On This Day in History

Michigan’s State Car Ferry Service Launches Across the Straits of Mackinac On July 31, 1923, Michigan officially launched its state car ferry service across the Straits of Mackinac. This forever changed transportation between the Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The initial ferry, named Ariel, was a modest riverboat that could carry only 20 cars. Despite its small size, it marked the beginning of an essential connection for residents and travelers before the Mackinac Bridge was even a dream. The Ariel had a history of its own — previously serving between Walkerville, Ontario, and Detroit. After its debut on the Straits route,… Read More »

Andrew Jackson Blackbird helps negotiate treaty July 31 marks an important date in the history of the Odawa (Ottawa) and Chippewa (Ojibwa) peoples of Michigan. The “Treaty with the Ottawa and Chippewa” was signed on July 31, 1855. The treaty established key land rights and protections for Native communities in the region. One of the central figures in this historic moment was Andrew Jackson Blackbird. He legacy still resonates today as an Odawa leader, interpreter, and historian. Andrew J. Blackbird (c. 1815 – 1908) was a remarkable man born in the L’Arbre Croche area—now known as Harbor Springs, Michigan. He… Read More »

Copper Country Shaken On July 26, 1905, the quiet towns of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula experienced a startling natural event that left a lasting mark on the region’s history. The Keweenaw Peninsula earthquake, estimated at VIII on the Mercalli Intensity Scale—equivalent to about a 5.0 to 5.9 on the Richter Scale—rattled the area, toppling chimneys, breaking windows, and sending tremors far beyond the immediate vicinity. Residents from Calumet to Copper Harbor and as far east as Marquette felt the shaking, causing such fear that many copper miners refused to descend into the mines for their night shifts. The 1905 quake was… Read More »

Fire on Isle Royale Summer of 1936 was hot, dry, and tense on Isle Royale. On July 25, a fire broke out near the Consolidated Paper Company’s lumber mill camp on Siskiwit Bay. What began as a localized blaze quickly escalated into the largest wildfire in Isle Royale history. The island, already home to Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camps building the newly authorized national park infrastructure, became the frontline for a fierce battle against the flames. Back then, Isle Royale was experiencing a drought that gripped the northern Midwest, and the tinder-dry mossy ground combined with strong winds created the… Read More »

The 1913 Calumet Miners’ Strike On July 23, 1913, children marched in Calumet, Michigan, amid one of the most turbulent labor disputes in Copper Country history—the miners’ strike of 1913-1914. This strike wasn’t just about wages or working hours; it highlighted the growing impact of automation, the harsh paternalism of mining companies, and the fight for dignity by hard-working families in the face of industrial change. Over a century later, this strike offers valuable insights into the ongoing struggles between labor, technology, and corporate control. Copper mining in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula was once dominated by a handful of powerful companies,… Read More »

Sault Ste. Marie: Where the Waters Gathered and a City Was Born On July 20, 1668 Father Jacques Marquette, a Jesuit missionary and explorer, formally established a mission at a powerful bend in the river that connected Lake Superior and Lake Huron. That settlement became Sault Ste. Marie. The Soo is recognized as Michigan’s oldest city, and one of the oldest cities in the United States west of the Appalachian Mountains. But long before Marquette arrived, the area was already known as a vital place. For over 2,000 years, Indigenous peoples gathered here, drawn to the bounty of fish and… Read More »

A Lumberman’s Gift That Built a Military Legacy Camp Grayling was officially founded July 20, 1913—thanks to the foresight and generosity of Grayling lumber baron Rasmus Hanson. What began as a gift of land to the State of Michigan has since grown into the largest National Guard training facility in the United States. Rasmus Hanson understood the importance of national defense and believed Michigan’s vast northern forests could serve a greater purpose beyond logging. He donated land near Grayling to the state specifically for military training, laying the foundation for what would become Camp Grayling. By 1914, troops began arriving… Read More »

The Pride Beneath Our Feet On July 18, 1991 a crowd of over 150 conservationists, environmental leaders, and government officials gathered in Kalkaska County. They were there to honor a quiet but vital part of Michigan’s natural heritage.  Honoring Kalkaska Sand, officially designated as Michigan’s State Soil. Now, you might not think soil is something to throw a party over. But when it comes to Kalkaska Sand, it’s more than just dirt. It is a living, breathing part of Michigan’s ecosystem and economy. First identified and mapped in 1927, Kalkaska Sand is found in both the Upper and Lower Peninsulas…. Read More »

The Wild West Hits Manistee, 1898 On this day in history—July 18, 1898—the streets of Manistee, Michigan, were anything but ordinary. Buffalo Bill Cody, the legendary frontiersman turned showman, rolled into town with his world-famous Wild West Show, bringing with him a spectacle the likes of which the locals had never seen. Thousands gathered from near and far, crowding steamboats, trains, and streets to get a glimpse of the man, the myth, and his traveling band of sharpshooters, horsemen, and international performers. William F. Cody was born in 1846 in the Iowa Territory and earned his nickname “Buffalo Bill” after… Read More »

Frontier Schooner That Sailed Into War On this day in history, June 19, 1812, a seemingly routine voyage out of Detroit would become an unforgettable moment in Great Lakes history. It will serve as a cautionary tale of how international politics can turn entrepreneurial dreams into wartime disasters. The vessel at the center of it all was Friends Good Will, a topsail sloop built by Massachusetts-born merchant Oliver Williams. Williams was no stranger to risk. Born in 1774 in the Revolutionary-era village of Roxbury, Massachusetts, he came of age alongside the fledgling American republic. By 1808, he was deep in… Read More »

Surprise at Sunrise When war was declared between the United States and Great Britain in June of 1812, few on the American frontier had any idea what was coming. The small garrison stationed at Fort Mackinac on a quiet island in the Straits between Lakes Michigan and Huron had not received word. But on the morning of July 17, 1812, those sleepy soldiers awoke to find the British already perched high above them, cannon aimed and ready. The capture of Fort Mackinac was the first military engagement on U.S. soil during the War of 1812. It was a bloodless but… Read More »

Robert Wadlow’s Final Days in Manistee On July 15, 1940 Robert Pershing Wadlow, known as the Alton Giant passed away in Manistee at just 22 years old. Standing at an astonishing 8 feet 11.1 inches tall, he was the tallest man ever recorded. Wadlow was in town as a guest of honor at the Manistee National Forest Festival when tragedy struck. A small blister on his ankle, caused by a faulty leg brace, became infected. Despite treatment—including a blood transfusion and surgery—he died in his sleep just eleven days later. The Gentle Giant Robert Wadlow’s towering height was the result… Read More »