Northern Michigan History Articles
Native Americans, Settlers, Car Shows … St. Ignace, MI Turns 350!
PAID CONTENT As St. Ignace celebrates its 350th anniversary, we take a look back at its intriguing history—and where the city is heading in the...
A Fourth-Generation Boyne Country Cottage Evokes Family Memories
Clarity, memories and peace come to Mary Meany every time she is at her family property. Dive in to explore the history surrounding this...
How to Spend 24 Hours in Manistee, a City with a Storied Past
Take your Northern Michigan adventure up a notch by spending 24-hours in Manistee. Here are four different ways to stay and play in this region with...
Get to Know Earl Young, the Man Behind Charlevoix’s Quirky-Cool Mushroom Houses
Almost 50 years after his death, Charlevoix's Earl Young and his stone masterpieces are getting fresh, new recognition. Learn more about Young's...
You’re Invited to the Centennial Hemingway Wedding Reception
The Village of Walloon Lake has announced the Hemingway Centennial Wedding Reception this September. Featuring an auction with unique Hemingway and...
The History of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
| PAID CONTENT We all know the legend of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, how a mother and her cubs fleeing a...
Go Back in Time at These Mackinac State Historic Parks
Mackinac Island is home to two historic forts: Fort Mackinac and Fort Holmes. A visit to these extraordinarily well-preserved sites is about as...
Mission Point Resort on Mackinac Island Has Unexpected History
PAID CONTENT The land upon which Mackinac Island's Mission Point Resort sits has an ancient and intriguing history: From the Native American tribes...
Archangel Ancient Tree Archive Restoring Old Growth Forests Internationally
Founder David Milarch calls Archangel Ancient Tree Archive the "most hopeful project on the planet." Learn how the work Archangel does helps restore...
Walloon Lake Plans Year-Long “Hemingway Homecoming”
The Village of Walloon Lake has planned a year’s worth of activities and special events celebrating Northern Michigan and one-time summer resident...
8 Sweet Things to Know About St. Ignace, Michigan
In 1671, Father Marquette established a mission in St. Ignace, making 2021 the 350th anniversary of the city being continually inhabited. Here are a...
Fire Historic Guns Across the Straits at Colonial Michilimackinac
Imagine it: Colonial Michilimackinac, in Mackinaw City, is emptying out at the end of another big day and you have the place to yourself. You make...
Peace Reigns as Sleeping Bear Dunes Celebrates 50 Beautiful Years
A half-century after Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was established in Northern Michigan's Leelanau and Benzie counties, peace reigns in the...
This Traverse City Auto Repair Shop is Truly Unique
A beautiful Traverse City auto repair shop is stationed in time. It was October 1987 when Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine featured Traverse...
Michigan Diver Chris Roxburgh Shares Epic Shipwreck Photos
Traverse City resident Chris Roxburgh is an electrical contractor who owns First Class Wiring. He’s also a scuba diver and underwater photographer,...
MI DNR: Protecting Michigan’s Historical Treasures from Fire
Michigan has a a treasure trove of preserved natural areas, but the state also boasts hundreds of preserved historic buildings. It's the job of The...
The Incredibly Cool Excavation of Colonial Michilimackinac
The summer of 2019 marked the 60th anniversary of the archeological excavation of Fort Michilimackinac, now called Colonial Michilimackinac. Six...
The Many Names of Grand Traverse Bay’s Power Island
In August 1981, Traverse Magazine writer Cindee Egan shed light on the many former names of Power Island, tucked in West Grand Traverse Bay. In...
When Baseball Was the Only Game in Town
In the early 1900s, Sundays meant game time in Leelanau County as hundreds of spectators came to watch the Empire Greys take on one of several...
Meet the Tin Can Tourists
The Tin Can Tourists and their vintage metal campers converge at Interlochen State Park for a weekend of camaraderie. Featured in the July 2020...
A First Time for Everything in Grand Traverse Region
When was the first house built in Traverse City? And when did it became a popular honeymoon destination? Here are four firsts in the Grand Traverse...
Al Capone’s Northern Michigan Connections
Al Capone's mysterious legacy lives on in Northern Michigan. In celebration of our 40th anniversary in 2020, we're digging into our archives and...
New Book Tells the Story of Beaver Island’s King Strang
Miles Harvey will join the National Writers Series on July 14 at 7 p.m., talking about his new book, The King of Confidence. Register for the free,...
Summers are Magic at Arcadia’s Watervale Inn
There was a time and place during my childhood when I was sure my dad loved me. It was on our two trips each summer to the Watervale Inn in Arcadia,...
Island Insider: Explore Mackinac Like You Live There
To head past the Grand Hotel, up Mackinac Island's West Bluff, is to want to live in one of those cottage mansions with breezy two-story porches,...
Northern Michigan’s Past: Hop Aboard the Dummy Express
If you were traveling between Petoskey and Harbor Springs during a characteristic, turn-of-the-century summer, chances are that you let a dummy lead...
Restoring Copper Harbor Lighthouse in Keweenaw County
Standing as a silent guard at the very top of the Upper Peninsula, the Copper Harbor Lighthouse once guided vessels traveling in Lake Superior to...
4 Things You Might Not Know About Mackinac Island Lilacs
Why are there are so many Mackinac Island lilacs? And how did they get there? There's something so singular about the ambrosial, heady perfume that...
A Life of Wild Adventures: Meet Author James B. Hendryx
Explore the life of author James B. Hendryx, the folk hero of Lee Point in Suttons Bay. In celebration of our 40th anniversary in 2020, we're...
DNR Videos Bring Nature and History Home for Michigan Kids
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is creating videos to help teach kids and adults about a range of nature and history topics at home....
How Northern Michigan Towns Got their Names
Have you ever wondered how your favorite Northern Michigan towns were named? Shared from "Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the...
Manistee County Offers Virtual Tours of 100+ Historical Sites
From the theater where James Earl Jones got his acting start, to the world’s oldest continuously manned operating fire station, to the largest...
4 Historical Places to Visit in Northern Michigan
There's history you can study and there's history you can literally feel. Sink to the chilly depths of a one-time copper mine, dance in a...
Have You Kissed the Moose at Sleder’s Family Tavern?
It’s a quirky rite of passage at a historic Northern Michigan restaurant. This is why everyone started kissing the moose at Sleder's Family Tavern...
Mackinac State Historic Parks Celebrating 125 Years
Mackinac State Historic Parks is turning 125 years old in 2020. The Mackinac Island State Park Commission, established in 1895 when the federal...
Traverse City Event Explores Michigan Shipwreck Mysteries
Explore the depths of Lake Michigan with author and shipwreck hunter Ross Richardson at Milliken Auditorium on February 19. The program, "Exploring...
Retro Snapshots from Michigan Ski Resorts
Where there's snow, there are memories to be made. Come along for a throwback trip through Northern Michigan ski hill history. BOYNE MOUNTAIN Year...
New Interactive Map Highlights Great Lakes Shipwrecks and Lore
The cold, fresh waters of the Great Lakes are littered with shipwrecks. Now, thanks to a new online map, you can take a closer look at Great Lakes...
A 1930’s Diary Reveals What Life Was Like During an Isle Royale Winter
A young mother is assigned to teach on Lake Superior’s Isle Royale in the throes of the Great Depression. In winter, the Michigan island becomes...
Grandfather Christmas: In 1915, Every Child in Harbor Springs Had a Present
The famous Harbor Springs inventor Ephraim Shay was more commonly known throughout the community as Grandfather Shay ... The year is 1914. A...
Can You Answer These Northern Michigan Trivia Questions?
How much do you know about Northern Michigan? Let’s find out! James Earl JonesHoughtonCherry Jerry at The Cherry HutSunday, August 2, 2015Carleton...
Tahquamenon Falls State Park is a Michigan Treasure. How Was it Created?
Today, the Tahquamenon Falls are among Michigan’s most photographed places. But prior to becoming the premier attraction at Michigan’s...
Do You Dare Stay the Night at Michigan’s Most Haunted Lighthouse?
Michigan has more lighthouses than any other state, and nearly one-fifth of them have a ghostly story to be told. Why are so many of our lighthouses...
Keepers of the Culture at Harbor Springs Area Historical Society
An old brick vault in the heart of Harbor Springs is the new home for oral history. The Harbor Springs Area Historical Society recently opened a new...
Life at Point Betsie Lighthouse was Heartbreaking, Exhausting & Beautiful in the 1800s
Her great-great-great grandparents Alonzo and Alice Slyfield first kept the South Manitou Lighthouse from 1853 to 1859; then Point Betsie Lighthouse...
100 Years of Happy Campers at Michigan State Parks
As the Michigan State Park Commission celebrates its centennial in 2019, we pay homage to the memories made—and those yet to come. These stories and...
Go Back to the Year 1776 at Colonial Michilimackinac
Most days, Craig Wilson’s mornings are pretty typical. As the Curator of History for Mackinac State Historic Parks, getting dressed for work usually...
Timeline: The Iconic Traverse City State Theatre
The Traverse City State Theatre actually began as the Lyric Theatre just over 100 years ago in 1916. The site has since seen two debilitating fires,...
5 Must-Do Stops on Old Mission Peninsula
Soak up good times and beautiful scenery at these wineries, restaurants, vistas and road-side attractions on Traverse City’s coast. These are the...
Work Begins to Restore DeYoung Natural Area Farmstead
“Finally, our DeYoung Natural Area farmstead is about to blossom,” says Leelanau Conservancy Executive Director Tom Nelson.“For everyone who...
Celebrating 100 years of Pigeon River Country
Ernest Hemingway—while recovering from being wounded serving as a Red Cross ambulance driver on the Italian front during World War I—said of...
History, Beauty and Events in St. Ignace
PAID CONTENT This summer, why not plan your Northern Michigan vacation getaway in St. Ignace?Learn about the city's history, as the second oldest...
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Torch Lake & the Chain of Lakes
On a map, you could imagine that the Chain of Lakes—14 interconnected lakes and rivers for a grand total of 55 miles—is a hose filling Lake...
Manistee Fire Station is the World’s Oldest Continuously Manned Operating Fire Station
The Manistee Fire Station at 281 First Street was awarded the title for "Oldest Continuously Manned Operating Fire Station" by Guinness World...
Hartwick Pines Memorial Building Reopening for Summer Tours
From 1929 to 1995, visitors to Hartwick Pines State Park in Grayling entered through a large, two-story “log cabin” located just steps from M-93....
40 Photos of Pure Summer Bliss in Benzie County in the 1900s
Benzie County's small towns with big charm have made it a favorite Northern Michigan vacation destination for generations. Thank you to...
Building the Mackinac Bridge was a Magnificent Feat—What Did it Take?
The story behind the greatest 5-mile road trip on the planet: the Mackinac Bridge.Once upon a time, our great state was divided, Lower...
What’s New at Mackinac State Historic Parks?
Mackinac State Historic Parks’ sites open for the season May 1–3, bringing the debut of new exhibits, galleries, demonstrations and...
If These Walls Could Talk … Stories From Historic Northern Michigan Schoolhouses
They appear suddenly, tucked in the curve of a county road or nestled in a clearing on a hill. Maybe brick, maybe a faded clapboard, but...
29 Historical Photos of Harbor Springs You’ve Gotta See
How has the Northern Michigan town of Harbor Springs changed over the past 100+ years? Take a look. Thank you to Beth Sylak and Kristyn...
Northern Michigan History Articles
Native Americans, Settlers, Car Shows … St. Ignace, MI Turns 350!
PAID CONTENT As St. Ignace celebrates its 350th anniversary, we take a look back at its intriguing history—and where the city is heading in the future. When we turn onto N. State Street, heading toward downtown St. Ignace, we’re greeted by endless views of Lake Huron,...
A Fourth-Generation Boyne Country Cottage Evokes Family Memories
Clarity, memories and peace come to Mary Meany every time she is at her family property. Dive in to explore the history surrounding this fourth-generation Boyne Country cottage that evokes family memories during each visit. Can an old cottage take on human...
How to Spend 24 Hours in Manistee, a City with a Storied Past
Take your Northern Michigan adventure up a notch by spending 24-hours in Manistee. Here are four different ways to stay and play in this region with a storied past. You may know Manistee by its Victorian faÇade and Old Christmas Weekend, and while you'll still find...
Get to Know Earl Young, the Man Behind Charlevoix’s Quirky-Cool Mushroom Houses
Almost 50 years after his death, Charlevoix's Earl Young and his stone masterpieces are getting fresh, new recognition. Learn more about Young's inspiration behind these quirky homes and how you can tour them for yourself by foot, boat or bus. Content from this...
You’re Invited to the Centennial Hemingway Wedding Reception
The Village of Walloon Lake has announced the Hemingway Centennial Wedding Reception this September. Featuring an auction with unique Hemingway and Walloon Lake-themed items to a happy hour and Wine Guys Catering dinner, this Northern Michigan event is sure to be...
The History of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
| PAID CONTENT We all know the legend of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, how a mother and her cubs fleeing a forest fire swam across Lake Michigan—but the cubs never made it, forming North and South Manitou islands while the mama...
Go Back in Time at These Mackinac State Historic Parks
Mackinac Island is home to two historic forts: Fort Mackinac and Fort Holmes. A visit to these extraordinarily well-preserved sites is about as close to a marching order as you'll get during your vacation. Before you head over to the island, make sure to also explore...
Mission Point Resort on Mackinac Island Has Unexpected History
PAID CONTENT The land upon which Mackinac Island's Mission Point Resort sits has an ancient and intriguing history: From the Native American tribes who considered the island holy and who fed whole villages on the abundant whitefish found offshore to a British...
Archangel Ancient Tree Archive Restoring Old Growth Forests Internationally
Founder David Milarch calls Archangel Ancient Tree Archive the "most hopeful project on the planet." Learn how the work Archangel does helps restore old-growth forests across the world. Featured in the April 2021 issue of Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine. David...
Walloon Lake Plans Year-Long “Hemingway Homecoming”
The Village of Walloon Lake has planned a year’s worth of activities and special events celebrating Northern Michigan and one-time summer resident Ernest Hemingway throughout 2021. Walloon Lake is nestled between Boyne City and Petoskey just off US-131 in Charlevoix...
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