Based on the popular Lost In Michigan website that was featured in the Detroit Free Press, It contains locations throughout Michigan, and tells their interesting story. There are over 50 stories and locations that you will find fascinating.
Ann Arbor might have become just another small Michigan village had it not been for one crucial event: its designation as the home of the University of Michigan in 1837. Its subsequent development into a thriving cultural and intellectual community was marked by its extraordinary architecture, from the grand 1878 courthouse to the exquisite original university buildings and fashionable East Huron Street. The expansion of the town and university, the arrival of the automobile, and frequent fires began atransformation of Ann Arbor that led to the tragic demolition of some of its most remarkable structures. Lost Ann Arbor is a tribute to these long-lost treasures and the 19th century way of life that accompanied them.
The fourth volume in the Lost In Michigan book series. It contains unique and interesting stories throughout the "Mitten State" that are off the beaten path. Tales of tragic accidents, to historic places and inspirational people that showcases Michigan's diverse history. If you have traveled to the popular tourist destinations in Michigan, and are looking for something a little different, you will enjoy reading this book. It's the perfect book to take on a road trip and get "Lost In Michigan."
"I come from Des Moines. Somebody had to." And, as soon as Bill Bryson was old enough, he left. Des Moines couldn't hold him, but it did lure him back. After ten years in England he returned to the land of his youth, and drove almost 14,000 miles in search of a mythical small town called Amalgam, the kind of smiling village where the movies from his youth were set. Instead he drove through a series of horrific burgs, which he renamed Smellville, Fartville, Coleslaw, Coma, and Doldrum. At best his search led him to Anywhere, USA, a lookalike strip of gas stations, motels and hamburger outlets populated by obese and slow-witted hicks with a partiality for synthetic fibres. He discovered a continent that was doubly lost: lost to itself because he found it blighted by greed, pollution, mobile homes and television; lost to him because he had become a foreigner in his own country.
Americans are hungry for good news from their cities, and here's a heartening example from the heartland, with mouth-wateringly beautiful photographs to pull you in. Almost Lost, Building and Preserving Heritage Hill, Grand Rapids, Michigan begins like a suspense novel, with the startling declaration, We almost lost it. Turn to a full-page, black-and-white photograph of wrecking cranes demolishing the 1888 Romanesque Revival, Grand Rapids City Hall. That image clearly demonstrates what was at stake when well-meaning urban renewal projects threatened the old houses on Heritage Hill. Thanks to local advocacy groups and government recognition, Heritage Hill Historic District is saved -- for all kinds of residents. Variety is a keynote sounded throughout the story, from diversity of architectural styles, home cost and scale, to diversity of residential population. Author Thomas Logan identifies and discusses 15 major architectural styles found on Heritage Hill.
Driving is a privilege and not a right. Drivers must drive responsibly and safely, obey traffic laws, and never drink and drive. Finally, make sure that you and your passengers are properly buckled up - it's the law! Today's vehicles are loaded with technology that was unheard of even a decade ago. Systems that warn when you are drifting from your lane, assist you in parallel parking, automatically brake in emergency situations and provide 360 degrees of vision around the vehicle via a camera are becoming standard, even on moderately priced vehicles. As remarkable as these leaps in automotive technology are, the truth is that the most important safety feature in any vehicle remains you as the driver. Therefore, it is to your benefit to continue improving and expanding your knowledge of traffic laws and safe driving practices. Driving is a privilege. Once you have been issued a driver's license, you have the responsibility to continually demonstrate the skill and knowledge to drive safely. Whether you have been behind the wheel for decades or are just starting to venture out, driving is a discipline that requires judgment, knowledge, physical and mental self-awareness, and practice. "What Every Driver Must Know" is an excellent resource for assisting you on this lifelong journey.
Many of eastern Michigan's old boomtowns and sleepy villages are faded memories. Nature reclaimed the ruins of some while progress paved over the rest. Discover the stories of lost communities hidden in plain sight or just off the beaten track. The vanished religious colony of Ora Labora fell into a state of near-constant inebriation when beer became the only safe liquid to drink. Lake St. Clair swallowed up the unique currency of Belividere along with the place that issued it. Abandoned towns still crumble within Detroit's city limits. Alan Naldrett delves into the fascinating history of eastern Michigan's lost settlements.
More than a century ago, Mason County was a much different, harsher place. Arriving by foot and boat to find a dense wilderness, hardy pioneers carved out tiny settlements stretching right to the coast of Lake Michigan. When the lumber industry arrived in Michigan, the settlements grew to boomtowns and new towns formed. To serve the lumber industry, the railroad spread across the county, and immigrants and settlers flooded in to have their chance at the American Dream. But when the lumber ran out, the mills closed down. Jobs disappeared, and so did these towns. Out of the thirty-nine settlements, only two cities and six fading villages remain today. Join local author Sandi Lewis-Malburg as she uncovers the towns that time forgot.