It’s your birthday Detroit, how about a history lesson?

Posted on by farlane


Hotel Pontchartrain and Cadillac Square from City Hall, 1916, photo by Detroit Publishing Co, via Shorpy

Hello Detroit, it’s your birthday!*

History Detroit tells the story of Cadillac and the founding of Detroit on July 24, 1701. They explain how Antoine de la Mothe, Sieur de Cadillac made a plan with his mentor and Governor General of New France, Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac, to found a new settlement at the south of Lake Huron to increase security of French interests on the Great Lakes. Frontenac died, and his successor was not fond of Cadillac so:

Cadillac set sail for France in 1698 in order to convince King Louis to allow him to found a new settlement lower in the Great Lakes. Specifically, he was interested in the area south of Lake Huron known as le détroit, or the straits.

The area known as le détroit was ideal for a new settlement because the land was fertile, the location on the river was felt to be easily defended against the British and the climate was more hospitable than that in the more northern settlements like Michilimackinac.

Cadillac returned to Quebec, then travelled to Montreal where he gathered canoes, farmers, traders, artisans, soldiers, and Native Americans to accompany him on his quest. The men set sail on June 4, 1701.

Cadillac and his men reached the Detroit River on July 23, 1701. The following day, July 24, 1701, the group traveled north on the Detroit River and chose a place to build the settlement. Cadillac named the settlement Fort Ponchartrain du Detroit in honor of King Louis’s Minister of Marine.

Read More About Fort Ponchartrain and Cadillac.

You have to check this photo from Shorpy (a great blog where you can also buy these old prints) background bigtacular to see the amazing detail and activity captured including the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in the bottom left corner. Here are earlier views of the hotel circa 1907, minus the upper floors, and 1910, minus most of the cars, and here’s Shorpy’s entire Detroit Michigan historic archive.

Need more? There’s a whole lot more Detroit on Michigan in Pictures and at absolutemichigan.com/Detroit.

* I feel a little weird giving a history lesson as a birthday present.

Why are most barns red?

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Why are most barns red?

Why are most barns red?, photo by whitepuffycloud.

Shannon dug up the answer to the question: Why are barns usually painted red?:

Centuries ago, European farmers would seal the wood on their barns with a linseed oil mixture, often consisting of additions such as milk and lime. The combination produced a long-lasting paint that dried and hardened quickly. Now, where does the red come from?

Wealthy farmers added blood from a recent slaughter to the oil mixture. As the paint dried, it turned from a bright red to a darker, burnt red.

Farmers added ferrous oxide, otherwise known as rust, to the oil mixture. Rust was plentiful on farms and is a poison to many fungi, including mold and moss, which were known to grown on barns. These fungi would trap moisture in the wood, increasing decay.

Regardless of how the farmer tinted his paint, having a red barn became a fashionable thing. They were a sharp contrast to the traditional white farmhouse. As European settlers crossed over to America, they brought with them the tradition of red barns. In the mid to late 1800s, as paints began to be produced with chemical pigments, red paint was the most inexpensive to buy. Red was the color of favor until whitewash became cheaper, at which point white barns began to spring up.”

You may also wonder why barns have lightning rods – we’ve got that covered too!

Check this out bigger in Shannon’s Lansing, MI slideshow!

The Ruffed Grouse and how to manage land for it in Michigan

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

n21_107-9216

n21_107-9216, photo by sgowtham.

Managing Michigan Wildlife: A Landowners Guide is produced by the Michigan DNR and is designed to tell landowners how they can improve wildlife habitat on their property and ease the consequences of our changed ecosystems. They have this to say about the Ruffed Grouse:

Ruffed grouse live in 34 of the 49 continental states and in all Canadian provinces. Michigan is an important portion of the grouse range. Often thought of as a bird of the deep forest, grouse actually thrive best in young, aspen forests and brushlands. When aspen is not available, oak, lowland brush, and dense stands of trees are optional habitats. Grouse are a welcome sight at bird feeders in neighborhoods where natural habitat is available. Despite human encroachment, grouse are able to survive.

You can manage for grouse in Michigan if you own 20-40 acres of woodlands, and birds have access to other nearby woodlots. When habitat needs are met, ruffed grouse usually spend their entire lives in an area of 40 acres or less. If critical habitat is not available, grouse will disperse up to several miles in search of a new home. Birds are basically solitary and do not collect in coveys like bobwhite quail, although several grouse may feed or roost together. Be aware that populations fluctuate even when habitat needs are met.

Learn much more about this popular game bird from Wikipedia and Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) from All About Birds where you can hear the grouse’s unique thrumming call.

Gowtham took this photo in Pelkie. Check it out bigger and in his Nature slideshow.

Big Sable Point – View From The Top

Posted on by farlane

Big Sable Point - View From The Top
Big Sable Point – View From The Top, photo by pentax hammer (gary syrba)

This is the view from Big Sable Point Lighthouse near Ludington.

View it bigger in Gary’s awesome Summertime slideshow.

Frankfort Beach & North Breakwater Light in Winter

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Benzie Vintage Winter Frankfort Beach Card looking South to the pod Pier and Lighthouse

Benzie Vintage Winter Frankfort Beach Card looking South to the pod Pier and Lighthouse, photo by UpNorth Memories – Donald (Don) Harrison.

The Frankfort North Breakwater Light in the picture is one of three Michigan lighthouses that the Coast Guard is offloading.

Be sure to check this out background bigtacular Don’s Benzie vintage winter slideshow has more wintertime views from Northern Michigan.

Everyone OK with a little more summer?

Holga from Marianne Priest

Posted on by farlane


Untitled, photo by Marianne Priest

Marianne Priest is a self taught photographer living in northern lower Michigan who got her first camera in the late 90s, She’s developed her style through reading, trial and error, and the great talent and wisdom of friends who have helped and inspired her. One of those friends, Mark O’Brien, turned me on to her photos and I have to say that I’m grateful!

Check out her Holga slideshow and view lots more of her work at mariannepriest.com!

A little beach-keh on Throw in a Petoskey Stone Day

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

beach-keh

beach-keh, photo by *ojoyous1*.

July 17th is Throw in a Petoskey Stone Day. If you’re unfamiliar with it, that’s because it was invented on Michigan in Pictures last July 17th. The basic goal is to preserve Petoskey stones for future generations by throwing them out into the water., but nobody can fault you if you decide to take one or more home with you.

Click that link above for more about Michigan’s State Stone. Here’s what Rose Petoskey has to say:

Many people would associate the word Petoskey with the souvenir stone found on the northern Lake Michigan shorelines. However, to my family, the word Petoskey represents much more than a souvenir.

In the Odawa language, the word Petoskey (Bii-daa-si-ga) means the rising sun, the day’s first light, or the sun’s first rays moving across the water. The Petoskey stone is a fossilized coral created by impressions made in limestone during the last Michigan ice age. These stones were named “Petoskey” because the impressions resembled the rising sun coming up over the water. Just as the image of the rising sun is implanted within the Petoskey stone, the archaeology of a person’s names is implanted within. All names within our Anishinaabek culture reflect an individual’s personal history. Rocks go deep, but names go much deeper to reveal the stories of the past.

Read on for some interesting thoughts about language.

Joy found this on the beach near Frankfort. Take a stroll along Frankfort beach with Joy and I hope you have a great weekend!

Michigan by Rail: How will we get from here to there?

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Untitled, photo by Brooke Pennington.

There’s a great post over on Absolute Michigan about a series of Michigan Rail Forums that are seeking to develop a statewide vision for freight, passenger and commuter rail – click over and check it out! There’s also a great video about the history of railroads in Michigan.

I for one love rail travel and I hope that Michigan can pull together a modern rail system that allows us all to sit back and enjoy the scenery as we ride the rails!

Check this out bigger in Brooke’s slideshow

Wakeboard Jump

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Untitled, photo by spacelola.

Check this out bigger in her Ann Arbor slideshow!

Hope summer is making you jump for joy – there’s lots more Michigan jumping on Michigan in Pictures!

Miguel Cabrera and your 2010 Detroit Tiger All Stars

Posted on by farlane

Homerun!
Homerun!, photo by Curtnrod

With top vote getter  Justin Morneau of the Twins suffering a concussion, the Detroit Tigers Miguel Cabrera will start for the American League at first base (batting third) in tonight’s All Star Game. As a reminder, Major League Baseball’s celebration of its superstars actually has meaning – the winner gets home field advantage in the World Series.

Cabrera makes his fifth All-Star appearance in seven seasons, and although he finished second to Morneau with 2,586,207 votes, he’s second in the majors with 20 home runs and 68 RBIs, has a 19 game hitting streak going and is having a great season. In addition to Cabrera, the Tigers Jose Valverde has been named the closer for the game by AL manager Joe Girardi and 11-5 Tiger ace Justin Verlander will be on the team as well. The Tigers roar into the break 25-5 since June 9th and although a loss to the Twins put them 1/2 game out, you have to like their performance so far.

See this photo from Cabrera’s first season as a Tiger bigger in Sam’s Detroit Tigers slideshow and go AL!