Michigan Central Station (and Detroit) beat the haters

Posted on by farlane

haters by Chris

Back in the day, a regular part of Michigan in Pictures were photos from the Flickr-based Exposure.Detroit. It was through that group that I got my first glimpses of the massive, ruined interior of Michigan Central Station aka MCS. As I watched the building crumble virtually, I had no idea that it would or even could be brought back, let alone restored in such spectacular fashion.

I don’t know what else I have to say on the matter except that it’s good to see Detroit restore another piece of Michigan’s heritage & hope that you have a chance to see the renovations live in person or on TV tomorrow! From their release:

The sold-out, ticketed 90-minute outdoor concert will bring to life the spirit and soul of Detroit through an incredible lineup of musical performances, short films, appearances by local leaders, and creators telling stories of innovation and culture from around the city and the region. The star-studded program features iconic musicians and cultural legends, including Michigan natives Diana Ross, Big Sean, Illa J, Jack White, Kierra Sheard, Theo Parrish, Slum Village, the Clark Sisters, Sky Jetta and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. They will be joined by presenters including Detroit Lions legend Barry Sanders and stars Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown. These Detroit entertainment stars will be joined by other performers, including Common, Fantasia, Melissa Etheridge and Jelly Roll, along with presenters Mike Epps and Sophia Bush.

Chris took this photo at Michigan Central way back in 2009. See more in his Abandoned Detroit album.

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Blue Water Bridge(s)

Posted on by farlane

Blue Water Bridge(s) by Chris Ahern Photography

The Gordie Howe Bridge is (rightfully) getting a lot of attention these days, but another beautiful span connwcting Michigan with Canada is the Blue Water Bridge across the St. Clair River at the southern end of Lake Huron from Port Huron to Sarnia, Ontario. The Blue Water Bridge Authority shares:

The first bridge was opened to traffic on October 10, 1938. The lead engineer was Ralph Modjeski. This bridge originally had two lanes for vehicles as well as sidewalks; the latter were removed in the 1980s to make room for a third lane for automobiles. The third lane for each direction started from the apex of the bridge in order to accommodate long lineups entering each sides’ respective border crossings.

…In the early 1990s, bridge authorities decided to add a second arch in order to accommodate the high traffic. During the debate over the form of the second span, five possible designs were purposed from 1994-95. Over half of public opinion had mostly favored a duplicate of the first bridge, while the cable-stayed bridge came in second with around 21%. The Blue Water Bridge Authority had rejected both designs, due to the duplicate creating a false sense of history, while the cable-stayed option was feared to overshadow the existing bridge. Another cost-effective but unpopular design was the parallel truss. The continuous-tied arch design, which was a distant third place in polls, was chosen for two reasons. One was that it blends in with the original span yet stands out on its own, and the other is lower maintenance costs because fewer spans are involved.

Chris Ahern is a professional photographer & licensed commercial drone pilot who works in and around Detroit. Follow him on Facebook or Instagram & for sure check out his website.

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The Dwarf Lake Iris is a Great Lakes original!

Posted on by farlane

Sisters Three by Michael Seabrook

The National Forest Service shares that Michigan’s state wildflower, the Dwarf Lake Iris (Iris lacustris), grows nowhere else but in the Great Lakes region & mostly within Michigan:

The vivid blue, showy flowers (about two inches in height) of Dwarf lake iris are truly exquisite. This miniature iris, honored as the state flower of Michigan, blooms from mid May to early June.

Dwarf lake iris is called a Great Lakes endemic due to its very limited range. It inhabits the northern shores of Lakes Huron and Michigan within Michigan, Wisconsin (Door Co.), and Ontario, Canada (Manitoulin Island, and the Bruce Peninsula). Dwarf lake iris formerly ranged as far south as Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but has never collected on Lake Superior shoreline.

The Latin species name lacustris translates to “of lakes”, which does not speak to the immense size of these two huge inland “seas”. Confined almost exclusively to thin soil over limestone, rich gravel or bedrock, or moist sands and gravels, it can persist in full sunlight on moist sites. This miniature iris is most successful, however, under the light, dappled shade of white cedar. It flowers best in semi-open habitats such as the long and narrow strips of land bordering the high-water line, or large flat expanses behind open dunes. It may also inhabitant old beach ridges of the former shores of these two Great Lakes. The changing water levels of lakes Michigan and Huron serve to create new habitat.

Thomas Nuttall, renowned naturalist and explorer, first found this species in 1810. The type locality, or location where he first found Dwarf lake iris, was Mackinac Island in northern Lake Michigan.

Michael took this photo back in 2013. More in his Michigan Wildflowers gallery on Flickr!

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Grand Funk R.R.

Posted on by farlane

Grand Funk RR by Scott Ward

Scott shared this photo on Monday writing “Bet you can’t guess where we were visiting. At one point these guys were outselling The Beatles! One of the true Michigan iconic bands. Glad to see that this homage to them is still there.”

If you guessed “Flint” you are correct! The band Grand Funk Railroad was one of the biggest bands to come out of Michigan in the seventies, scoring Grand Funk six platinum and seven gold-certified albums between their 1969 debut and first breakup in 1976. The power trio of Mark Farner (vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica), Don Brewer (drums, vocals) & Mel Schacher (bass) originally came together in 1969 as “Grand Trunk Railroad”. The Grand Trunk Western Railroad objected, and the band (fortunately) had to change the name to Grand Funk Railroad.

Two of the three original members – Brewer & Schacher – are currently on tour as Grand Funk Railroad while lead singer & primary songwriter Farner tours as Mark Farner’s American Band.

Click the pic above to comment, and you can see more at Scott Ward Photography on Facebook and view & purchase work on his website.

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Detroit Grand Prix this weekend!

Posted on by farlane
Gabby Chaves Harding Racing Chevrolet 88 by Detroit Grand Prix

Gabby Chaves Harding Racing Chevrolet 88 by Detroit Grand Prix

The Detroit Grand Prix takes place May 31-June 2 in downtown Detroit where it began in 1982:

Again in 2024, the Grand Prix will provide unprecedented access with more than half of the event’s footprint along Jefferson Avenue and the beautiful Detroit Riverfront open to the public, free of charge. Grand Prix visitors will be able to enjoy complimentary access to the main fan activation areas at the event, including Spirit Plaza, Hart Plaza as well as the Riverwalk. Fans will be welcomed in these key areas that will feature live music, food, games and displays all weekend long, without the purchase of a Grand Prix ticket.

The Detroit Grand Prix has all the details!

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Have a postcard perfect Memorial Day Weekend!

Posted on by farlane

Saturday Sunset in Frankfort by SueFi Photography

Memorial Weekend 2024 is upon us. I’m wishing a great time for everyone, safe travels lucky enough to be traveling for pleasure, and for all of us, I wish patience. If you look around you will see Help Wanted signs everywhere you look, particularly in hot tourist destinations. Give those working an extra dose of kindness & have a blast!

To help folks enjoy the roads, the state has lifted some road closures for the weekend. We’ll need those roads because AAA Michigan is expecting nearly 1.3 million Michigan residents will travel at least 50 miles or more from home, second most since they began tracking in 1999.

Sue shared this photo last weekend – head over to SueFi Photography for lots more great shots from Frankfort & elsewhere in Michigan!

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Happy World Turtle Day 2024!

Posted on by farlane

Map Turtle by David Marvin

May 23rd is World Turtle Day, an annual day of recognition created by American Tortoise Rescue to raise awareness about turtles & help preserve endangered turtles worldwide. Michigan has ten species of native turtles including the Northern Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica) – check them all out at Know Your Michigan Turtles! 

The Michpics entry on the Map turtle says that they are avid baskers, often basking in groups. They are diurnal, active both in the day and at night and also a very wary animal, slipping into the water to hide at the slightest hint of danger. During courtship the male initiates by tapping his long claws on the front of the female but few details are known. Well I guess those claws demand attention!! 👀

David took this photo a couple years ago while kayaking on the Grand River. See the latest on his Flickr!

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Piping Plover Protection

Posted on by farlane

Piping Plover Chick by Bill VanderMolen

If you’re on the Lake Michigan shore this weekend, there’s a chance you may see one of these small shorebirds scurrying along the water’s edge with some unique legwear. The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore page on piping plovers begins:

The Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) is an endangered shorebird. They are sand-colored on the back and white below. During the breeding season adults have a black forehead band between the eyes and a single black band around the neck. (Its larger relative the Killdeer is commonly seen at parks, playgrounds, and golf courses, and has two dark bands around the neck.) Piping Plovers nest only on beaches and prefer beaches with cobble. There are three small populations: one in the Great Plains, one on the Atlantic Coast, and the one here in the Great Lakes. They winter together on the Gulf Coast but travel to the separate areas during the breeding season.

…The greatest concentration of piping plovers in the Great Lakes occurs at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The areas around the nests are roped off during the breeding season to protect the birds from disturbances that would cause them to abandon their nests. Also, plover eggs and small chicks are very well camouflaged. Well-meaning plover watchers could easily step on them if allowed in the nesting area.

…As part of the piping plover monitoring and recovery efforts, each bird is banded with colored bands that identify it. Color bands allow researchers and park staff to keep track of longevity, faithfulness to nest sites and mates, and genetics, among other things.

Lots more including pictures on the Park website.

Bill took this back in July of 2018. See his latest on Instagram!

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When the Dams Broke in Midland

Posted on by farlane

Ashman Road Level by Charles Bonham

Four years ago the city of Midland and surrounding area was inundated by a 500-year flood. I thought this story by Anna Clark in Belt Magazine about the experience of the Director of the Grace Dow Library in Midland when the dams broke was an interesting angle through which to view this devastating event.

The failure of the dams was the end result of years of deferred maintenance, negligence, and federal and state regulation unable to prevent a life-changing deluge. It threatened public safety, homes, senior residences, schools, and businesses, all of which were already vulnerable from the coronavirus pandemic.

Charles took this photo in downtown Midland right the day after the flood on May 20th. You can see lots more in his Midland, Sanford & Edenville MI Flood of June 2020 gallery on Flickr!

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Turtles get ready for their closeup

Posted on by farlane

I’m Posing for the Camera by R.Miller96

From Waterfall Wednesdays to the Michigan Duckie Project to every flavor of rainbows, one of the things that keeps Michpics fun for me are my little photographic obsessions. Way back in 2011, I shared this photo on what became the all time most popular post on Michigan in Pictures: Know Your Michigan Turtles.

World Turtle Day (May 23) is just a week away so it felt like a perfect time to bring back this photogenic painted turtle for an encore! See more in R Miller’s water gallery on Flickr.

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