Michigan in Pictures

From Dark Hollow Quarry to Michigan Central Station

Posted on April 8, 2025April 8, 2025 by farlane

Removing a Limestone block from the quarry

Quarrying limestone for Michigan Central Station

A post on the Historic Detroit Facebook reminded me of this great post the Christman Company shared last year about the care for detail in the renovation of Detroit’s Michigan Central Station that extended even to getting limestone from the original quarry:

At Michigan Central Station, much of the building’s limestone — 600 tons of it — had deteriorated from three decades of uncontrolled water into the building. Research and good teamwork led to finding the original, uniquely banded limestone source, the Dark Hollow Quarry in Bedford, Indiana. The only problem: it had closed in 1988, the same year as Michigan Central Station.

Luckily, quarried blocks had been left on site, but were now surrounded by 30-year-old trees! A new access road was installed, trees removed, and truckloads of raw blocks — the largest single piece over 20 tons — were sent to Bridgeport, Michigan for fabrication. Skillfully sequenced for reinstallation, the restored limestone facade, from the front to the back of Michigan Central Station, matches perfectly with the skill of marvelous teamwork.

Marvelous indeed. We’ll continue to share more about this iconic Detroit structure that officially reopened June 6, 2024. Head over to the Christman Company’s post on Facebook for more pics as well as info about the process and all the contractors involved. For sure check out much more Michigan Central on Michigan in Pictures & for sure follow Historic Detroit for all kinds of cool Detroit content!

Here’s a couple more shots along with a few of mine from last July soon after the station re-opened.

Return of the Turtle: Detroit Tigers Opening Day

Posted on April 4, 2025April 4, 2025 by farlane

Opening Day Flag Downtown Detroit Partnership

Opening Day Anthem by Downtown Detroit Partnership

For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth, the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.

Friday, April 4th 2025 is the 124th Opening Day for the Detroit Tigers. As a resident of Midtown in Detroit, I can tell you that this is unquestionably one of the biggest holidays of the year for us. Already the streets are filling with cars as baseball fans from all over Michigan and the world get ready for Tiger Baseball to return to the Motor City!

I’ve rounded up some of the highlights with a laser focus on FREE including and Opening Day party at Grand Circus Park by the City of Detroit and a Wisconsin manufacturer of watery beer that features a LOT of great food trucks, DJ Invisible, and lots of video walls and screens. There’s another free party from noon – 6pm just across Woodward at one of my favorite venues, The Fillmore with giveaways, WRIF and the game on their MASSIVE screen (tell the security guys Andy sent you and they will laugh). Also on the free front are a party at Gilly’s with giveaways, raffle, face painting & DJ Ray Ya Dig (official DJ of the Lions) from 9 AM–4 PM. I think that the Opening Day Party with my friends The Honest to God Jug Band is free, but they’re so fun and Cliff’s Bells is SO cool that I think you won’t mind if there is a cover.

And everywhere there are giveaways, giveaways, giveaways including the House of Faygo Pop-up at Campus Martius this Friday – Sunday.

Here’s more information on the photos & happenings. Please add yours in the comments here or on our Facebook!

Detroit Tigers Love by The City of Detroit (head over and drop your Opening Day plans!)
Detroit Tigers First Opening Day courtesy Detroit Historical Society
Downtown Detroit Opening Day Tailgate at Grand Circus Park
Fillmore & WRIF Opening Day Party
Watching the Game at Grand Circus by Downtown Detroit
Honest to God Jug Band at Cliff’s Bells
House of Faygo Popup
and Ernie Harwell at Tiger Stadium … and it wouldn’t be Opening Day without his invocation!

Meeting in the Middle on the Gordie Howe Bridge

Posted on April 3, 2025 by farlane

Connection of the Gordie Howe Bridge by Joe Decenso

One year ago today, I shared Joe’s photo of them laying the last girder on the Gordie Howe’s Bridge. With over 3,000,000 views on Facebook & Michigan in Pictures was the most popular post ever so I figured I would return with his shot of the crews meeting in the middle of this Canadian-funded bridge from Canada to the US.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge Authority has confirmed a September 2025 opening date, and you can head over to their website for lots more info & updates.

You can see lots more from Joe on his Instagram and for sure view & purchase his photos on his website!

Gordie Howe’s Last Girder by Joe Decenso

Northern Michigan Ice Is (not) Nice

Posted on April 1, 2025 by farlane

Deer in the ice storm by Jeremy Bassett

From Friday night through Sunday morning, Northern Lower Michigan was hit with a massive ice storm that left tens of thousands without power, closed the Mackinac Bridge with “the worst ice we’ve every seen on the Bridge”, and led Gov Whitmer to declare a state of emergency in Otsego, Oscoda, Montmorency, Presque Isle, Emmet, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Mackinac and Alpena counties. Great Lakes Energy shared the status as of yesterday morning

Since the storm began, power has been restored to over 56,000 members.

Just over 45,000 Great Lakes Energy (GLE) members remain without power this morning across 15 of our 26 counties.

Unfortunately, a new storm system hit our southern territory late yesterday, causing additional damage and compounding restoration challenges.

Here are some more pics by Great Lakes Energy Facebook along with some from the Mackinac Bridge Authority, Interlochen Public Radio, and the deer at the top and the last two of escaped horses and the ice storm in Onaway by Jeremy Bassett via 9 & 10 News.

Got any to share? Post them on our Facebook or in the comments below!!

(not) Feeding America

Posted on March 27, 2025March 27, 2025 by farlane

Not Today by Mark Smith

“A lot of that food was really good food. It was protein.“

-Ken Estelle, President & CEO of Feeding America West Michigan

Fox 17 West Michigan reported on Monday that Feeding America West Michigan has learned that the USDA has “paused” 32 truckloads of food scheduled to arrive from April to June.

The organization is now working to replace about 600,000 pounds of meat, cheeses and milk that would have come from these USDA shipments. “We’re looking at our current food suppliers, and donors, but we’re also looking at the fact that we’re going to have to purchase food in order to fill in some of the gaps,” Estelle explained.

A USDA grant allowing the food bank to purchase from Michigan farms was also initially suspended but has since been reinstated through October following meetings with elected officials. “We’re just getting into the Michigan growing season and we have made commitments to a lot of these smaller farms of what we would be able to purchase from them. So they were… the farms were also depending on us to be able to be one of their customers for their products,” said Estelle.

No word yet on if hungry folks in West Michigan will be able to “pause” their hunger, so consider a donation to Feeding America West Michigan or your local food bank. Big fan of Forgotten Harvest in Metro Detroit.

Mark took this photo back in March of 2017 when the Popp farmstand on the Leelanau Peninsula was closed as it normally is. See lots more from Northern Leelanau County in his East of Leland gallery on Flickr.

UFOs invade Kalamazoo (Valley Museum)

Posted on March 26, 2025March 26, 2025 by farlane

Ray Harryhausen flying saucer models by William Dolak

Bill got some great pics of the exhibit for stop-motion effects & sci-fi filmmaking pioneer Ray Harryhausen exhibit at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. The Museum shares:

Ray Harryhausen is regarded as a pioneer and one of the great 20th century artists of stop-motion animation. His extensive career is showcased through over 100 original creations on display at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. Through original armatured models, artwork, miniatures and props, the exhibit transports us back to the silver screen. Creatures and artwork from such films as 1949’s Mighty Joe Young, where Ray began as a technician, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, Earth vs the Flying Saucers, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Jason and the Argonauts, and the 1981 Clash of the Titans bring to life the imagination of Ray Harryhausen.

Follow Bill on Facebook and/or Flickr for more!

No Saturday Sunrise Solar Eclipse for Michigan

Posted on March 25, 2025March 25, 2025 by farlane

Eclipse – June 16, 2021 by Rod Burdick

If you thought (like me) that you could see the solar eclipse on Saturday in Michigan, I regret to inform you that no you can’t 🫤

Back in 2021, Rod also got a shot of the Canadian laker Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin in subdued light of the eclipse. You can see a BUNCH more shots of ships on his Flickr! Lots more eclipses on Michigan in Pictures!

Canadian laker Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin, passage in subdued light from a solar eclipse by Rod Burdick

Blue Ice at the Straits of Mackinac

Posted on March 21, 2025March 21, 2025 by farlane

Blue Ice at the Straits of Mackinac by Martin Hogan Photography

Although winter “officially” ended yesterday, the snowy pictures I’m seeing from around Michigan this morning make me feel OK sharing these pics Marty got of blue ice on the Straits of Mackinac last weekend. Click to follow Marty on Facebook & for sure check out some of his past photos on Michigan in Pictures!

If you are wondering Why Ice is Blue, Michigan in Pictures says (in part):

As with water, this color is caused by the absorption of both red and yellow light (leaving light at the blue end of the visible light spectrum) … In simplest of terms, think of the ice or snow layer as a filter. If it is only a centimeter thick, all the light makes it through; if it is a meter thick, mostly blue light makes it through. This is similar to the way coffee often appears light when poured, but much darker when it is in a cup.

2025 Marche du Nain Rouge: Nain of Normandie edition

Posted on March 19, 2025March 19, 2025 by farlane

Join the Golden Boy at the Marche du Nain Rouge by Andrew McFarlane

The annual Marche du Nain Rouge takes place this Sunday, March 23rd 2025 along the Cass Corridor in Detroit. The festivities begin at 11:30 on the Community Stage at the intersection of Canfield & 2nd with Detroit-centric sets & hilarious entertainment as excitement builds toward the Nain leading the celebratory procession down to the Masonic Temple and the FREE Official Afterparty with drinks, friends, vendor tables, and DJs spinning.

It’s totally free, one of my favorite celebrations in the world, and it takes place just blocks away from me! I have heard some talk that the Marche which was founded in 2010 is a form of “colonizer cosplay”, but I am pretty sure that the colonizers we are cosplaying are the French settlers who brought the “Nain of Normandie” along with them to le Détroit du Lac Érié:

In the mythology of Medieval Normandy, the Nain Rouge (or Lutin, or an earlier version called “Netun”) is a sort of house spirit that has many names, assumes many forms, and plays nefarious pranks. The Lutin of Normandy is very similar to domestic spirits of England, Scandinavia and Germany. They are fond of children, horses (often taking their form), and young maidens also, but are cruel to those who do not treat them with respect. In Archibald Maclaren’s The Fairy Family: A Series of Ballads and Metrical Tales Illustrating the Fairy Mythology of Europe, the Lutin is compared and contrasted with England’s trickster Robin Goodfellow, and found to be quite a bit more mean-spirited, remarking “Many a man laid his ruin at the Lutin’s door; although it must be confessed that in these cases neighbors were uncharitable enough to fay, that the Lutin had less to do with it than habits of Want-of-thrift and Self-indulgence” (Maclaren, 1857, p.67). The subclass of Lutin called the Nain Rouge is described in the folktales of Normandy as playing dastardly tricks on, but on occasion being particularly kind to fisherman.

Read on for a cool Normandy folk tale, check out my pics from the 2017 Marche du Nain Rouge & also the video below.

PS: My friend Joel was there in 2017 as well and he took MUCH better pics that I have featured before.

PPS: I didn’t know the guy in the first pic when I talked to him about the paper mache head he made, but he’s now one of my best friends and we work together. Magic!!

PPPS: The Trinidadian dancers & steel drum band ROCK!!!

Michigan Central goes green for St Paddy’s Day!

Posted on March 18, 2025March 18, 2025 by farlane

Wearin’ o the Green (lights) at Michigan Central by Andrew McFarlane

Longtime followers of Michigan in Pictures who know how near & dear to my heart and the very existence of this photoblog Detroit’s Michigan Central Station is probably won’t be surprised that a string of requests from readers & friends to share pics of MCS lit up for St Patrick’s Day moved me to ride over there at 5am today!

I don’t have a photo site (yet at least) but you can always throw me a buck or two on Patreon! And for sure check out lots more Michigan Central Station on Michigan in Pictures!