborhoods. Surrounded by the rolling hills of adjoining Northville Township, the community has been shaped by generations of stakeholders committed to creating and maintaining Northville's picturesque and prosperous identity. Throughout its storied history, Northville has been home to the world's largest manufacturer of school furniture, the site of aviation pioneer Eddie Stinson's aircraft company, and the location for one of automotive legend Henry Ford's first village industries, the Northville Valve Plant.
#205
Novi
1998
From a peaceful farming community to a thrivingcommercial suburb, Novi, Michigan, has undergone manyperiods of dramatic change, creating the rich history that is explored in this volume. This collection of over 200 photographs provides afascinating record of the development of Novi throughthe 19th and 20th centuries. In the early days of westward exploration, the fertile land surrounding Detroit attracted the first settlers of Novi. The town grew quickly after the 1825 opening of the Erie Canal, and by 1830, a bustling business district had emerged. The major changes came in the 1950s, with the building of freeways that cut directly throughthe heart of Novi. The sudden easy access to Detroit and Lansing ensured the town's future as a true American suburb. Shopping centers soon followed in the tire tracks of the freeway, and the area rapidly expanded.
#206
Oak Park
2012
When Oak Park became a city in 1945, the community was not much different from the village that was carved out of Royal Oak Township 18 years earlier. Its population had barely increased, and there was just one paved road connecting Oak Park to Detroit; however, big changes were coming. Thousands of veterans returned home after World War II, started families, and bought homes with the assistance of the GI Bill. By 1950, Oak Park was recognized as Detroit's first northwest suburb. The residential character of the community was attractive to families, and in 1956 Oak Park was the nation's fastest-growing city. By 1976, the city's demographics were dramatically changing. In the 1980s, media stories focused on its extraordinary ethnic diversity within a population of 31,000. When the I-696 Freeway opened in 1990, what had once been a tiny rural village became the center of the region's network of expressways. Through all the changes, the family quality of Oak Park has endured, as illustrated by seven decades of photographs and personal recollections.
#207
Oakdale
The Lapeer State Home
2014
The Lapeer State Home has been a large part of the history of Lapeer County since its beginnings in 1895. After starting with three buildings and housing for 200 patients, the facility grew to encompass several hundred acres and, at its peak, accommodating over 4,000 patients. The history of the home includes a variety of memories from staff members, patients, and visitors who once walked its halls. Images of America: Oakdale: The Lapeer State Home provides a journey of this historic institution and attempts to bring some clarity to questions that remain about the home and its past.
#209
Ogemaw County
2009
Ogemaw County, which got its name from the Chippewa chief Ke-ke-to, was organized in 1840, and in 1870, the first permanent population arrived along with the railroads. The white pines brought lumbermen as early as 1863, but by 1890, the pines were gone and only hardwoods remained. Today the county boasts 119 lakes among its forests, artesian wells, and the Rifle River, which begins in Devoe Lake and is favored by outdoor recreationists. The Smiley water tower greets travelers as they arrive here, the last stop for food and gasoline in a vacationer's journey "up north." Step back in time to visit Karcher's and Gould's Drug Stores, the dairy bar, the marl plant, and the Monoghan, Richland, and West Branch Hotels. Remember trout festivals past and the Ogemaw County Fair, as well as Ogemaw's residents who danced holes in their shoes at the Graceland Ballroom with members of Detroit's infamous Purple Gang.
#210
Old Chicago Road
US-12 from Detroit to Chicago
2011
With origins dating back to the end of the last ice age, the road known as Michigan Avenue was most familiar to early settlers as the "Old Sauk Trail." Old Chicago Road: US-12 from Detroit to Chicago traces one of America's oldest and most famous routes—from its eastern origin at the very center of Detroit to its western terminus on the north side of Chicago. Vintage views, many of which have never before been published, explore the cities, towns, and villages along its path. While it has been known by many names throughout its history, the road continues to weave a unique American story in its present form as modern-day thoroughfare US-12.
#212
Otsego and Plainwell
2006
In 1831, Samuel Foster and his family built a log house near the rapids of the Kalamazoo River at what is now downtown Otsego. Soon others interested in utilizing the power afforded by the river set up sawmills and grain mills for newly arriving settlers, and the beginnings of a town quickly took shape. In the 1900s, Otsego became synonymous with the paper industry, and for a while, seven paper mills were in operation at the same time. Plainwell, originally called Plainfield and the Junction, situated itself at the crossroads of the old plank roads that led to Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Allegan. Here too, the paper industry played an important part in the growth of Plainwell. Since the downtown area is completely surrounded by the Kalamazoo River and a millrace, it is now referred to as the Island City." Plainwell's historic heritage is evident today through its quaint downtown architecture and beautifully restored neighborhood homes. Otsego and Plainwell have grown up close to each other and share their stories, families, and traditions."
#213
Plainfield Township
2008
Lovely plains and beautiful fields greeted settlers eager to put down roots in the area north of the growing city of Grand Rapids. The northernmost point of the Grand River and its environs, including the Rogue River joining the Grand nearby, offered folks everything they needed: river and road travel, good farmland, plenty of forestland, and enough space to grow and prosper. Soon the area was known as Plainfield Township, with the bustling Plainfield Village at its center. Small communities grew up around the township, including Belmont and Comstock Park that exist today but also Konkle Town and Childsdale, which do not. Plainfield Village is gone as well, but the spirit of those early pioneers lives on. Today Plainfield Township is a combination of city and country, businesses and farms, and longtime residents and those just discovering the beauty of this area that still boasts plains and fields.
#214
Plymouth's Air Rifle Industry
2013
In the late 19th century, the Rockwellian city of Plymouth, Michigan, became the breeding ground for competitive air-rifle companies, putting this still-thriving suburban Detroit community on the map. Plymouth’s Air Rifle Industry hones in on the three air-rifle companies and the spin-off .22-caliber rifle company that dominated the Plymouth landscape for years. William “Philip” Markham and his company, the Markham Air Rifle Company, first received an air-rifle patent in 1887. The Plymouth Iron Windmill Company entered the competition in 1888, when founder Clarence Hamilton introduced his prototype to the board of directors. After firing the rifle, general manager Lewis Cass Hough declared, “Boy, that’s a Daisy,” and the Daisy air rifle was born; the company was renamed in 1895. The Plymouth Air Rifle Company opened in 1888 and ceased to exist after its building burned in 1894. Hamilton went on to develop a .22-caliber rifle and started the Hamilton Manufacturing Company in 1898. The rifle era ended when the last of the competitors, Daisy, moved to Rogers, Arkansas, in 1958.
#215
Plymouth's First Century
Innovators and Industry
2002
The year 2002 marks the 175th anniversary of the founding of Plymouth Township in Michigan Territory. The first settlers were true pioneers, carving a living out of the wilderness and working together to establish a community. Farms and farmers were the backbone of the community until after the Civil War when two railroads intersected in the Village of Plymouth. The railroads brought many opportunities to the area, and helped spread the products invented by an innovative population. Plymouth, Michigan's First Century: Innovators and Industry contains more than 200 images from the Plymouth Historical Museum and from the collections of some of Plymouth's current residents. You'll see the township blossom from farms and mills to a cohesive community of inventors and patriots. Early images of the main business block of Plymouth Village are reminiscent of the Wild West; later images depict a vibrant community, as it remains today.
#216
Pontiac
2010
Detroit's first mayor, Solomon Sibley, and his wife, Sarah (Sproat) Sibley, were responsible for organizing a group that set out in 1818 for a plot of land 30 miles north, at the confluence of the Huron River of St. Clair (now the Clinton) and several Native American trails. The future town would be named for Pontiac, the warrior chief of the Ottawa Nation, best known for his "Indian uprising" of 1763 against the British at Fort Detroit and Fort Michilimackinac. Many of Pontiac's founding fathers were veterans of the War of 1812. They named their new streets for heroic figures of those struggles: Lawrence, Perry, and Clinton. Two years after settlement, Pontiac became the county seat for Oakland. It would also become a mill town, railroad hub, wagon and buggy manufacturing center, the site of a state asylum, and a mecca for automotive industries. Pontiac was the nation's leading manufacturer of trucks and buses, before and during the heyday of General Motors Truck and Coach division. The construction of the Pontiac Airport in 1928 only enhanced the city's role in southeast Michigan. It has long been a cultural melting pot. Today Pontiac is known as the northern Woodward Avenue terminus for the annual "Dream Cruise."
#217
The Portland Area
1869-1939
2005
In the early 1830s, a man named Elisha Newman made the first land claim in the area that later became Portland, Michigan. Newman was attracted by the excellent location at the confluence of the Grand and Looking Glass Rivers. He was not the first to be drawn to this area, as it had already been occupied for many years by the Chippewa and Ottawa tribes of Native Americans. After its 1836 settlement by European Americans, Portland steadily grew into an economic and industrial center of Ionia County. In 1869, Portland was incorporated as a village. This book contains nearly 200 photographs and illustrations that both document and celebrate life in the Portland area from 1869 through the years just prior to World War II, a time when the banks of the Grand and Looking Glass Rivers were teeming with industry and the downtown streets were bustling with activity.
#219
R.E. Olds and Industrial Lansing
2004
An engaging history of the beginnings of Lansing's R.E. Olds. Upon the dedication of a new Capitol building in 1879, the city of Lansing was just beginning to emerge from the swampy wilderness of its recent past. As industry began to take root along the banks of the Grand River, Ransom Eli Olds brought his father's motor shop to national prominence with advancements in gasoline and steam engines, and then horseless carriages. By the early 20th century, Oldsmobile became the world's first mass producer of automobiles and Olds had moved on to found a second car company, making Lansing the first Auto City. Through these efforts, Olds rose to become one of the nation's greatest industrialists and entrepreneurs. Using primary documents and historical images, this book traces the industrial history of the Capital City within the context of one of the 20th century's greatest entrepreneurs, R.E.
#220
Remembering Detroit's Olympia Stadium
2001
For over a half century Olympia Stadium was THE entertainment venue in Detroit. Almost every major sports and entertainment event was played there. The major tenant was the Detroit Red Wings. Most of the major touring ice shows also skated at the Olympia; great entertainers such as Elvis, the Beatles, KISS, Isaac Hayes, Alice Cooper, Lawrence Welk, John Denver, the Lone Ranger, and the Globetrotters stopped by to perform.In Remembering Detroit's Olympia Stadium, the author leads the reader on a fascinating journey, through the use of over 200 historic photographs, allowing us a glimpse into that building on Grand River and McGraw that was a second home to many. This volume also features the people behind the scenes who made the popcorn, cleaned the ice, sold drinks and food; took your tickets; saw you to your seats. The media, which reported the events on radio, TV, and in the newspapers, and the Red Wing Alumni who have been skating for over 40 years in old timers games rising money for charities, are all part of this celebration of Detroit's history.
#225
Rochester and Rochester Hills
2011
Rochester and Rochester Hills grew in a territory of three rivers, abundantly fertile pastures, and rolling oak forests on land once considered uninhabitable. Though only 30 miles from Detroit, official government reports of swampy and barren land deterred settlers. In 1817, the Graham family disregarded these reports, instead following the advice of Native Americans to reach a territory governed by a triumvirate of creeks, which were forceful enough to power several mills yet gentle enough to support thriving farms. Only 20 years later, every plot in Rochester had been sold. Later the village was made a stop on the network of Michigan railroads, cementing its fate as a vigorous and popular community. With a past boasting such illustrious citizens as auto baron John Dodge and internationally prominent obstetrician Dr. Bertha Van Hoosen, with corporations like Parke-Davis and philanthropic organizations such as Leader Dogs for the Blind, Rochester remains a source of innovative, leadership as well as a model for successful suburbia.
#226
Rockford
2009
One of the first settlers to build a mill on the Rogue River was Smith Lapham. The village that developed by the millpond was called Laphamville. After the Civil War, the townas name was changed to Rockford. The picturesque Rogue River and the city are symbiotic entities. The river was first dammed to provide power for lumber mills and gristmills. Later it supplied electricity for families, commerce, and manufacturing. For many years, Rockford has been known as the home of shoe manufacturer Wolverine World Wide. The sad-eyed canine logo for Hush Puppies footwear is instantly recognizable throughout the world. Many residents continue to be employed there.
#227
Romeo
2004
Romeo was originally known as Indian Village, dating back to a time when it served as a winter campground for a band of Chippewa Indians. Asahel Bailey was one of the first settlers, arriving in Romeo in 1822, and soon, others followed. The Village of Romeo was platted and named in 1830 and incorporated in 1838. Over the course of the next several decades, more families arrived, homes and businesses were established, and the village began to take shape. This book tells the story of Romeo's evolution from a humble pioneer settlement to a modern community which now welcomes 250,000 visitors to its spectacular Peach Festival each year.
#228
The Romeo Peach Festival
2006
In 1813, Michael Bowerman built a cabin two miles south of what later became Romeo. Bowerman carried a small number of peach pits from his father's farm in New York, introducing the popular fruit to Macomb County and establishing the roots of today's Westview Orchards. In 1931, hoping for an economic boost, area orchard managers convinced village president Edward Jacob to create a festival. Jacob embraced the idea and traveled to northern Michigan to study the Michigan Cherry Festival in Traverse City. Upon his return, the first annual peach festival was held with much success with the cooperation of local merchants. Held on Labor Day weekend in Romeo, and called the Romeo Peach Festival by the locals, the Michigan Peach Festival has been sponsored by the Lions Club since 1951 and is the second-oldest festival in the state. In honor of the 75th anniversary, a collection of over 200 photographs has been assembled, including images of Peach Queens, the Floral Parade, and the surrounding orchards.
#229
Roseville
2015
Contrary to popular notion (and the city's street and welcome signs, which feature an iconic rose bloom), Roseville is not named after the flower but after Denison Rose, a hero of the War of 1812. His son William Rose was named the first postmaster in 1836. Roseville incorporated as a village in 1926 and as a city in 1958. Known as a "bedroom community" because of its location halfway between Detroit and Mount Clemens, the city reached its maximum population in 1970. Today, Roseville is experiencing a major commercial boom that includes a renovation of Macomb Mall, one of the first malls in the country.
#231
S.S. Badger
The Lake Michigan Car Ferry
2003
One of the last operating coal-burning steamships in the world, the S.S. Badger provides travelers and their automobiles with what is now the only opportunity to ferry across Lake Michigan. Each summer, thousands of tourists enjoy sailing the 60-mile run between Ludington, Michigan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin. In 1892, the Ann Arbor Railroad Company introduced a fleet of cross-lake ferries intended to transport railroad cars. By 1897, the Pere Marquette Railroad launched its own fleet out of Ludington, beginning with the S.S. Pere Marquette. For decades, these ships carried freight, and eventually automobiles and people, across Lake Michigan. Today, only the Badger remains. Through a unique collection of archival and contemporary images, this book documents the S.S. Badger's historic career as a provider of cross-lake transport. Vintage advertisements, memorable photographs, rare diagrams, and informative text reveal the fascinating details behind the Lake Michigan Car Ferry's now-rare steam propulsion system, her design and layout, and her development from an icebreaking railroad ferry to a seasonal passenger ferry.
#232
S.S. City of Midland 41
2004
The historic steamship City of Midland 41 sailed the waters of Lake Michigan for nearly half a century, transporting railroad cars, automobiles, and passengers. After her construction in 1941 by the revered Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company, the nation's newspapers and newsreel services covered her launching and maiden voyage with enthusiastic flair. In time, she became the most beloved of all the Great Lakes car ferries. She was built as the flagship for the Pere Marquette Railway's Lake Michigan ferry fleet, and signified a bold departure from traditional Great Lakes vessel design. Her sleek outboard profile, spacious passenger accommodations, and modern interior furnishings were a hit with the traveling public. By the time she was retired from service in 1988, she had served both the Pere Marquette and Chesapeake & Ohio Railroads, transported thousands of travelers as a passenger ferry, and become known as the "Queen of the Great Lakes Car Ferries."
#233
S.S. City of Milwaukee
2011
After the Grand Trunk car ferry SS Milwaukee was lost with a crew of 52 men in an October 1929 storm, it was replaced by the SS City of Milwaukee. Built in 1931, the ferry operated for half a century, hauling loaded railcars across Lake Michigan. Serving the majority of her career with the Grand Trunk Milwaukee Car Ferry Company, the ship spent her last few operational years sailing for the Ann Arbor Railroad. She survives today as the last unaltered example of a Great Lakes railroad car ferry designed with twin stacks, a classic profile, and triple-expansion engines. Now a museum ship and a National Historic Landmark, this remarkable vessel serves as a living memorial to the car ferries and the dedicated crews that sailed them.
#234
Saginaw
2011
Saginaw's history begins with its river system; the first inhabitants of the area were the Chippewa Indians who used the Saginaw, Shiawassee, and Tittabawassee Rivers for transportation, fishing, and rice harvesting. In 1675, Jesuit priest Fr. Henri Nouvel arrived by canoe from St. Ignace in the Upper Peninsula to minister to the local tribes. As the first European visitor, he arrived before the rivers brought the fur traders, who established trading posts to barter with the Native Americans. In 1819, territorial governor Lewis Cass negotiated a treaty with the Native Americans in which millions of acres of their land was ceded to the U.S. government. After the treaty, settlers began to arrive, and lumber barons from the East found that the rivers could transport logs from the woods to the sawmills that dotted the Saginaw River. After the lumber industry waned, many varied trades came into being, and a long list of famous names are connected to the growth of the city. A small selection of early developers, heroes, and modern-day entrepreneurs are featured in this book.
#235
Saginaw County
2003
As part of the Northwest Territory, the Saginaw wilderness was not organized into a county until January 28, 1835. When Canadian, Scottish, German, and Irish pioneers began to settle along the region's many rivers, small communities developed-Burt, Birch Run, Bridgeport, Frankenmuth, Freeland, Hemlock, Merrill, St. Charles, Chesaning, Oakley, and Zilwaukee-in addition to larger towns such as Carrollton, Saginaw City, and East Saginaw. Using stories and photographs collected from life-long residents and historical societies throughout Saginaw County, this book documents the colorful lumbering, agricultural, and industrial past of these communities from the mid-1800s through the early 1900s.
#236
Salem Township
2010
Before white settlers came to the area that is now Salem Township, Potawatomi Indians hunted and fished in a forest filled with abundant wildlife. The settlers cleared the trees to work the land and built a lumber mill along Little Rabbit River. Salem was primarily a farming community carved out by hardworking pioneers. Four towns were established to serve this farming community: Diamond Springs to the south, New Salem to the north, and Burnips Corners and Salem Center (now known as Burnips) in the center. In 1855, Salem Township separated from Monterey Township; then, in the 1930s, the discovery of oil brought financial relief to Salem farm families who struggled to maintain their farms. A new wave of residents came to settle in the Salem area as men seeking work in the oil fields brought their families to the community.
#237
Saline
2003
Since settlers first arrived in the early 1800s, the city of Saline has developed into a strong community with deep cultural roots. This informative book documents Saline's development and progress, exploring settlement, transportation, agriculture, architecture, business, and education through rare archival photographs. Author Susan Kosky takes readers on a detailed visual tour of Saline's rich history, revealing the remarkable people, places, and events that have shaped the area and made it what it is today.
#239
Sault Ste. Marie
2008
Sault Ste. Marie was destined to be a gathering place. Native Americans relied on the rapids of the St. Mary's River, which links two Great Lakes, Superior and Huron, for a year-round supply of fish. Its population swelled in the summer—a tradition that continued as French traders came to turn in their pelts and celebrate the end of another long, hard winter. After the Revolutionary War, the Sault, as it is called, became a community divided on national lines, with the United States holding one shore and Canada the other. Eventually man conquered the rapids, and today the Soo Locks transport millions of tons of freight annually to ports all over the world. Tourists are drawn by the cool breezes off the lake and the sight of steel behemoths passing almost close enough to touch.
#240
The Scarab Club
2006
On the cusp of its centennial anniversary, the Scarab Club (founded in 1907) weaves itself into the city of Detroit's and the state of Michigan's artistic cultural heritage. From its humble beginning as the Hopkin Club to its current status in the 21st century, the Scarab Club focuses on fine, performing, and technical arts and is still housed in its original 1928 building, a historic local, state, and national landmark. The club's exhibitions, programs, and costumed balls, the prominent visitors' and members' signatures on the second-floor beams, and the architectural decor of the clubhouse combine for its unique distinction. From its inception, the Scarab Club's mission has been to educate and enlighten its members and the community in the arts. The organization maintains a clubhouse for the exhibition of arts, provides facilities for artists for the advancement of their craft, and for other activities directed toward the education in the arts."
#241
Shelby Township
2010
In early 1818, a 36-square-mile area of Michigan known as Town 3 N, Range 12 E was surveyed and opened for sale. Ten years later, Shelby Township, blessed with abundant streams and fertile soils, was well on its way to becoming a prosperous farming community lasting well into the 20th century. One of these farms was a station on the Underground Railroad and, 100 years later, home to boxer Joe Louis. The doomed Clinton and Kalamazoo Canal was dug through the township in 1839, but railroads and the horse and buggy remained the preferred modes of transportation until the advent of the automobile. The Packard Motor Car Company purchased over 400 acres in the township in 1926 and installed a world-class automobile testing facility. By 1960, the automobile had changed the landscape, shifting it from farms to the tract housing, retail centers, and industrial complexes seen today.
#243
Sparta Township
2011
Known for small-town charm and a beautiful countryside, the area known as Sparta Township was first settled in 1844, and over the next two years it would become home to those pursuing dreams in the logging industry. Rich in a variety of forests, and with the Rogue River and Nash Creek running through it, Sparta first developed saw and flour mills. In the late 1800s, the "Ridge" would develop along the western edge of town, where the land was prime for growing a variety of fruits. When the Pere Marquette Railroad passed through town, it brought opportunity for thriving industry, including the Welch Folding Bed Company, Carnation Creamery, and Sparta Foundry. Spartans enjoyed community picnics, apple smorgasbords, and The Lady of the Lake cruise ship that famously sank to the bottom of Camp Lake. A sense of close-knit community thrives in the area today.
#244
The St. Clair River
2011
The St. Clair River, separating Michigan from Ontario, is one of the world's greatest natural waterways. The 40-mile strait connects Lake Huron with Lake St. Clair, northeast of Detroit, as a key link in the Great Lakes chain of mid-North America. Effectively, the St. Clair drains Lakes Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, and their tributaries, pouring billions of gallons of freshwater into the lower Great Lakes over the Niagara Falls and out through the St. Lawrence Seaway to the Atlantic Ocean. Its recorded history dates from the earliest French fur trappers of the 17th century to the ultramodern ocean freighters connecting the world directly with inner America. This photographic record of the St. Clair River relates the common historical experiences of the major communities along the American side of the waterway—from south to north, the St. Clair Flats, Algonac, Marine City, St. Clair, Marysville, and Port Huron.
#245
St. Clair Shores
Village on the Lake
2001
During the late 19th century, a small group of Frenchmen from the fort at Detroit settled north along the shore of Lake St. Clair at the mouth of the Milk River. Originally known as L'anse Creuse, this tiny settlement soon grew into a bustling farming community. This collection of over 200 images chronicles the life and times of this once fledgling township established in 1843, to its incorporation as a city in 1951, and on to its present day prosperity. Historian Arthur M. Woodford has compiled maps, photographs, and drawings to tell the story of this "Village on the Lake." Here the reader will find views of Lake St. Clair, the Milk River, and the many 19th century families and farms that fostered the growth of the area. Included are the stories of the infamous Blossom Heath Inn, Jefferson Beach Amusement Park, the grand Masonic Country Club, and the Interurban railway. Following World War Two, St. Clair Shores grew as part of the population boom of southeastern Michigan, and this once quiet village is now a modern suburban community of over 66,ooo residents.
#246
St. Ignace
2008
Even before it was named in 1671, St. Ignace was a key part of Michigan history. Before Fr. Jacques Marquette and the Jesuits arrived in the Straits of Mackinac, St. Ignace had a large Native American settlement. With the arrival of the French, fur trading became an important industry. St. Ignace became the county seat in 1882. By the mid-1800s, fishing, shipping, manufacturing, and lumbering were a crucial part of St. Ignace activity. As these industries died down, tourism increased. The area was appealing to tourists for its natural beauty and its fresh air; many came for relief from hay fever and asthma. Initially travelers arrived by ship and train. Ferryboats were important in transporting visitors and goods because of the primitive road system. With its natural harbor, St. Ignace was within easy reach of other Great Lakes ports. With the completion of the Mackinac Bridge in 1957, travel to St. Ignace became much easier. St. Ignace is often referred to as the Gateway to the Upper Peninsula.
#248
St. Joseph County's Historic River Country
2005
River Country is the name given to St. Joseph County, Michigan, an area of historic small towns including Three Rivers, Mendon, Centreville, Constantine, Sturgis, and Nottawa. Home to one of the largest Amish populations in the state, it is a place of meandering roads often frequented by horse-driven black buggies. The county's towns, many of which are on the Michigan and National Registers of Historic Places, feature architecture that harkens back to the 1800s with styles ranging from Italianate and Greek Revival to Queen Anne and Colonial. This book chronicles River Country's historic development, with insight into the businesses, personalities, activities, and architecture that have contributed to its remarkable charm and character.
#249
St. Joseph and Benton Harbor
2003
Two distinct communities which share equally vibrant histories, the twin cities of St. Joseph & Benton Harbor possess a rich heritage rooted in agriculture, manufacturing, transportation & tourism. Thru more than 200 photographs, this book documents the cities' development from the time when pioneers first struggled to create a community in the wilderness. It pays tribute to those who labored to establish farms & industries, & celebrates the beaches & amusement parks—such as the House of David & Silver Beach—that have brought joy to generations of residents & visitors alike.
#250
Sterling Township
1875-1968
2005
Sterling Township, located about 18 miles northeast of Detroit, was first settled after the Erie Canal was opened. The rich soil, relatively flat land, and the vital Clinton River attracted pioneer and immigrant families who arrived to establish farmsteads. The first influx of immigrants came mainly from the British Isles, and by the 1870s, German families had flocked to the area, raising dairy cattle and establishing farms. Belgians, arriving in the early 1900s, developed truck farming—"growing fruits and vegetables to sell every week at the farmers' market in Detroit. Farm culture prevailed until the 1950s, when large industrial plants began moving in, bringing with them workers and a need for housing and city services. Sterling Township became the city of Sterling Heights in 1968, and this collection of photographs will showcase the families and the way of life in the early days of this community, a historic community that is now the fourth largest city in Michigan.
#251
Tashmoo Park and the Steamer Tashmoo
2012
Tashmoo Park, located 20 miles north of Detroit on Harsen's Island, opened in 1897. Owned by the White Star Line excursion boat company, the park was a pleasant two-hour ride from the city. To reach the park, visitors traveled aboard one of the White Star Line's excursion boats, the most famous of which was—without question—the steamer Tashmoo. Completed in 1900, the Tashmoo was the grandest excursion steamer of her day. The park was a 60-acre resort that included picnic grounds, a large dance pavilion, two baseball diamonds, a bicycle track, amusement rides, and at the water's edge, a bathhouse and swimming beach. For nearly 50 years, Tashmoo was Detroit's most popular park destination, and a trip aboard the Tashmoo was a highlight of the summer season. Sadly, after the steamer sank in 1936, the park went into decline and finally closed in 1951. Today, Tashmoo, the park and the steamer, are only a happy memory of a far simpler time.
#252
Tecumseh
The First Century
2006
Tecumseh was founded by a family of pioneers. The principals in the venture were Musgrove Evans with his wife, Abi Evans (nee Brown), Abi's brother, Joseph Brown, and Austin E. Wing, a cousin of the Brown family. Joseph and Abi had firsthand knowledge of pioneer life, having established Brownville in Jefferson County, New York, with their father, Jacob Brown. Austin E. Wing was already in Michigan, living in Monroe, and he convinced Musgrove that the new settlement would be a noble and profitable venture. Musgrove convinced his brother-in-law, Joseph, and the three formed a company with the purpose of purchasing land and founding a community in the interior of Michigan. Upon arrival, a number of the first settlers were taking lunch while building the first structure, a 20-by-20 foot log "company house" to be shared by all until they could each build their own houses, and Musgrove Evans suggested naming the town after the Shawnee chief Tecumseh. There was some debate, especially as Tecumseh had fought on the side of the British, but it was decided that he had truly fought for his convictions and for his people, so the name was decided upon.
#253
Thomas Township
2000
Located within the Saugenah wilderness, Thomastown, Michigan, was established in 1855. An area rich in diverse immigrant lifestyles, the township has flourished over the last 150 years. Celebrating these years of growth, the authors have displayed the township's history in over 200 evocative photographs in this new book. Roselynn Ederer and Ronald Picardi, working with the Thomas Township Historical Society and many of the township's life-long residents, have created a pictorial history of the area that details its development and growth from Native American and logging days through its farming community, its commercial hub, to its present suburban society. Bordered by the Tittabawassee River, this logging and farming community flourished with the influx of immigrants from Bavaria, England, Canada, and Prussia during the mid-1800s. Even though the township has seen much growth and prosperity since the 1960s, several farms raised over a century ago are still owned by the same families today.
#256
Troy
A City from the Corners
2004
Long before it was the site of shopping centers, corporate headquarters, and universities, Troy was a humble pioneer settlement comprised of farms and small knots of buildings at simple crossroads known as Troy Corners, Big Beaver, and Halsey Corners. School bells, church socials, and harvesting seasons punctuated the simple country lives of early Troy residents. The establishment of the Detroit United Railway in 1898 brought new opportunities to Troy settlers, rattling up Livernois daily and transporting passengers, milk, and freight between Flint and Detroit. By the end of World War II, Troy was rapidly changing. Subdivisions replaced farms, the township was incorporated as the City of Troy, and gracious homes and new businesses quickly replaced the clusters of clapboard structures. This book utilizes the remarkable resources of the Troy Historical Society and the Troy Museum & Historic Village to document and celebrate Troy's development over the course of two centuries.
#257
Ukrainians of Metropolitan Detroit
2010
Ukrainians have contributed to the diverse ethnic tapestry in Detroit since the arrival of the first Ukrainian immigrants in the late 1800s. Bringing their history, culture, and determination to achieve, they established a foundation for the resilient community that would continue to emerge during the decades to come. Ukrainian neighborhoods formed on both the east and west sides of the city. This is where they constructed the churches, schools, cultural centers, and financial institutions that would allow them to maintain their cherished ethnic identity while integrating into the American way of life. This book is a pictorial history of the people and events that created a community that would come to be known as the Ukrainians of metropolitan Detroit.
#258
United States Life-Saving Service in Michigan
2000
Michigan, the Great Lakes State, is full of rich maritime traditions and with these traditions comes the danger and risk of shipwreck. Author William D. Peterson has compiled in this new book a photographic history of the United States Life-Saving Service in the Great Lakes region, and immortalizes in it the men who paved the way for the U.S. Coast Guard in 1915. In 1854, the U.S. Government provided funds for lighthouses, boats, and life-saving equipment along the Atlantic seaboard to alleviate shipping disasters. These early efforts greatly reduced the number of lives and property lost to shipwrecks. In the heart of the Midwest, however, the Great Lakes alone claimed 4,500 vessels, 1,300 people, and more than 27 million dollars in monetary damages between 1855 and 1876. These staggering losses prompted Congress to pass legislation putting the United States Life-Saving Service (USLSS) into operation in Michigan and other Great Lakes States. Pictured here in almost 200 images and detailed captions are Michigan's 38 USLSS stations and their crews along the Great Lakes, including Ottawa Point, Grand Haven, Holland, and South Manitou Island.
#259
Vassar
The Cork Pine City
2010
When a person looks around the city of Vassar, it is hard to imagine that this was once a vast cork pine forest in the Saginaw Valley. Townsend North, along with his brothers-in-law James and Newton Edmunds, came to settle the land in 1849. Vassar quickly went from a small lumber camp to a fast-growing village and would be known for setting many records for Tuscola County, including being the first county seat. Vassar also had the first newspaper, the first house of worship, the first schools, and so much more. In later years, it would also become the only city in the county. Vassar became a lot like Mayberry, in the fact that everyone knows everyone and there is a small town atmosphere that draws people to town. This became well known in 1949, when Vassar celebrated its 100th birthday. To this day, Vassar is still known for its small-town charm.
#260
Vernor's Ginger Ale
2008
Vernor's Ginger Ale has sparkling fizz, a unique taste, and a history that goes back before Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Hires, or Moxie. Upon returning from the Civil War in 1866, James Vernor opened a pharmacy in Detroit. He also opened a barrel of ginger ale extract he had created before the war. He discovered the four years of aging had mellowed the taste to perfection. A new "deliciously different" flavor had been created, and Vernor's Ginger Ale was born. From a small drugstore in Detroit to a product enjoyed across America and Canada, Vernor's is a success story. Vernor's is the story of a small back-room product turned into a highly successful brand. At over 140 years old, Vernor's is America's oldest continuously produced soft drink. Vernor's Ginger Ale takes readers on a journey from pharmacy to factory, from entrepreneur to franchised corporation.
#261
Victory Township
2007
Founded two years after the end of the Civil War, the townshipÂ's name heralded the Union victory. Blanketed with a variety of hardwoods and some white pine stands of timber, Victory Township was an untamed wilderness when the first settlers arrived. The first pioneers homesteaded in the southwest corner of the township near the Lincoln River. Soon the community of Victory Corners began to emerge and with its growth, aspiration to become the seat of government for Mason County. Until the railroad came to Ludington, this settlement was a legitimate contender. Immigrants, particularly Scandinavians, constituted a larger and next wave of settlers. These new residents tended to cluster, given their common culture and relationships. The Danish settlement became one of the most recognized places in the township. Farming became a way of life while ethnicity gave way to Americanization and Victory Township developed a strong sense of community. This illustrated history extends through the end of World War II when the boys came home and the forces of industrial growth reshaped the rural landscape. Each community had its unique character, yet this township is reflective of the experiences of many rural people in the Midwest.
#263
Warren
2010
Known as Beebe's Corners in the early 1800s, the city of Warren has grown to become the third-largest city in Michigan, surrounding Center Line—the city within the city. Warren's history has something for everyone. A pioneer burial ground was discovered on school property in the 1970s, and an old Norway spruce still points the way for a vanished tribe. In the 1920s, the Warren cooperative supplied goods to a growing community, and the first African American cemetery in the state was established as well. Warren's General Motors Tech Center was dubbed "the Versailles of Industry" in the mid-20th century; in addition to a worldwide radio broadcast, a crowd of 5,000 attended the dedication ceremony, including Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower. The Chrysler tank arsenal helped to end World War II. World-renowned architects Eero Saarinen and Albert Kahn designed commercial and residential structures in Warren and Center Line. Places of worship represent all faiths, and a top-notch school system serves Warren—testaments to the culture of this community.
#264
Wayne Fire Department
2004
The Wayne Fire Department was founded in 1911 as a volunteer fire department with 12 firemen. In 1928, the Village of Wayne purchased its first pumper and started a full-time fire department. The Wayne-Nankin Fire Department was formed in 1942, only to be divided again when the Village of Wayne became the City of Wayne in 1960. In all, this organization has served the community for 94 years. Through rare photographs and detailed historical information, this book documents nearly a century of the Wayne Fire Department's dedicated service.
#265
West Bloomfield and the Tri-Cities
2015
West Bloomfield Township, located 30 miles northwest of Detroit, was carved from Bloomfield Township in 1833. There were settlements in nearby Pontiac as early as 1818 and in Bloomfield by 1820. The area, originally settled by Native Americans, became a farming community when it was later occupied by European settlers. Towns grew and prospered due to the large number of lakes and later with the advent of the local automotive industry. Around the start of the 20th century, Orchard Lake became an established village, and Sylvan Lake Village and Keego Harbor were beginning to take shape. Over the years, there have been five country clubs, an automobile club, two boat clubs, two camps, a curling club, a military academy, a seminary, and a prep school in the area. There have also been two summer resort hotels created in Orchard Lake, one in Sylvan Lake, and one in West Bloomfield on Pine Lake.
#267
The Works Progress Administration in Detroit
2008
In the midst of the Depression, a government agency was created that changed the lives of thousands of Americans. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was more than a program that put the unemployed to work, it was a revolutionary concept that sought to improve the lives of Americans through the physical improvement of their surroundings and the physical and intellectual improvement of themselves. For the people of Detroit, the WPA built schools and libraries, provided clothing and shelter, and enriched their lives through literacy, health, and educational programs. It brought art, theater, and music to the masses through groundbreaking cultural programs and created the infrastructure necessary to allow Detroit to blossom into the “Arsenal of Democracy” and one of America’s greatest cities.
#268
Wyandotte
2007
Wyandotte, located between Detroit and Toledo along the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario, has enriched area history from the days of the first inhabitants, the Wyandott Indians and French farmers, through the industrial ages of iron and steel. In latter years, Wyandotte has been the stage for the manufacture of the first steel rails and iron plate and was home to shipbuilding and chemical industries. All of these contributed significantly to the growth of the nation and to the continuing development of a great American city. Businesses, churches, and community organizations are captured in these historic photographs, along with the people whose commitment to hard work helped the city prosper and grow.
#269
Wyoming
2010
Wyoming, Michigan, became a city in 1959, the same year Alaska and Hawaii became states, but its history began more than a century earlier. The first permanent settlers came in 1832, and in 1848 the region split, with the northern portion becoming Wyoming and the southern Byron Center. Wyoming flourished. The farmers came first with the businesses that supported them, and industry followed. The various gypsum mines were among the earliest arrivals. General Motors built a stamping plant on Thirty-sixth Street that helped pull the township out of the Great Depression in 1936. It was a success, so the company built a diesel plant on Burlingame Avenue. Reynolds Metals, Steelcase, Light Metals, Bell Fibre, and others found Wyoming a good place to relocate. People wanted to live where they worked, and that meant an ever-increasing number of houses were built, followed by additional schools, churches, shops, and restaurants. Rogers Plaza was West Michigan's first enclosed mall. Though often contentious, the local government did its best to live up to an ambitious slogan, "Wyoming: the City of Vision and Progress."
#270
Ypsilanti in the 20th Century
2003
From 1900 through 1975, the city of Ypsilanti underwent a multitude of changes as it developed from a small farming community into a center of education and business. The rise of the automobile and the insurgence of auto manufacturing, the progress of local arts and theater, the opening of the Bomber Plant at Willow Run, and the transformation of a teachers' college into Eastern Michigan University are just a few of these historic developments. This book, a companion to Ypsilanti: A History in Pictures, chronicles Ypsilanti's magnificent growth throughout the twentieth century, and the celebrated people, places, and events that helped shape the city as it is known today.
#271
Ypsilanti
A History in Pictures
2002
In the latter half of the 19th century, the city of Ypsilanti went through a rapid transition from a small farming community to a center of education and business. By 1900, Ypsilanti was nationally known for three things: the Michigan Central Gardens, the mineral wells, and underwear. The gardens were designed by famed landscape gardener John Laidlaw, who studied gardening in his native Scotland before coming to the United States. Beginning in the 1880s, people came from miles away to bathe in Ypsilanti's mineral waters, which were said to cure just about anything. And for many years, Ypsilanti was the home of the Underwear Factory, where the finest full body union suits were made.Dr. Helen McAndrew was the first woman doctor in Ypsilanti, opening her practice in 1854. She and her husband were active in the Underground Railroad, which Ypsilanti played a very active role in. Ypsilanti is also the home of Eastern Michigan University, founded in 1848, becoming the first normal school west of the Alleghenies.
Authors
James K. Wagner
Author · 1 books
James K. Wagner had a 37-year career in the automotive industry, most of which was focused on trucks. He is a member of The Society of Automotive Historians and has been a charter member of the SAE History Committee. Librarian's note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Alan Naldrett
Author · 6 books
Alan Naldrett was an insurance agent for many years and soon had a wall full of sales awards and plaques. But as soon as his main topic of conversation was actuarial tables and all his friends had more than adequate insurance coverage and were all avoiding him he decided it was time for a change. Using his bachelor’s degree from Michigan State, after he turned fifty he acquired a couple of Master’s Degrees in Library and Information Science and Archival Science. He took a few anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and other relevant courses and became a medical librarian. He then spent many years as an academic librarian chastising college students about their literary choices and inadequate APA styling. Along the way he rediscovered an interest in writing and history which interestingly enough led to writing about history. He attempted to justify this as a member and sometime Vice-Chairman (even though he claims to know nothing about vice) of the local county historical commission and also the local library board. After writing five books and many historical writings in newspapers, magazines and newsletters, he still spends an inordinate amount of time playing with the F Street Blues, a blues band that plays a lot of rock songs.
Michelle Moore
Author · 1 books
Michelle Moore is a writer, brand specialist, public relations practitioner, mother, model and pageant titleholder. A partner at brand activation agency Involve and president of More Marketing Communications, she specializes in health, wellness and fitness communications. In 2002, she was crowned Mrs. Ohio America and went on to earn her spot in the Top 10 at Mrs. America. This visibility led to her co-starring role in an episode of MTV’s Made as a Made coach for a pageant competitor. Five years later, Michelle headed back to the stage to win the title of Ohio’s Perfect Woman and then on to win the national title becoming the first America’s Perfect Woman. With her modeling start at 17, she has been featured in numerous campaigns, including being in the Carol Wior Swimwear calendar, on jeans hang tags for Express and having her legs hang over the New York Stock Exchange for DSW when it went public. She holds a B.A., Journalism, from The Ohio State University and lives in Columbus, Ohio.
Wallace K. Ewing
Author · 1 books
Wallace K. Ewing earned his bachelor and master degrees from Michigan State University and his doctoral degree from the University of Illinois. He was appointed to a Fulbright Lectureship at the University of Tehran in Iran, taught Peace Corps volunteers in West Africa, and trained master degree candidates in Puerto Rico to teach English in the public schools. After serving as Provost of Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire, he returned to his hometown of Grand Haven, Michigan, where he was named Director of the local Red Cross Chapter. Dr. Ewing spent 2006-2007 at Dongbei University of Finance and Economics in Dalian, China teaching English writing and American literature. Since his return from China, Dr. Ewing has continued to research and write about Grand Haven history and family genealogy. He is the author of more than a dozen books.
Barry Stiefel
Author · 1 books
Barry Stiefel is a doctoral student in the historic preservation program at Tulane University
Jeremy Williams
Author · 1 books
There is more than one author with this name. Jeremy Williams has a B.A. in History from Michigan State University and is currently pursuing an M.A. in African American Studies. He is the author of Detroit: The Black Bottom Community and has also published The Rise and Fall of Black Bottom, 1914-1951: A Social, Cultural, and Political Analysis of an African American Community in the Michigan State University Journal of History. His first book, Push Nevahda and the Vicious Circle: scenes from a random life, is available at Amazon.com. In his spare time he writes (often under the pen name, Push Nevahda) for an online magazine, contributes weekly to a blog on romance and relationships, and has written cultural and political pieces for several newspapers. His hobbies include recording music, watching reruns of Sanford & Son, and traveling. He is a member of the Detroit Writer's Guild. "
Harry Skrdla
Author · 2 books
Harry Skrdla is an engineer and a historic preservation consultant based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He belongs to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, The Society for Industrial Archeology, and the Theater Historical Society, and has contributed to the preservation and restoration of a number of noteworthy structures, including the ornate 1920s movie palace the Fox Theater in Detroit, one of the last of its kind in America.
Arthur M. Woodford
Author · 2 books
Arthur M. Woodford is the son of Frank Woodford and is author or editor of nine books, including This Is Detroit: 1701–2001 (Wayne State University Press, 2001) and Charting the Inland Seas (Wayne State University Press, 1994). He is the former director of the St. Clair Shores Public Library.
