Gibson Guitar in Kalamazoo, Michigan

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Gibson Guitar General Assembly Room, Kalamazoo Michigan

Gibson, Inc., General Assembly Room, 1936. “One section of the general assembling room.” Photographed by Mamie L. Austin.

Visit the Gibson, Inc. Photo Gallery at the Kalamazoo Public Library for many more photos and a brief history of Gibson in Kalamazoo (includes suggested reading!).

In 1898, Orville Gibson was awarded the patent for an “Improved Mandolin,” using principles that could be applied also to “guitars, mandolas, and lutes.” The invention was that of a back, neck, and ribs structure carved from one piece of wood, with an arched soundboard and slightly hollowed neck … This archtop guitar design, influenced by violin construction, marked the beginning of a significant development in American guitar making.

Read more and see some photos at Guitar by Orville Gibson at the National Music Museum. Also check out History of Gibson from Gibson, Inc. and this page from FlyingVintage.com with information and pics of the Kalamazoo factory.

The Gibson section is just one of over 100 short stories and tours of historic photographs and information about the people, places, events and businesses of Kalamazoo in the Kalamazoo Public Library’s Clarence L. Miller Family Local History Room.

The Ol’ Ballpark

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Tiger Stadium, Detroit Michigan

The Ol' Ballpark, photo by femaletrumpet02 

This is part of a great set of photos by Lauren, who says:

Pictures of Old Tiger Stadium, which will be demolished to make way for a business district in Corktown. I attended my first Tigers game here in July of 1993 at the age of 9 with my dad. I remember that it was the Tigers vs. the Kansas City Royals. Dad and I had Grandstand seats, and I remember the electric atmosphere and the bleacher creatures doing their thing over in the bleacher.

Absolute Michigan has more about the future of Tiger Stadium (including a lot of history about this really cool ballpark).

Where’s Waldo? At the Yankee Air Museum probably

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Wheres Waldo?

Wheres Waldo?, photo by "CAVE CANEM".

Cave Canum writes:

There used to be this wonderful place nearby called the Yankee Air Muesum that kept these great WWII planes. Last summer some degenerate burned it to the ground destroying these beautiful birds and ending a great air show!!!

Other than offering a nice set of photos, I guess we could look at this as a PSA to remind folks who are thinking of burning down irreplaceable things to take up knitting or something.

I was also wondering if that Yankee Air Museum was reborn as this Yankee Air Museum based out of Ford's Willow Run Airport in Belleville. The answer is, "Yes!"

On October 9, 2004, the Yankee Air Museum at Willow Run Airport suffered a terrible fire that destroyed the historic hangar housing the museum. Through the heroic efforts of a few members, the beautifully restored B-17, C-47 and B-25 aircraft were moved out of the building before the fire reached them, thus saving the heart of the collection. In addition, all the historic aircraft on display outside of the main building were untouched by the fire. The museum did, however, lose virtually all of the tooling, equipment and spare parts for all of the aircraft plus all of the office and display fixtures and equipment totaling well over $1,000,000 in replacement value. While thousands of irreplaceable artifacts, photos and books were also lost in the fire, the Volunteers at the museum are thankful that the aircraft collection remains largely intact. Only a small number of non-flyable aircraft that were in restoration inside the hanger were lost.

Visit their site for much information including their big Thunder Over Michigan event held August 5 & 6, 2006 at Willow Run Airport in Belleville. Looks like an amazing collection of aircraft and aerial displays.

Herbert C. Jackson

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Herbert C. Jackson

Herbert C. Jackson, photo by Jowo

Joel Dinda tells stories about the past and present with his photos and also with the words he writes about them. Some, like the above pictures of a freighter in Sault Ste. Marie or Borucki's Lakers, are about Michigan. Others, such as Life Along the Rail and Thursdays: Vietnam 1971 cross state and national borders.

Take a look, I have no doubt you'll find something interesting.

This photo is part of a set that lends itself well to Flickr's slideshow feature.

Elowsky Grist Mill

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Elowsky Grist Mill

Elowsky Grist Mill, photo by Dan Sharp
Dan Sharp of Alpena, age 12 took this photo in Posen for the Michigan Week Youth Photo Contest.

The contest required that the subject of the photo include a building or object at least 50 years old, is part of the annual Michigan Week celebration. Entries came from all regions of the state and both peninsulas, with contestants ranging from ages nine to 19. Click the link or photo above for a list of the 12 regional winners and runners up.

Blue Water Bridges

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Blue Water Bridges

Blue Water Bridges, photo by Larry the Biker.

This photo is part of Larry the Biker's set of Michigan Landmarks. He writes:

On the far left is the "Thomas Edison Depot" where the inventor held his first job. Overlooking the depot is the sister spans of the Blue Water Bridge, Port Huron, Michigan.

The Thomas Edison Depot Museum is housed inside the historic Fort Gratiot depot built in 1858 by the Grand Trunk Railway, and is the actual depot that Thomas Edison worked out of as a news butcher between 1859 and 1863.

Edison is one of the twelve inaugural inductees into the Michigan Walk of Fame in Lansing. You can learn more about, Edison, the Walk and the other inductees at Absolute Michigan.
 

skeleton

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

skeleton

skeleton, photo by We Are CS.

One of a great set of photos of Upper Peninsula Mining Ruins.

United Artists Theater Indian Maiden

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

United Artists Theater Indian Maiden

United Artists Theater Indian Maiden, photo by SNWEB.ORG Detroit.

He writes: Located in the outer lobby. Out of the 6 in the building this is the only one that remains, the other 5 have been smashed and/or stolen.

Much more information and TONS more photos of the United Artists Theater can be found at SNWEB.org (you can also buy photos right here)

Sea Jeeps on the Rouge River

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Sea Jeeps on the Rouge River

photo credit: Library of Congress (LC-USE6-D-009990)
This photo is from a set of pictures of the Ford amphibian reconnaissance cars (aka "Sea Jeeps") being tested at the Ford Motor Company's Rouge plant and in the Huron River and Rouge River.

View the Library of Congress Sea Jeep set.

Henderson Castle

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Henderson Castle

Henderson Castle, photo by Kalamazoo Richard.

Richard posted several shots of this Kalamazoo landmark to the new Historic Michigan pool on Flickr. One of his shots is of the Michigan Historic Marker which tells us it was built in a neighborhood designed by Kalamazoo military regalia manufacturer Frank Henderson.

The Kalamazoo Public Library goes into a lot more depth (and has a cool old photo of the castle):

The Queen Anne style house–always called “The Castle” by local residents because of its ornate style and imposing hilltop location–was designed by C. A. Gombert of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and cost $72,000 to build. With seven baths, a thirteen-head shower, an elevator, a third-floor ballroom, and a hot tub on the roof (added later) the 25-room castle exemplifies high society and expensive tastes. The castle’s exterior is made of Lake Superior sandstone and brick, and the interior wood includes mahogany, bird’s eye maple, quartered oak, birch, and sycamore.

Henderson Castle is currently a bed & breakfast (visit Henderson Castle B&B site).