Annually, the St. Mary’s River guides over 80 million tons of ore, coal and limestone along the 74 mile route connecting Lake Huron to Lake Superior. A freighter completes this journey in nine hours, while it took us two days in our 16-foot zodiac. We traversed this ancient, indigenous trade […]
History and Culture
123 posts
Were you aware that “Labor Day” had started with a strike at the Pullman Train Car Factory south of Chicago? There had been thirty deaths and scores of workers who were injured by our National Guard. Join us for a deeper look into the beginning of our country’s holiday, Labor […]
“The Queen of the Great Lakes,” The S.S. Milwaukee Clipper, is the oldest passenger ship on our freshwater seas. She is a maritime museum and an entertainment venue docked in Muskegon, Michigan. Meeting Brock Johnson, the Director of Operations, had been a highlight! At 21 years old, Brock holds over […]
This artesian well appears to defy gravity. Pure crystal water has been spewing from this spicket since 1931. It is the freshest water I’ve ever tasted! Join us as we sample this obscure Michigan treasure. As we approached the pipe, standing vertically from the ground, the cold water misted, cooling […]
What? There’s an inland waterway in Michigan? Honestly, I hadn’t known about this treasure until a few years ago when Chuck and our son, Noah, ventured through the three lakes and three rivers. Since their trip, I’ve been curious about this water path. I was giddy on this mid-May day, […]
Fifty years ago the band, KISS, visited Cadillac! It all started with Jim Neff, the assistant football coach, wanting to inspire his football team, The Vikings, with energetic music by KISS. The Cadillac high school team began winning games. The following fall, KISS became part of their homecoming celebration! Join […]
Named for 1865 founder, John Parish, this settlement had changed its name from “Parish” to “Paris” following a devastating fire fourteen years later. Join us in Paris, Michigan as we learn about the century-old fish hatchery, the efforts to save the ponds and how this Eiffel Tower came to be. […]
July 24, 1915 had been a chilly summer morning as people gathered at the Chicago River, preparing for a company picnic. A few minutes after boarding, the Eastland rolled onto its side. More passengers had died that day, 20 feet from shore in the Chicago River, than passengers on The […]
Slurping a milkshake, crunching on fresh fries and biting into a stacked burger at Short’s Drive-In builds a sense of satisfaction and togetherness! Short’s has been recognized with various awards. Even their car-hop service was voted “Best in Michigan” by mashed.com. Short’s Root Beer Drive-In is a family-owned gem in […]
The Anishinaabe have utilized maple sap for centuries. The first written record of this antioxidant-packed resource had been in 1557. Last year, Michigan produced an impressive 200,000 gallons. Each gallon of this “liquid gold” is worth at least 15 times more than crude oil. Join us as we investigate the […]