What’s a “Boatel?” Well, one can spend the night aboard an original 1931 railcar ferry, The S.S. City of Milwaukee. A “Boatel” is a living history hotel with water underneath! I had no idea that Manistee, Michigan housed an original 1931 Grand Trunk Railroad ferry steamship. Join my husband, Chuck, […]
Educational
144 posts
Who has left a permanent impression on your life? Well, Feodor Protar had made a lasting impact on the islanders who have called Beaver Island their home. His log cabin has been made into a museum and stone walls stand guard over his gravesite. A century after his passing, Feodor […]
Have you ever wanted to learn how to sail? Did you know that The Great Lakes Sailing School in Traverse City has eleven instructors? Sailing certification for American Sailing Association (ASA) 101 and 103 requires four days aboard a sailboat with actual sailing, knot tying and taking two exams. Even […]
Join DaViking (my husband, Chuck) and I as we search for the 33 markers commemorating an ancient trail from Cadillac to Traverse City, The Old Indian Trail. Evidence found along the 55 mile trek has been dated to 700 B.C.E. This passage had been used by the Hopewells and then [...]
My first sight of the Woolsey Airport had been four years ago on a Restless Viking YouTube video. (See “Related Links”) I knew this unique stone structure must have a story. In May 2023, My husband, Chuck, “DaViking” and I made a stop as we drove around the “pinky peninsula” […]
Captain Timothy Alfson, a Lowell resident, spoke about being the captain of the Edwin H. Gott, a thousand (plus 4) foot Great Lakes freighter. Chuck, my husband, and I attended the event which was sponsored by the Lowell Historical Museum. Join us as we learn about maritime economics and “GOTT […]
Resting peacefully at the top of Mount Franklin in Grayling, Michigan are PFC John Conroy and Pvt. George Lange. When were they buried here? Why was this location chosen? Why are there only two graves? Chuck, my husband, said, “This is a mystery to history.” He and I wanted to […]
Near White Cloud, Michigan in Newaygo County there had once been the largest desert east of the Mississippi, The Big Prairie Desert. What? I had no idea! My husband, Chuck, always finds curious history. Starting in 1865 until the 1930’s this 2,000 acre area had been an enormous sandy expanse. […]
“When you go owling you have to be brave.” This quote has strummed through my mind since I had read the children’s book, Owl Moon, by Jane Yolen in the early 1990’s. As a result, I have dedicated a fair part of my family’s lives to night time and early […]
While in Chicago last September we had posted a few photos to Facebook. Chuck instantly received a message from Joel, his long-time friend who resides in the windy city. “Hey, we’re celebrating Oktoberfest tonight. Come on over! There’ll be food, fellowship and music.” Joel is the lead pastor at St. […]