rolling fog, photo by Through My Eyes. [nicole wamsley]. astra_amara.
Much more of Mackinac and the Mackinac Bridge on Michigan in Pictures.
Check this out bigger in Nicole’s if by sea… slideshow.
Streamline Moderne: Airstream on the Mac
Airstream on the Mac, photo by Brian Gudas Photography.
Yesterday I posted about Knapp’s Office Centre in Lansing. With its smooth contours and glass brick, the building is considered an excellent example of an design & architectural style known as Streamline Moderne which is a late variant of the Art Deco design style which emerged during the 1930s. It can be referred to by either name alone and emphasized curving forms, long horizontal lines, and sometimes nautical elements.
As the depression decade of the 1930s progressed, Americans saw a new aspect of the Art Deco style emerge in the marketplace: Streamlining. The Streamlining concept was first created by industrial designers who stripped Art Deco design of its fauna and flora in favor of the aerodynamic pure-line concept of motion and speed developed from scientific thinking. As a result an array of designers quickly ultra-modernized and streamlined the designs of everyday objects. Manufacturers of clocks, radios, telephones, cars, furniture and numerous other household appliances embraced the concept with open arms.
The venerable Airstream is of course an iconic example of this style and Brian’s shot of an Airstream on the Mackinac Bridge captures that style perfectly. Check it out bigger and in his his slideshow.
Mackinac Bridge Sunset
Mackinac Bridge Sunset, photo by GLASman1.
From high above the Straits of Mackinac…
Check it out background big and in Mark’s slideshow.
More Michigan aerial photographs from Michigan in Pictures.
2010 Labor Day Mackinac Bridge Walk
Mackinac Bridge Walk, photo by mackinacbridgerun
Every year, thousands of people come to the Mackinac Bridge on the morning of Labor Day for the annual Mackinac Bridge Walk. They’ll do it again at the 53rd annual walk on Monday, September 6, 2010 from 7-11 AM.
Get all the history of the Mackinac Bridge Walk from Michigan in Pictures and click that button for tons more info on the Mackinac Bridge.
View the photo larger in mackinacbridgerun’s slideshow.
High Speed Internet – the new Mackinac Bridge?
Mackinac Bridge…..I-75, photo by bitsorf.
In this week’s Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce e-News, Laura Oblinger wrote :
In 1957, the Mackinac Bridge connected the state to new economic and social opportunities. More than a half-century later, high-speed Internet service (broadband) can have a similar impact by connecting all regional businesses to the global marketplace. Statewide broadband deployment is projected to result in a $400 billion increase in the state’s gross state product over 10 years.
If tourists can remain connected to their work, it could mean an additional $52 million to the Traverse City area economy due to stays being extended by just two days.
You can check out the Chamber’s Regional Broadband Initiative page and learn a lot more about Michigan’s Broadband Initiatives and even check connectivity across the state through Connect Michigan.
Check this out bigger!
Much more about the Mighty Mackinac Bridge from Michigan in Pictures!
80 years of ice on the Straits of Mackinaw
Winter Service, photo courtesy Mackinac Bridge Authority
The Michigan State Ferry Album says:
Winter service began in 1931 when the Highway Department arranged with the Mackinaw Transportation Company to carry cars across the Straits on a railroad icebreaker during the cold months. This arrangement turned out to be poor business for the State, so in 1936 the Highway Department leased the railroad icebreaker “Sainte Marie” for winter operations on a regular schedule.Winter service began in 1931 when the Highway Department arranged with the Mackinaw Transportation Company to carry cars across the Straits on a railroad icebreaker during the cold months. This arrangement turned out to be poor business for the State, so in 1936 the Highway Department leased the railroad icebreaker “Sainte Marie” for winter operations on a regular schedule.
In case you’re wondering, the ice on the Straits of Mackinaw hasn’t changed a whole lot in 80 years, as this photo from February of 2008 titled Triangles by Dominique shows. See it bigger in her Snow/Ice slideshow or check out the whole set.
Exposure.Detroit November Show
take it to the bridge, photo by b.plus
The Exposure.Detroit November Photography Exhibit Opening Party takes place this Saturday (November 7) from 7-10 PM at the Bean & Leaf Cafe in Royal Oak. The show features the work of Robert Monaghan, Jim Barclay, Allan Machielse, Bethany Helzer and Brian Day.
Check Brian’s photo of the Douglas MacArthur Bridge (aka the Belle Isle Bridge) out bigger in his Interesting slideshow (set) or dive into his Flickriver.
2009 ArtPrize Grand Rapids
ArtPrize ’09 Friday, photo by JohnE777.
If you’re like me, you’ve probably wondered “Just how much money does it take for a city to completely go off its nut and turn into some kind of urban ninja butterfly?”
The answer, it seems, is about a million dollars. That’s how much money Rick DeVos allocated to found the Grand Rapids ArtPrize. The public will vote to determine who wins prizes including the top prize of $250,000!
Over on Absolute Michigan we’ve created the 2009 ArtPrize Grand Rapids page, an explosion of tweets, videos and (of course) photos.
Also check out the ArtPrize Map or (if you’re so inclined) fly through Grand Rapids and ArtPrize in Google Earth.
Check out this photo bigger and also see John’s massive ArtPrize ’09 set (slideshow).
PS: Tomorrow Rob Bliss & friends will launch 100,000 paper airplanes over Monroe Ave. as a flashmob of musicians play. Be there.
52nd Annual Mackinac Bridge Walk ~ September 7, 2009
2008 Mackinac Bridge Walk, photo courtesy Michigan Department of Transportation & Mackinac Bridge Authority
The annual Mackinac Bridge Walk is a Michigan tradition that has been held every year since the Bridge opened in 1957. This year is the 52nd annual and it takes place (as always) on Labor Day (September 7) from 7-11 AM. The walk is free and you can get all the details from the official Mackinac Bridge web site.
There’s more info available on Wikipedia and you can learn all about the Mackinac Bridge over at Absolute Michigan.
The Portage Lake Lift Bridge & Houghton Bridgefest
The Portage Lift Bridge I, photo by We Are CS.
There are those who believe that the Portage Lift Bridge in Houghton, Michigan looks like two grasshoppers eating spaghetti. There are also those who believe this structure is worthy of celebration. That annual event happens this weekend (June 19-21) and it’s called Bridgefest. It looks like they pack a lot of fun into this weekend long celebration.
Wikipedia’s Portage Lake Lift Bridge entry says:
The Portage Lake Lift Bridge connects the cities of Hancock and Houghton, Michigan, USA, across Portage Lake, a portion of the waterway which cuts across the Keweenaw Peninsula with a canal linking the final several miles to Lake Superior to the northwest. US 41 and M-26 are both routed across the bridge.
The original bridge on this site was a wooden swing-bridge built in 1875. This was replaced by a steel swing-bridge built by the King Bridge Company in 1901. This bridge was damaged when a ship collided with it in 1905. The center swinging section of the bridge was replaced and a similar incident almost occurred again in 1920, but the ship was able to stop by dropping its anchor, which snagged on the bottom of the lake. In 1959, this bridge was replaced, at a cost of about 11-13 million US dollars (sources vary), by the current bridge which was built by the American Bridge Company.
As its name states, the bridge is a lift bridge with the middle section capable of being lifted from its low point of four feet clearance over the water to a clearance of 100 feet (30 m) to allow boats to pass underneath. The Bridge is the world’s heaviest and widest double-decked vertical lift bridge.Its center span “lifts” to provide 100 feet (30 m) of clearance for ships. The bridge is a crucial lifeline, since it is the only land based link between the north (so-called Copper Island) and south sections of the Keweenaw peninsula.
Be sure to check this out bigger and also have a look at Kyle’s Portage Lift Bridge set (slideshow). More photos of the Portage Lift Bridge on Flickr.
Michigan in Pictures 