Surf Boat
“Ahoy, NAHANT, you’re afire, get out.” The cry came November 29, 1897 on a frigid night at an ore dock in Escanaba MI. It was a zero night so everything, including water hoses, were frozen. When the fire finally burned itself out, the NAHANT was totally destroyed along with the dock and railroad cars. Two crew members on the NAHANT also perished. Continue reading
Mary Terry was a strong woman and she had to be. She was one of the first female lighthouse keeper’s on the Great Lakes. For 18 years Mary kept the light burning in Sand Point Lighthouse on the shore of Lake Michigan in the Upper Peninsula. Like many other stories we heard in the UP, Mary’s death was a mystery.
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The fall day was cool with blue skies and light breeze – the day just begged for a picnic. After visiting Peninsula Point Lighthouse we ventured to Gladstone. Plan was lunch at the harbor then visit the Gladstone Lighthouse. Continue reading
When asking about Peninsula Point Lighthouse we were told, “the lighthouse is at the end of the road”. At the time we did not realize it was at the end of a narrow, tree branches hanging, dirt road. Traveling is all about adventure so we ventured. Exiting the forestry drive, the lighthouse appeared along with a vast expanse of water; we were at the tip of Stonington Peninsula. Continue reading
Living in a coastal community sounds romantic. The water can have a calming effect, the cool breezes offer solace and walking the waterfront is relaxing. In Fayette, MI, life was not always easy or relaxing. The community thrived for twenty four years and today is a well preserved ghost town in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Continue reading
There are so many great views in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula it is hard to single out a few, but Thomas Rock Scenic Overlook is an easy choice. It offers a great hike together with the reward of amazing vistas including those of Lake Superior. From the venture of woods and trails to cliffs views high enough for flatlanders from South Louisiana to truly be impressed. Continue reading
Death At Big Bay Point Lighthouse
OK, for a small town, Big Bay, MI has an unusual amount of suspense. Big Bay Point Lighthouse is no exception. Besides its own suicide/murder (?) it is also connected to the murder at the Lumberjack Tavern. Try and follow this… Continue reading
Murder, Intrigue and Rape in the UP
As we RV around the country, we to expect to find breathtaking beauty, local color, and food which is different from our South Louisiana roots…but murder, intrigue and sex? We walked right into it in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The UP was everything we thought it would be – breathtaking, rural, hills, beaches, unbelievably clear lakes – the list goes on and on. What we did not expect to find was intrigue. But that is what we found in Big Bay, MI at the Lumberjack Tavern. Continue reading
After enjoying the Illinois Visitor Center on the Illinois River, we were looking for that special local eatery. We asked the person at the visitor center for recommendations and one was especially appealing – a local joint on the river. We headed upriver in search of Captain’s Cove. Continue reading
Once Ole Man River is in your blood, it is there forever. So it is with us, we can never pass up a chance to enjoy river activity. Being from south Louisiana where the Mississippi is wide and treacherous, a slower calmer river always intrigues us. Continue reading
