The Best Stories, Sites and Fun From Around the Great Lakes State.
by From collapsing ore docks to smelt-filled shorelines, Escanaba’s early years were shaped by iron, timber, and water. This is the story of how a working port became a lasting Michigan city.
by Munising, Michigan grew from a Lake Superior port into a working town shaped by lumber, leather, paper, and fishing. This feature traces the people and industries that defined Munising between 1900 and 1950.
by How did a small Midwestern town supply sugar, trucks, and food to help win the Great War? Discover the remarkable history of Alma, Michigan’s industrial boom and its unsung contributions to World War I. Hear the stories of factory workers, farmers, and entrepreneurs who proved that even the smallest town could make a big difference.
by Grand Beach, Michigan once rivaled bigger resorts with its white-sand beach, dance pavilion, and the grand Hotel Golfmore. This history of Grand Beach Michigan follows its rise, wild Jazz Age summers, and the 1939 fire that erased its famous hotel.
by Samaria’s rail depot, church bell, GAR/WRC hall, and early telephone crews defined village life from 1900–1915. See how trains, mail, worship, and wire kept this Monroe County community connected.
by A city lake with outsized impact. Goguac Lake Michigan history spans coasters, dance halls, ice harvesting, and open-water swims—clear, photo-rich context for how Battle Creek spent its summers and winters.
by On October 4, 1916, a blaze destroyed nearly all of Mendon, Michigan’s downtown. Thirty-nine buildings burned, but residents refused to surrender. Their story of rebuilding still defines this St. Joseph County village more than a century later.
by Carriages on the hill, kids on a raft, and an evening steamer at the dock—this is how Mullet Lake grew into a summer habit. Locks, trains, hotels, and cottages built a community that still returns.
by From 1900 to 1930, Indian River shifted from logging stop to summer town. Steamboats, inns, a scenic tower, and busy docks made the Inland Waterway a steady engine for local shops and lake life.
by The History of Oden Michigan shows how a small rail stop became a waterway gateway. See the Rawdon Hotel, the steamer Oden, lake races, and a fish hatchery that supplied trout statewide.
