Faces, Places, and Days Gone By - Volume 1 E-Book

Mikel B. Classen

• Herausgeber: Modern History Press
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

Enjoy a Visual Trip to See How People Lived and Worked in the U.P. in Centuries Past! Classen's pictorial history is the next best thing to a time machine, as we get a front-row seat in the worlds of shipping and shipwrecks, iron and copper mining, timber cutting, hunting and fishing and the everyday lives of ordinary folks of Michigan's Upper Peninsula across more than 100 years. Faces, Places, and Days Gone By peers into our past through the lenses of those that lived and explored it. See what they saw as time passed and how the U.P. evolved into the wonderous place we know today.
From the author's unique collection, witness newly restored images from long lost stereoviews, cabinet cards, postcards and lithograph engravings. Join us on a visual journey to relive some of those moments, and discover a unique heritage through those faces and places. From the Soo to Ironwood, from Copper Harbor to Mackinaw Island--you'll never see the U.P. in quite the same way!
"With his book Faces, Places, and Days Gone By, historian Mikel B. Classen has achieved a work of monumental importance. Drawing from his collection of archival photographs, Classen takes readers on a journey in time that gives rare insight into a vanished world."
-- Sue Harrison, international bestselling author of The Midwife's Touch
"Mikel Classen's Faces, Places, and Days Gone By provides a fascinating and nostalgic look at more than a century of Upper Michigan photography. From images of iron mines and logging to Sunday drives and palatial hotels, you are bound to be in awe of this chance to visit the past."
-- Tyler R. Tichelaar, award-winning author of Kawbawgam: The Chief, The Legend, The Man
"Mikel Classen's new book, Faces, Places, and Days Gone By, belongs in every library in Michigan. And when I say every library, I'm talking about every public, high school and college storehouse of knowledge."
-- Michael Carrier, MA, New York University, author of the award-winning Jack Handler U.P. mystery series

Leseprobe

Faces, Places, and Days Gone By—Volume 1: A Pictorial History of Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Copyright © 2023 by Mikel B. Classen. All Rights Reserved

Learn more at www.MikelBClassen.com

ISBN 978-1-61599-724-4 paperback

ISBN 978-1-61599-725-1 hardcover

ISBN 978-1-61599-726-8 eBook

Published by

Modern History Press

www.ModernHistoryPress.com

5145 Pontiac Trail

[email protected]

Ann Arbor, MI 48105

Tollfree 888-761-6268 (USA/CAN)

Distributed by Ingram (USA/CAN/AU).

About the cover: The cover picture is of a young girl wishing she could go for a spin on a vintage Harley Davidson. The name on the tank is clearly visible. This is from an album of vintage photos from Ishpeming, and I expect it was taken on a farm near there. This little gem is a favorite of mine. We have all had that look on our faces the moment we sat on a motorcycle.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Classen, Mikel B., author.

Title: Faces, places, and days gone by : a pictorial history of Michigan's Upper Peninsula / Mikel B. Classen.

Other titles: Pictorial history of Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Description: Ann Arbor, MI : Modern History Press, [2023] | Includes index. | Contents: volume 1 : City and Settlement Life; Homesteading; Lighthouses and Lifesaving; Logging; Mining; Native Americans; Recreation; Ships and Shipping; Miscellaneous | Summary: "A broad survey of the history of Michigan's Upper Peninsula from mid-1800s to WW II era using postcards, stereoviews, lithographs, cabinet cards, and other photographic records. Each image is documented and sourced from a variety of topics including homesteads, lighthouses, timber and mining industries, Native Americans, recreation, and Great Lakes shipping with a focus on the Soo Locks"-- Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2023007018 (print) | LCCN 2023007019 (ebook) | ISBN 9781615997244 (paperback) | ISBN 9781615997251 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781615997268 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Upper Peninsula (Mich.)--History--Pictorial works. | Upper Peninsula (Mich.)--History--Sources. | Classen, Mikel B.--Photograph collections.

Classification: LCC F572.N8 C52 2023 (print) | LCC F572.N8 (ebook) | DDC 977.4/900222--dc23/eng/20230322

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2023007018

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2023007019

Contents

Introduction—The Mikel B. Classen Historical Pictures Collection

City and Settlement Life

(1)Cliff Mine Settlement—Keweenaw Peninsula

(2)Dog Sled Race in the Streets—Escanaba

(3)Future Metropolis of the U.P.—Iron River

(4)Motorcycle Hitting the Streets—Manistique

(5)Enjoying the View from the Overlook—Mackinac Island

(6)J.W. Spear Rolling Mill Store—Marquette

(7)Ironwood Bad Boys—Ironwood

(8)Williams Landing—Grand Island

(9)Hotel Iroquois—Sault Ste. Marie

(10)Billiard Room and Parlor—South Range

(11)Early Munising—Munising

(12)New Homes of Victoria—Rockland

(13)St. Ignace with Mackinac Island—St. Ignace

(14)Quincy Street—Hancock

Homesteading

(15)On the Homestead—Marquette

(16)Group Photo on a Fence—Ishpeming

(17)The Sunday Buggy Ride—Powers

(18)Grand Island Settler—Munising

(19)Unknown Family—Rockland

(20)Supply Wagons—Escanaba

(21)Wash Day—Ishpeming

(22)Depths of the Wilderness—Huron Bay

(23)Fort Wilkins Before Restoration—Copper Harbor

(24)On the Haystack—Menominee

(25)Gaining a Foothold—Isle Royale

Lighthouses and Lifesaving

(26)Death on Lake Superior—Pictured Rocks

(27)Portage Entry Lighthouse—Houghton

(28)Life Saving Station Extraordinaire—Grand Marais

(29)Life Savers in Action—Grand Marais

(30)Remote and Rugged Lighthouse—Isle Royale

(31)Impending Doom—Lake Superior

(32)Disaster Strikes—Lake Superior

(33)Sand Point Lighthouse—Escanaba

(34)Wreck of the City of Bangor—Copper Harbor

(35)Vermillion Life Saving Station—Whitefish Point

Logging

(36)Logging Crew at Camp—Ontonagon

(37)Loggers in the Woods—Rapid River

(38)Log Raft in the Soo Locks—Sault Ste. Marie

(39)Logs to Be Rafted at Hurricane Creek—Grand Marais

(40)Logging Camp and Sawmill—Skanee

(41)Immense Wagon of Logs—Munising

(42)Lumber Tow Leaving the Soo—Sault Ste. Marie

(43)Negaunee Sawmill—Negaunee

(44)Logging the Woods—Trenary

(45)Logging Crew at Camp—Manistique

Mining

(46)Jackson Iron Mine Near Marquette—Negaunee

(47)Marquette Ore Dock with Schooners—Marquette

(48)Unloading Iron Ore—Escanaba

(49)Among the Iron Mines—Ishpeming

(50)Portrait of a Mining Family—Ishpeming

(51)The Cornish Pump—Iron Mountain

(52)Taking the First Steps at Copper Mining—Isle Royale

(53)Man and Woman with Smelter—Keweenaw Peninsula

(54)Five Million Pounds of Copper Ready for Shipment—Houghton

(55)The Man Car—Hancock

(56)Quincy Mine Hoist Room—Hancock

(57)Jacobsville Sandstone Quarry—Jacobsville

Native Americans

(58)Native American Huts—Grand Island

(59)John Boucher—Sault Ste. Marie

(60)Ojibwa Medicine Lodge—Manistique

(61)Native Woman and Tipi—Unknown

(62)Ke-ga-de-sa, Chief of the Chippewas—Keweenaw

(63)Chippeway Indians fishing in Birch Bark Canoes—Sault de St. Mary’s

(64)Indian Village at St. Mary’s River—Sault Ste. Marie

(65)Ojibwa Woman with Children—Sault Ste. Marie

(66)At Chief’s Island—Sault Ste. Marie

Recreation

(67)Camp Near Au Train Lake—Au Train

(68)Early Castle Rock—St. Ignace

(69)Fishing a Beaver Dam on the Hurricane Creek—Grand Marais

(70)Out for a Sunday Drive—Escanaba

(71)Football Player in Snow—Ironwood

(72)Women Fishing the Au Train River—Au Train

(73)Skiing Girls Portrait—Ishpeming

(74)yachting on the Tahquamenon—Newberry

(75)Camping at Chapel Beach 1860—Munising

(76)Portrait Unknown Hunter—Ironwood

(77)Going to Ski at Suicide Hill—Ishpeming

(78)Hunting Camp at Partridge Island—Marquette

(79)Working on the Aim—Hancock

Ships and Shipping

(80) Digging the Soo Locks—Sault Ste. Marie

(81)Vessels in Transit Sault Canal—Sault Ste. Marie

(82)Whaleback in Port—Unknown

(83)Loading Copper on Steamer—Houghton

(84)Garden Peninsula Daily Ship—Escanaba

(85)Sailors on Shore Leave—Marquette

(86)S.S. German in Ice—Escanaba

(87) Lock Full of Schooners—Sault Ste. Marie

(88)Wreck of Car Ferry No. 4—Manistique

(89)icebound in the Straits—St. Ignace

(90)Portrait of a Passenger Steamer in the Soo Locks—Sault Ste. Marie

Miscellaneous

(91)Sled Dog Mailman—Alger County

(92)Bon Ton Studios—Sault Ste. Marie

(93)100 Year Old Store—Eagle Harbor

(94)Man with Trained Dogs—Hancock

(95)Pulling a Railroad Engine from the Soo Canal—Sault Ste. Marie

(96)Getting Ready for a Sail—Manistique

(97)Wilson Passenger “Train”—Pickford

(98)Store Wagon Ride—Eagle Harbor

(99)World War I Marching Band—Sault Ste. Marie

(100)Sisters with Identical Hair—Hancock

(101)Girl on a Harley Davidson

(102)Journeys of a Dreamer—Lake Superior

Glossary of Terms

About Mikel B. Classen

Index

Dedication

For all of those photographer explorers who risked life and limb to document the Faces, Places and Days Gone By for history. Without these intrepid explorers, capturers of the windows of the past, we would only be able to imagine from historical writings. Due to their great determination and tenacity, we can look back across the years and truly see the days of the lives of those that made the Upper Peninsula what it is today.

Introduction—The Mikel B. Classen Historical Pictures Collection

As a historian, I have a good grasp of what life in the past must have looked like, but there is nothing like having photographs to accurately see our world in the early days of the evolution of our society. Very rarely do we look at ourselves as historical, but as time passes and events occur, the ripples from those days gone by leave their marks on individuals and communities. We go about our lives and routines, unaware that our passing through time will leave indelible marks on history.

The invention of photography gave the world momentary windows of time preserved for the future to see. Photographs help us accurately depict and learn about life as we all move through time. Even though we don’t think about it now, someday someone will be looking back at all the Instagram and FaceBook pictures to try to explain life in the 2000s. All I have to say is, good luck with that.

The Mikel B. Classen Historical Pictures Collection began as an effort to facilitate my research and be able to accurately peer into the past for accuracy. It didn’t take long for it to evolve into much more than that. I soon found images from across the Upper Peninsula, which sent me on their own investigations spurred by the curiosity behind the photos. The pictures took many forms, from old engravings and lithographs, to rare stereoviews, postcards, cabinet cards, and press release photos. You can learn more about the types of images used here by flipping right to the Glossary in the back of this book.

There are currently around 1000 images in the collection with more being added all of the time. This book contains over 100 of the pictures, displaying a cross-section of time and life in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. I tried to pick a diversity of locations and subjects that would interest and fascinate any lover of the U.P. Now I get to share them with others.

When looking through the pictures in this book, consider that a photographer is involved in each image. Each picture was taken by someone who often went to extreme lengths to get the pictures. They would have to pack heavy and awkward equipment, often to remote or even dangerous locations just to get the pictures we see. They would have portable wagons that carried picture plates and developing chemicals. The photographers could develop pictures on the spot. They were dedicated daredevils who would do almost anything for the perfect picture. The older the picture, the heavier and more cumbersome the equipment was. They themselves were rugged pioneers and explorers who were unsung through history.

I feel lucky and privileged to be the caretaker of these historical artifacts. Preserving the past for the future is an important task, and when I get new additions to the collection, I feel it is something coming back home where it belongs, where it will enhance our knowledge and education, will be cherished and used to further the pursuit of history, U.P. history.

With this book, it is my hope that these images will now have an opportunity to be enjoyed by others instead of languishing in my drawers and on my shelves. I enjoy looking at them and I hope others will as well. I’ve written concise summaries of each one with as much information as is available. These discuss the details and nuances of what we can learn from the individual image. Enjoy these gems from the Mikel B. Classen Historical Pictures collection.

Mikel B. Classen

2023

City and Settlement Life

(1)Cliff Mine Settlement—Keweenaw Peninsula

The Cliff Mine settlement was one of the earliest in the Upper Peninsula. Established in 1845, it ranks as the first ore producing copper mine in the Keweenaw that was an organized company. Copper had been dug by ancient pit miners (Native Americans) all across the region. An old legend states that copper was discovered here when a prospector or trapper fell down a cliff face and hurt his butt on a projecting piece of copper. The picture, a vintage postcard, shows the community that sprang up around the mine and is taken around the turn of the century after the Cliff Mine was shut down and the village abandoned. From 1845⎯1854, it was the most productive copper mine in the U.S., producing over $2.5 million worth of ore. That is the equivalent of $56 million today. Silver was also produced. The mine’s heyday was over by 1878, and mining was through by 1887. The date on the postcard is 1906, and it contains a message: “You are a dandy chaperone. We enjoyed your company so much at the party.” It is addressed to Mr. M.J. Smith, Eagle Harbor, Michigan, who is apparently a dandy chaperone.

(2)Dog Sled Race in the Streets—Escanaba

Winter along the Great Lakes can be long and hard. Much of life was spent simply trying to stay warm. Occasionally though, the weather breaks and some fun begins. Dog sleds were common in the early days of the Upper Peninsula. They were a tool for mobility in winter as much as the horse was. The racers have found a good day for some fun and it looks like much of the town has turned out to watch the competition. One of the things to notice is the wooden store fronts. Though there is no date on the picture, it seems to be late 1800s. Driving around Escanaba, a few of these types of buildings can still be seen. Though Escanaba claims 1863 as its founding date, its name came from a Anishinaabe word that identified a native village already established there.

(3)Future Metropolis of the U.P.—Iron River

There is no shortage of high hopes in this one. This “bird’s eye” view is from a postcard promoting Iron River as a booming community. Like many towns on the iron range, Iron River was actively seeking residents to work in the mines that were springing up everywhere in that part of the peninsula. Iron County, where Iron River is located, had over 50 iron mines. One of the takeaways from the picture is the lack of trees. In places, the ground is completely bare. Logging was the other big local industry. The hills and forests surrounding the community were full of loggers and the results of their work is clearly evident. Iron River had about 5,000 residents at its peak, certainly not quite a metropolis, but unlike many of the cities in the region, the population has remained reasonably steady. To this day, Iron River is a thriving community that is a paradise for outdoor recreation.

(4)Motorcycle Hitting the Streets—Manistique