I have marveled at this statue and the life of it’s inspiration, Leonardo di Vinci. Each year I would read, “Monday with a Mad Genius,” by Mary Pope Osborne to my students with the hope of sparking interest in past inventions and artwork. Leonardo di Vinci was an engineer, sculptor […]
History and Culture
124 posts
We walked to the Piazza del Popolo in Rome, Italy last February 2020. We had wanted to investigate Basilica Parrocchiale Santa Maria del Popolo located at the piazza. After perusing the church, we made our way into the center of the plaza. With scaffolding rising near an entrance we nearly […]
When Chuck organized a private tour of the State Theatre in Kalamazoo, I was thrilled on many different levels. First, I hold fond memories of attending a Billy Bragg concert with Chuck, Martin and Brian in 1988 when we were college students at Western Michigan University. After the concert we […]
I have always visited Mackinac in the summer when Main Street is teeming with horses, carriages, bikes and many, many people. Main Street felt as if we’d found a supernatural museum. The roadway was so peaceful and serene. What’s it like to live on this small island year round? Margaret […]
Where do all the Mackinac Island horses go in the winter? Chuck thought they relaxed by sitting at a bar drinking while wearing derby caps. I adore his imagination. Sometimes I have to roll my eyes, though. We were curious and started our research. After digging deeper, we found several […]
In preparing for our winter escapade to Mackinac Island, I researched the fascinating history of the area. This is the first in a series of articles about the island and the people who have called it home. The Anishnaabek (also known as the Odawa, Ojibway and Potawatomi) tribes inhabited the […]
Without a winter coat, preteen Mike Farnam tried to escape from Traverse City State Hospital. As he crossed the farm field, which had been closed less than a decade before in 1957, the snow was up to his waist. He approached barn #206 full of cows who were now managed […]
The treatments for mental illness have changed and adjusted over the past century. The Traverse City State Hospital spanned this timeframe. It was a perfect hospital to conduct research. Experimentation was evident as medical regimens were developed. I have held a lot of curiosity about navigating these remedies as our […]
Heading into a small boutique in the basement of the Traverse City State Asylum, I introduced myself to a shopkeeper, “Hi! I’m Martha, a travel blog writer. What stories can you share about this hospital?” A white puff-ball dog entered the shop and crossed to the counter with determination. The […]
“It was a cold snowy day in mid January 1965. We started out just before daylight. The ride was very quiet and long. At times we were in a complete whiteout due to a strong lake effect storm pounding the west coast of Michigan. The heater was on high but […]