The Best Stories, Sites and Fun From Around the Great Lakes State.
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.
by Alanson grew on the Crooked River, surged with logging, then shifted to summer travel on the Inland Waterway. Trains, a swing bridge, and steady boat traffic defined the village from 1875 to 1940.
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 In 1763, Pontiac’s War ignited across Michigan and the Great Lakes. This was no ordinary rebellion — it was a coordinated Indigenous resistance that forced the British Empire to change its policies forever.
by From the roar of the Wolverine Portland Cement plant to the calm of Marble Lake, Quincy, Michigan, balanced hard work with summer leisure — a story of railroads, industry, and enduring community spirit.
