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June in Northern Michigan is more than beach days and budding cherry trees. June is a month packed with historic firsts, cultural shifts, and bold moments that shaped our region. From Native leadership and colonial pageantry to ship launches, state symbols, and epic political showdowns, this month has seen some unforgettable chapters written into the Great Lakes story. Each event listed below carries its own legacy, showcasing the diversity of people, ideas, and actions that have defined life “up north” for centuries. June in Northern Michigan History June 1, 1849 The Founding of Waukazooville Chief Waukazoo led his Ottawa band… Read More »

On this day in history, June 30, 1805, the Michigan Territory officially came into being. Signed into existence months earlier by President Thomas Jefferson on January 11. This act marked a pivotal moment for what would eventually become the Great Lakes State. At the time, Michigan was carved out of the larger Indiana Territory, with Detroit named as the new capital. Michigan’s Identity This wasn’t just a bureaucratic reshuffling—it was the beginning of Michigan’s own identity. The region that would become Michigan had long been home to Native American tribes like the Ottawa, Potawatomi, Ojibwa, and Wyandot,. The land was… Read More »

Michigan’s State Stone Has Fossilized Charm A Legendary Backstory Every now and then, nature hands us a souvenir that’s equal parts beauty, science, and legend. For Michiganders, that’s the Petoskey Stone. It is a fossilized coral with a stunning six-sided pattern that’s been shaped over hundreds of millions of years and polished by glaciers. And on June 28, 1965, it was officially crowned Michigan’s State Stone. Choosing the Petoskey stone celebrated not just geology, but deep roots in Native American history and Michigan’s unique identity. What Makes the Petoskey Stone Special? A Petoskey stone isn’t just a pretty roc. It… Read More »

A Bridge to Celebrate In the summer of 1958, the state of Michigan came together in a big way to celebrate a monumental achievement: the formal Mackinac Bridge dedication. Though the bridge had opened to traffic on November 1, 1957, the official ribbon-cutting and celebration took place over four glorious days, June 25–28, 1958. And what a party it was! The celebration started on June 25th with the first Governor’s Walk across the bridge. The next 3 days were a series of events and celebrations. Celebrations North and South of Bridge The festival didn’t just happen on the bridge. It… Read More »

On this day in history—June 25, 1958—Michigan celebrated one of its greatest engineering achievements with four days of dedication ceremonies for the newly completed Mackinac Bridge. At the heart of those festivities? A ceremonial walk led by Governor G. Mennen “Soapy” Williams, marking the very first time pedestrians crossed the mighty five-mile span. Mackinac Bridge Walk The event, now known as the Mackinac Bridge Walk, started with just 68 participants that June. Governor Williams, known for his trademark green bow tie and progressive politics, led the small group across the towering suspension bridge that links Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas…. Read More »

The Steamer, the Bridge, and the Snag Heard ‘Round Hancock Just one day before the grand dedication of the brand-new Houghton-Hancock Bridge in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, a near-disaster reminded everyone that no matter how strong a structure is, it’s the little things—like communication—that keep things running smoothly. On the evening of June 24, 1960, the 435-foot steamer J.F. Schoellkopf approached the lift bridge spanning Portage Lake. Captain Albert Wilhelmy dutifully signaled for the vertical lift to rise, allowing his vessel to pass safely underneath. But nothing happened. The bridge didn’t budge. Collision Avoided! Acting quickly, Captain Wilhelmy ordered the engines… Read More »

Forging a Future  On this day in 1873, the small village of Elk Rapids, Michigan, thundered to life with the fiery roar of progress. The Elk Rapids Iron Company fired its first blast furnace on June 24, 1873. This marked the beginning of a booming era for this Northern Michigan town. It wasn’t just an ordinary furnace. This furnace was a 47-foot-tall, 12-foot-wide iron giant that would become one of the nation’s premier producers of high-quality charcoal iron. Why Elk Rapids? The answer was in the trees. The logging firm Dexter and Noble saw potential in the vast hardwood forests… Read More »

Opening the Gates to Greatness  Some days mark quiet beginnings, and others open the floodgates—literally. June 18, 1855, was one of those latter days. On that date, the steamer Illinois became the very first vessel to pass through the Soo Locks at Sault Ste. Marie, a feat that would forever alter the course of commerce and transportation on the Great Lakes. Before the locks were built, the St. Mary’s River—connecting Lake Superior and Lake Huron—posed a serious challenge to ships due to its dangerous rapids and steep 21-foot drop. To overcome this, construction began in 1853 on two 350-foot locks… Read More »

On June 16, 1820 Territorial Governor Lewis Cass lowered a British flag flying over Sault Ste. Marie. It was the last foreign flag to assert sovereignty over any part of Michigan. This bold act wasn’t just a symbolic gesture—it was part of a much larger and significant expedition that helped shape Michigan’s future. In 1820, Michigan Territory was still a rugged, sparsely mapped frontier. To assert U.S. control and gather valuable information, the Secretary of War, John C. Calhoun, authorized Governor Lewis Cass to lead an ambitious scientific and political expedition across the region. On May 24 of that year,… Read More »

History is full of fascinating characters, but few are as boldly unusual as James Jesse Strang. James was a lawyer, prophet, politician, and self-crowned king. If that sounds like something out of a Netflix mini-series, you’re not wrong. On this day, June 16, 1856, Strang was shot in the back on the docks of Beaver Island. His shooting ended one of the strangest religious-political experiments in American history. It all began after the assassination of Mormon founder Joseph Smith in 1844. The majority of Latter Day Saints followed Brigham Young westward to Utah. There was a smaller group that declared… Read More »

A War With No Casualties (Except One Minor Knife Wound) On June 15, 1836 Congress proposed a compromise to settle what may be America’s weirdest border conflict. The so-called Toledo War between the state of Ohio and the Michigan Territory. At the center of this simmering feud was a 468-square-mile slice of land known as the Toledo Strip. A region both sides believed rightfully belonged to them due to old, flawed maps. Toledo, perched at the mouth of the Maumee River, was a prime piece of real estate for trade and shipping. Especially in the growing Great Lakes economy, making… Read More »

The Man Behind the Name Some of his descendants knew him as Neyas Bedosegay. Others called him Petosegay, Biidassige, or Peto-osega—names that translate to “Rising Sun” or “Light That is Coming.” The Jesuit missionaries knew him as Ignatius Petosega, and the Smithsonian Institution recognizes him as Chief Pe-to-de-gah. However you say his name, today we remember him as the man behind one of Michigan’s most beloved towns—Petoskey. Chief Ignatius Petoskey was born in 1787 during a family hunting trip near the Manistee River. His father, Antoine Carre (Neaatooshing), a French fur trader, is said to have lifted the newborn to… Read More »