Afton…now and then

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Afton...now and then

Afton…now and then, photo by smartee_martee.

Marty writes:

21 September 2008; Afton, Michigan.

The postcard is postmarked Sept 2, 1920.

Patrick O’Connor opened a lumber camp in Ellis Township in 1887. Ellisville was the name given to its first post office in 1905. It was asked to be renamed Afton, for that it was thought to resemble Afton in Scotland because of the Pigeon River flowing nearby. It was officially Afton on Feb. 12, 1906.

This photo is part of Marty’s amazing Overnight Photo Trip September 2008 (slideshow). He drove nearly 2000 miles through northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, chronicling small towns, hamlets and crossings.

Sunset Silhouette on Lookout Hill

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Sunset Silhouette

Sunset Silhouette, photo by GR58.

Wikipedia says that Lookout Hill in Grand Rapids is officially Belknap Hill:

…a prominent river bluff directly northeast of downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. The hill is a distinct topographical feature when viewed from the Western approach to the downtown area. Its two hillside city parks have been favored by evening romancers and view seekers throughout the history of Grand Rapids.

Belknap Hill holds a nostalgic place in the sentiments of Grand Rapidians in that it has long been a popular place to propose marriage. Hidden in the backwaters of the semi-isolated Belknap Lookout neighborhood atop this hill remain some of the simple nineteenth century framed homes from days when Belknap Hill bordered small farms and apple orchards. A cherished historic feature of the hill is the steeply inclined Trowbridge Street which is one of the city’s two remaining true fieldstone cobblestoned streets.

Be sure to check it out bigger and also to have a great weekend!

More photos from GR 58 on Michigan in Pictures.

Traverse City: Cherry (Festival) Capital of the World

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Traverse City Cherry Capital Postcard

Traverse City Cherry Capital Postcard, photo by Seeking Michigan.

The annual National Cherry Festival kicks off on July 4th, 2009. The first festival was held in 1926 and it has grown into an $26 million dollar powerhouse. Many of the concerts and events are free, and in addition to a number of parades, there’s music (headlined by Kenny Wayne Shepherd), food & wine tasting and an air show.

Check it out bigger and also in their Tourism set (slideshow).

I think the woman above barely missed the cut for this amazing travelogue from the 1940s.

More than knee high…

Posted on by farlane

Sweet Corn

Sweet Corn, photo by PepOmint

Although the spring & summer were colder than usual, it looks like PepOmint’s corn is on track to be “knee high by the Fourth of July.”

While I couldn’t find anything specifically Michigan about that phrase, it did lead me to a social studies lesson on Growing Corn from Michigan History, Arts & Libraries which in turn led me to an Excerpt from Charles Estep’s Farm Diary, August 1884.

Balloons over Howell: The Michigan Challenge Balloonfest

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Pics 126

Pics 126, photo by m7k7k7.

The annual Michigan Challenge Balloonfest takes place this weekend – June 26-28, 2009. It’s the state championship of hot-air ballooning and in addition to a sky full of balloons, offerings include three entertainment venues, a carnival, classic car show, medieval village and skydiving shows. 2009 is the 25th anniversary:

“Twenty-five years ago, the Michigan Challenge started with a whimper and a little burner noise,” said Competition Director Dick Rudlaff. “There were only a couple handfuls of balloons that first year, all good friends who flew together often. But we managed to elbow our way into the Howell community with the help of the chamber of commerce and all their volunteers who make this a true community event to be proud of.”

Of course, the highlight of the Michigan Challenge weekend is the five scheduled balloon launches Friday, Saturday and Sunday between 6 and 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday mornings between 6 and 8 a.m. Site host is Howell Public Schools.

Here’s more of m7k7k7’s Howell Balloonfest photos (slideshow). For more, check out the Michigan Challenge Balloonfest slideshow on Flickr and also this set and this one.

The Book Tower, Detroit

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

The Book

The Book, photo by gatsbyj.

Wikipedia’s Book Tower entry says that:

The Book Tower is an Italian Renaissance styled tower in Detroit, Michigan. Construction began in 1916 as an addition to the original Book Building and finished a decade later. Designed in the Academic Classicism style, it is 475 feet (145 m) and 38 stories tall (not including two basement levels), with two mechanical floors at the top encasing the green copper roof, a roofing style shared by the nearby Westin Book-Cadillac Hotel. Retail and gallery floors used to reside on the first and second floors, with businesses previously occupying the rest. Sadly, as of 2009, the building is unoccupied.

Named after the famous Book Brothers of Detroit, it was briefly the tallest building in the city until the completion of the Penobscot Building in 1928. A taller Book Tower of 81 stories was to be built at the opposite end of the Book Building, but the Great Depression cancelled those plans.

The Book Building and Book Tower are now completely vacant. You can get a map to the Book Tower from Wikimapia. Emporis has more about the Book Tower and also more of the buildings designed by architect Louis Kamper. If you’re wondering about the Penobscot Building, Michigan in Pictures has that covered.

See it bigger in Christian’s About Detroit set (slideshow).

Night and Day Fountain in Port Huron

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Day & Night Diptych

Day & Night Diptych, photo by jrde3.

Here’s a few more views of this sculpture and also check out Jonathan’s Port Huron, MI set (slideshow).

The sculptures are located at McMorran Place in Port Huron where they explain that noted sculptor Marshall Fredericks:

…designed these over-life sized figures for the NIGHT AND DAY FOUNTAIN outside of the McMorran Auditorium in Port Huron. The fountain is beneath the 22 ft. diameter sculptural clock, which was also designed by Fredericks. He chose time as the theme of the auditoriums exterior ornamentation because the donors of the building put great value in punctuality. In keeping with the long tradition on western art, the sculptor personified time with figures representing night and day.

Check out more work by Marshall Fredericks on Michigan in Pictures.

Ready to Play

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Untitled, photo by Michael Zz.

Check it out bigger or in Michael’s Night Shots set (slideshow).

Hope your weekend brings you all the fun you can handle and if you’re wondering what to do, check out Absolute Michigan’s Michigan Event Calendar.

Your photo contest begins at Michigan.org

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Holland, Michigan Lighthouse

Holland, Michigan Lighthouse, photo by Tony Tanoury.

The Pure Michigan Photo Contest is open until June 29, 2009 and offers you a chance to win prizes including a stay at the Gran Hotel on Mackinac Island!

You can get all the details at the link above and check out submitted photos on their map.

Tony took this photo of the “Big Red” lighthouse in Holland last May. Be sure to check it out bigger and also in his Michigan set (slideshow).

The River: Photo Kayaking on Pigeon River

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Photo Kayaking on Pigeon River

Photo Kayaking on Pigeon River, photo by Fellowship of the Rich.

Here’s a photo taken while kayaking on the Pigeon River in Port Sheldon, about which the DNR says:

The Pigeon River is located in the north-central part of the southern peninsula of Michigan. Its headwaters are located a few miles northeast of Gaylord. The river then flows in a northerly direction to its mouth at Mullet Lake, a distance of 42 miles. The Pigeon River system drains a surface area of approximately 88,000 acres and include 80 linear miles of stream.

The DNR’s Natural Rivers page says that Michigan has more than 36,000 miles of rivers and streams, including over 12,000 miles of cold water trout streams. Get a list of those Michigan rivers from Wikipedia.

Be sure to check this photo out bigger and in Rich’s The River set (slideshow)

Rich also created a new Flickr group called The River, about which he says:

Life stems from flowing water and life grows around flowing water. Cities and towns build up around the river. This group is about documenting rivers from all over the world. Activities in and around the river. From swimming, boating, fishing to taking in scenery and wildlife. Iconic rivers to locally known fishing rivers, we’d love to have them all.