textured sailboat, photo by lisasawesomepics
Be sure to check this out bigger and see more photos in Lisa’s My Town set (slideshow).
While you’re at it, have a great weekend!
The story of the Irish Hills Towers
Irish Hills Towers, photo by dt10111.
The Wikipedia entry for the Irish Hills Towers says that these wooden observation towers were constructed along US-12 in the Irish Hills region in northern Lenawee County as the result of a curious competition along the lines of the skyscraper frenzy in New York:
In the early 1920s, the Michigan Observation Company sought places of high elevation to erect fifty foot high enclosed platforms to boost tourism. In southern Michigan, a tower was placed atop Bundy Hill in Hillsdale County, Michigan and officials sought a knoll in the heart of the Irish Hills in Lenawee County. A farmer who owned half of the knoll, Edward Kelly, turned down the company’s offer to purchase his portion of the land. The adjoining land owner, Thomas Brighton, consented the sale of his plat, and construction of the Irish Hills Observatory commenced.
The opening of the Irish Hills Observatory was announced by The Brooklyn Exponent in September 1924. In a gala celebration on October 4 and October 5, hundreds of people ascended the hill and tower to gaze upon the rolling landscape and crystal blue lakes in all directions. Kelly seemed spited by the exploitation of the MOCs venture, and protested by erecting his own tower. By the end of November, 1924, his own observation platform was in place, just feet away from the MOCs structure, and several feet higher.
The Michigan Observation Company responded by adding a second observation enclosure to the top of its own facilities, now designated as the “Original Irish Hills Tower”. Kelly proceeded to add a raised platform to his “Gray” tower (named as such because of its gray-painted exterior), an act which brought the two edifices to an even height. The MOC informed Kelly that if he attempted to compete with more height given to his tower, they would tear down their own and construct a metal observatory so large that Kelly’s efforts would be nullified. He conceded, and turned his efforts instead to drawing more revenue to his creation.
In the 1950s Frank Lamping purchased both and added a gift shop. The towers closed in 2000.
Here’s a cool postcard from the 1930s of the view from Irish Hills Towers, a sweet photo from Matt Callow and a few photos showing different views of the towers. You can see the location on Waymarks.
See this bigger right here and in Daniel’s Buildings set (slideshow).
More Michigan roadside attractions from Michigan in Pictures!
Moonstruck by Lightning
moonandbarn, photo by Aunt Owwee.
Spring is storm season in Michigan, and where there’s storms, there’s often lightning. One of my favorite blogs, The Everyday Adventurer, has a post about lightning rods that I’ve been meaning to feature. I was waiting for a nice spring storm to rumble through but it looks like the April showers are sleeping in this year.
Wikipedia’s Lightning rod entry explains Ben Franklin’s US invention of the lightning rod (which appears to have been invented in Russia 20 some years before). Like many new inventions, it drew criticism. Here’s what Rev. Thomas Prince, the rector of Old South Church in Boston, said in his 1755 sermon titled Earthquakes the Works of God and Tokens of His Just Displeasure:
“…the more points of Iron are erected round the Earth, to draw the Electrical Substance out of the Air; the more the Earth must needs be charged with it. And therefore it seems worthy of Consideration whether any part of the Earth, being fuller of the terrible Substance, may not be exposed to more shocking Earthquakes. In Boston are more erected than anywhere else in New England; and Boston seems to be more dreadfully Shaken. O! there is no getting out of the mighty Hand of God! If we think to avoid it in the Air, we cannot in the Earth: Yea it may grow more fatal…
Check out this Michigan lightning slideshow from Flickr and be sure to check this out bigger.
Here’s hoping your buildings remain lightning free!
Photos of Michigan Central Station
Michigan Central Station, photo by Grant Zoschnick Photography.
On Tuesday the Detroit City Council passed a resolution for expedited demolition of Michigan Central Station alias Michigan Central Depot alias MCS alias Detroit’s largest ruin.
David Kohrman’s Forgotten Detroit has tons of historical photos and a detailed history of Michigan Central Depot that begins:
When the old Michigan Central Depot burned on December 26, 1913 the still unfinished structure off of Michigan Ave. was called into service. Designed by noted hotel architects Warren & Wetmore and engineers Reed and Stem, the MCS was an exceptionally beautiful building. The style of choice was beaux-arts neoclassical. Flanking massive arched windows were pairs of Corinthian columns, a hallmark of the style. Inside the rooms were modeled after an ancient Roman bathhouse, particularly the massive main waiting room. With an impressive vaulted ceiling this room was the most imposing in the building.
All Aboard: A Retrospective of the M.C.S. is a fantastic look at Michigan Central Station as it was in 1973 and as it is now. Be sure to check this one out.
Michigan Central Station on Wikipedia notes that the building was designed by the Warren & Wetmore and Reed and Stem firms who also designed New York City’s Grand Central Terminal.
Here’s the Michigan Central Station slideshow on Flickr. In Exposure Detroit, many of the photographers whose work is featured in that slideshow are discussing the city council’s vote and how to save MCS and the Save Michigan Central Station Group.
You might also like Detroit’s Michigan Central Station from Michigan in Pictures and watch this great old video on YouTube.
Be sure to check Grant’s photo out bigger and see more of his shots from Michigan Central Station (slideshow).
UPDATE (April 14): Heather Pennington has cool post titled Save Michigan Central Station in which she has some photos and eloquently wonders:
There is much debate on what should be done with this amazing structure. What cannot be debated is the fact that there are countless other structures that are “dangerous, open to the elements, and open to trespassers”. There are so many houses, and former businesses that are abandoned and burned that should be torn down for the safey of the city. The Detroit Fire Department lost one of its own last year when Walter Harris died after the roof of a charred vacant house collapsed on him (read article from Fire Rescue 1 here). Why???
Wouldn’t it cost less than $3.6M (that the city does not have) to demolish vacant and burned homes?
Let’s take some time to clean up the rest of the city; make it safe for all that live, work, and play here. And in the meantime, let’s try to find a reasonable fate for Michigan Central Station.
Alone in the Crowd
Big Air at the Midwest Super Park
Midwest Super Park, photo by Hometown Invasion Tour.
This is one of a number of photos from Nick Baumgartner’s cool Big Air Competition slideshow.
You can also see them at 2009 Midwest Super Park – Marquette Mountain at Yooper Steez, where Nick explains that every year some of the Midwest’s best snowboarders and skiers take to Marquette Mountain and showcase some of the best talent around.
Holy Spring, Batman!
Holy Spring, Batman!, photo by Rudy Malmquist.
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, Bokeh!
Be sure to and get yourself a Bokehlicious Background from Michigan’s Perspicacious Prince of Pictoral Presentment.
the day after the end of the war
the day after the end of the war, photo by jamelah.
…he was going to show me spring.
Jamelah writes that Michigan in the springtime is her favorite … until Michigan in the summer with the moody thunderstorms and the lush green geometry of cornfields.
See some more springtime shots in her Spring set (slideshow) … and maybe remember not to wait too long.
Set Sail on the SS Keewatin in Saugatuck / Douglas
Set Sail, photo by chicagokristi.
The Keewatin Maritime Museum is located in Saugatuck / Douglas and offers folks a chance to tour this 350′, wooden frame steamship:
The Keewatin was built for the Canadian Pacific Railway, in Scotland. Delivered to the Great Lakes in 1907, this lovely steamer was destined to make history. For over 50 years she served as a railway link, connecting the Georgian Bay and upper Lake Superior railheads. She is the last of the Classic Great Lakes Passenger Steamships still afloat.
Take a quick tour right here.There’s some cool views of this steamship in the Keewatin slideshow including a postcard of the Keewatin steaming along.
Be sure to view this photo larger
There’s music on the Spring Wind
Love calls like the wild birds, it’s another day.
A Spring wind blew my list of things to do … away.
~Greg Brown, Spring Wind
In celebration of the first day of spring and the vernal equinox, I went looking for a photo of “spring” in the Absolute Michigan pool. With almost 2000 photos, it’s practically a synaesthesia inducing experience. It also shows the riotous glory that is Michigan in springtime: flowers, flowing water, new shoots covered with snow and people who don’t care that the water is too cold for sensible folk to wade in.
Be sure to check this photo out bigger and in Yolanda’s Nature sideshow.
Check out one of my very favorite songs, Spring Wind by Greg Brown on YouTube and enjoy the return of spring.
Michigan in Pictures 