#TBT: Tahquamenon Falls Aerial View, postmarked 1948

Posted on by farlane

Newberry MI UP RPPC Aerial View Upper Tahquamenon Falls near Whitefish Point LL Cook K-498 Postmarked 1948

Aerial View Upper Tahquamenon Fall, Postmarked 1948, photo by Don…The UpNorth Memories Guy… Harrison

In honor of the latest kayaker to throw caution to the wind (or is that water?) and take the plunge over the 51′ Tahquamenon Falls, here’s a cool aerial of the Falls that was postmarked in 1948 and probably taken a few years before.

If you want to see how to do this, check out a great video feature at YooperSteez on How to Kayak Over Tahquamenon Falls with Brazilian extreme kayaker Marcelo Galizio. Things To Do in the UP has an interview with Marcello as well. NOTE: I’m pretty sure this is against the rules at Tahquamenon Falls State Park and probably a great way to kill yourself if you don’t know what you’re doing!

View Don’s photo big as the Falls and see more pics & postcards from Tahquamenon and also follow him at UpNorthMemories on Facebook.

Lots more about Tahquamenon Falls on Michigan in Pictures!

 

#TBT: Frozen Straits

Posted on by farlane

Mackinac Bridge

Mackinac Bridge, photo by Mark Miller

OK, we’re not throwing back too far for this Thursday, but I wanted to share a really cool view that Mark took this February of the Mackinac Bridge and the Straits of Mackinac locked in the grip of the Polar Vortex.

View his photo bigger and see more great views of Michigan from above in his Aerials slideshow. You can also see one of his aerial photos of the Straits from last August on Michigan in Pictures.

There’s more aerials and more Mackinac Bridge on Michigan in Pictures!

TBT: Spikehorn Meyers and His Bears

Posted on by farlane

Clare Harrison MI Spikehorn Meyers Clare County MI RPPC 1930's-40's M77

Clare Harrison MI Spikehorn Meyers Clare County MI, photo by Don…The UpNorth Memories Guy

Here’s a Throwback Thursday featuring one of Northern Michigan’s most colorful characters:

Harrison’s most colorful character was John “Spikehorn” Meyers, known to thousands of Michigan residents simply as Spikehorn. He was a showman, naturalist, politician, coal miner, tile manufacturer, furniture builder, inventor, realtor, bear hunter, lumberjack, and above all, individualist. The old gentleman had a fertile imagination under his white thatch of hair and full white beard.

According to neighbors, Spikehorn’s interest in the woods and buckskins developed around 1930, when he opened his Bear and Deer Park established on his property at the corner of US-27 and M-61. Rumor has it the park even contained an occasional buffalo.

Spikehorn and his friend, Red Eagle, dressed in buckskins for tourists and treated them to tales of their adventures in the woods. He enjoyed feeding his pets sweets, popcorn, and pop and loved posing with his deer and bears for cameras.

His enemies were the Conservation Officers, as indicated by the sign in front of his business: “Feed Conservation Officers to the Bear.”

Spikehorn also appears in one of the best Michigan history videos, Roaming Through Michigan, a classic newsreel.

View John’s photo big as a bear and see more in his Spikehorn Meyers & Harrison MI slideshow.

Tons more history and more roadside attractions on Michigan in Pictures!

#TBT: Midnight at the Burt Lake Scenic Tower

Posted on by farlane

Cheboygan Indian River MI The Burt Lake Scenic Tower at Night This Tower had an early Carl Zeiss 42 Power Telescope for patrons to use, which was a very big deal

The Burt Lake Scenic Tower at Night, photo by Don…The UpNorth Memories Guy… Harrison

I am officially giving in to the TBT (ThrowBack Thursday) meme. I love history too much to let everyone else have all the fun…

Don writes that Burt Lake Scenic Tower had an early Carl Zeiss 42 Power Telescope for patrons to use, which was a very big deal at the time. See it big as a tower and see more in Don’s massive Photo Tribute to Michigan Historian Dave Tinder slideshow.

If you know anything more about it, please share in the comments!

More history on Michigan in Pictures.

Throwback Thursday: Birth of the National Trout Festival

Posted on by farlane

Crowning-the-Trout-King-by-UpNorth-Memories

Crowning the King at Kalkaska, photo by Don Harrison/UpNorth Memories

Peter E. Ummel, of Grand Rapids, was the first King, chosen and crowned by myself. The Coronation ceremony dragged out a little too long to suit Harold Jors, who had lined up the parade and was waiting at the school grounds for word for the parade to start. He finally sent down a message, “Cut the comedy and hurry up as we are freezing to death.”
~author Fred H. Tomkins

Today’s post comes via the eatdrinkTC Culinary Almanac where I am the editor.

Michigan’s trout season opens this Saturday (April 26) and as it has for 78 years, the people of Kalkaska will mark the occasion with the annual National Trout Festival from Wednesday, April 23 – Sunday, April 27 (persistent music warning on that link!).  After Don Harrison posted a couple of cool old postcards, we decided to dig through the internet to discover the festival’s origins.

From Big Trout Black Gold, Dawn Triplett, editor and published by Kalkaska Genealogical Society:

In 1935, the National Trout Festival made its first official debut with two days of festivities held on April 30 and May 1. Forty floats made up the parade held on the first day.

The Trout King was crowned in the bandstand where evergreen boughs were arrayed. Mr. Peter Emanuel Ummel of Grand Rapids was chosen to rule the festival. With great ceremony he was put under oath and given a crown. Fred H. Tompkins swore the ruler in, making him repeat the long comic sketch swearing his allegiance to Kalkaska County. King Ummel’s throne was a pine stump from the plains of Kalkaska mounted on a trailer and drawn by a car. He took his place on the throne and was driven around the block and up and down main street (Cedar Street) before the parade.

…The prize for the funniest float went to S. C. Shumsky who appeared in full fishing regalia but had his feet clad in skis. Stormy weather had brought some snow showers into the area the day before.

View Don’s photo bigger on Facebook along with several more pics and be sure to check out his collection of Trout Festival pins and pics on Flickr. If you head over to the eatdrinkTC Natinal Trout Festival feature, there is a slideshow of the Festival through its 7+ decades.