The steamship Vacationland was built in 1952, purchased by the state for $4,745,000, and became the “queen of the fleet” of the Michigan State Ferries. It was 360 feet in length and had 10,000 horsepower. After the Mackinac Bridge was completed in 1957, the Vacationland was sold and renamed many times. In December 1987, while being towed in a vicious storm to a scrapping company in China, she sank 100 miles off the coast of Astoria, Oregon. (Photograph courtesy of Ollie Boynton) 115 Years Ago

Saturday, February 14, 1891

Davis, the Detroit fish man, is cutting ice near Chambers dock.

The first mail from Beaver Island since December 1st arrived at Petoskey on Tuesday last. It was brought over the ice by dog sleighs.

Miss Anne Packard has moved her millinery stock into the store recently vacated by S.A. Wilson, next door to Cravens’ News depot, where she may be found in future, with a larger stock and will be better prepared to display goods to her many customers.

On Thursday last Conrad Bros. bought of Abe Goudreau 50 feet of land on State Street, located between F.E. Leonhard’s and Stellwagen & Kynoch’s stores; also a piece of land at the back of and adjoining the lot they recently bought of Owen Daly, and a strip of land on the upper side of the alley, running from the rear of their city bakery to Goudreau alley, on which is located St. Anthony’s Rock. In the deal is included the Meat Market building occupied by Patrick Gallagher and the dwelling occupied by Mrs. Sawyer. Consideration $2,500. The Brothers are showing their faith in the town in a substantial manner. Since embarking in business here they have enjoyed a nice trade, have made some money and are spending it right at home in an effort to build up the city. They intend erecting brick buildings on their State Street property as soon as they can get around to it. They deserve encouragement from our citizens.

Dave Murray, John McKinney, and County Treasurer Newton narrowly escaped being drowned on Tuesday morning last. They started from the Island in a single rig for St. Ignace and when out on the ice near Chimney Rock their horse broke through and would have pulled the cutter and its load through with it, were it not for the prompt action of the men in cutting the harness and letting the horse go. Of course, the horse was drowned. The three men, wet from head to foot, left the cutter and robes on the ice and walked to the through with it, were it not for the prompt action of the men in cutting the harness and letting the horse go. Of course, the horse was drowned. The three men, wet from head to foot, left the cutter and robes on the ice and walked to the city, arriving here nearer dead than alive from fatigue and the cold. Their clothing was frozen stiff. Mr. McKinney had his hands badly frost bitten. The accident was caused by their getting off the right road.

The contract for the Soo Canal lock has been awarded by Secretary of War Proctor to Hughes Bros. & Bangs of Rochester and Buffalo for $1,258,500, which includes furnishing all the material and doing all the work in the construction of the new lock.

90 Years Ago

Thursday, February 17, 1916

The Dodge car that’s running all the time no waiting for repairs, no stops on the road acknowledged today the best buy on the market for $785. A carload of cars with a factory demonstrator will be at the Highstone Garage very soon.

The steamer Ste. Marie, on one of her trips across the straits last Thursday, carried a cargo of 14 cars of copper from the copper country mines, valued at $160,000. This was the first copper shipped from the copper country for a week previous, all freight having been held up by the snow blockade. Copper is now quoted at 26.5 cents a pound, a record price.

There are no indications that the submission of a prohibition amendment at the November elections will eliminate the “wet” and “dry” elements in the state senatorial campaigns, says a dispatch from the state capitol. From both “wet” and “dry” districts come reports that the old battle lines will be applied to the senate as emphatically as if no state-wide amendment were to be considered.

The Rambler column It is said that when the locomotive first put in an appearance at St. Ignace they created a genuine sensation all around; a great many people had never gazed on one before.

The above paragraph is taken from the Cheboygan Democrat’s 35-years ago column. I met Capt. Frank D. Root, manager of the Great Lakes Towing Company’s Soo office, on the train the other day and in the course of our conversation, he recalled the fact that it was while in command of the sailing vessel Unadilla he delivered at St. Ignace the first engines, Nos. 1 and 2, for the D.M. & M. Ry., now the South Shore, in St. Ignace. He said that the landing was made at an old dock (probably the Hombach dock) and that the vessel brought rails along for the purpose of unloading the engines. On the up trip the vessel encountered rough weather and was towed into this port by the Saugatuck. The Unadilla, while being sailed by Capt. Root, also brought all of the iron used in the construction of the Martel Furnace as well as other material for the plant.

50 Years Ago

Thursday, February 16, 1956

More than 30 fish shanties were endangered, three of them floated away, and crossing on the Island ice bridge was halted last week on account of shifting ice. While more than 100 shanties are still safe on the ice in the bay here, more than 30 broke loose on flows between the Merchandise and Chief’s dock last week when the wheel of the Chief Wawatam, railway ferry, churned at the dock, loosening the ice. The three shanties that floated away were recovered along the beach in the first ward. The others were roped in or hauled to safety.

Ice shifted in the Straits last week and the icebreaker Vacationland was forced to cut several new channels as the flows closed up the old ones.

The same mild spell caused breaks in the Island ice bridge and one airsled was reported having gone through the ice near Mackinac Island. As a result, traffic on the ice came to almost a complete halt last week. However, autos are still being driven to the fish shanties on the bay here where the ice remains solid and upwards of 12 inches thick.

The pilot and two passengers walked away from the wreck when their plane crashed about a half mile west of the Mackinac County airport at 2 p.m. Friday afternoon. Pilot John Sturgeon had just left the airport bound for Mackinac Island when his plane lost altitude. He pancaked it in the trees west of the airport.

With him in the plane were Alan F. Sawyer, Mackinac Island resident park commissioner, and Mrs. Isabell Pero. The three made their way through the snowbound forest to the port. All were somewhat shaken up. Mrs. Pero was hospitalized for treatment of a minor arm injury.

35 Years Ago

Thursday, February 18, 1971

In the first running of the 50mile stock race at the Allenville Fairgrounds, Stan Ellis of Trout Lake in an Arctic Cat 399 finished 100 laps on the half mile track to cop the first place trophy and a check for $300. Other finishers were Larry Simmons of Cedarville, in second place, Mark Beaudoin of Trout Lake took third, and Halsey Weiss of Moran finished fourth.

The following are candidates for the Tri Centennial Queen contest: Barbara Ahlich, Ruth Brown, Rosemary Collins, Jean Cronin, Nina Everson, Darlene Giacherio, Denise Gierlaszynski, Pam Huskey, Kathy Kalbfleisch, Margaret LaChapelle, Sandy Lant, Pam

Litzner, Kristeen McDonald, Diana Peters, Collette Phillips, Janice Looking Back Steiner, Ruth Utter, Brenda Paquin.

15 Years Ago

Thursday, February 14, 1991

Thirty to 50 more fishers have been released between Trout Lake and Eckerman this winter as part of a continuing effort to restore the animals in the Eastern Upper Peninsula. The fisher is a darkfurred, medium-size member of the weasel family.

An outbreak of influenza that sidelined almost 60 of 190 Cedarville High School students by Thursday, February 7, forced the cancellation of school the next day.

Athletes of the week included Mackinaw City senior Zach Baker, who is averaging 13.4 points a game; Mackinac Island senior Chad Ruddle, one of the leading rebounders for the Lakers; Rudyard senior David Van Sloten, who scored a career-high 23 points against Central Algoma; and LaSalle freshman Brad Ledy, who had a 28and 24-point performance in his last two games.

Sophomore Tom Horn captured the 125-pound class title February 8 and 9 in Marquette to become the first St. Ignace wrestler to win an Upper Peninsula individual championship since Steve Frazier won consecutive titles in 1986 and 1987. EDITOR’S NOTE: The St. Ignace News is seeking original prints or reprints of old photographs depicting areas in the Eastern Upper Peninsula to be scanned into its archives and for the Looking Back column. Photographs to be loaned or donated to the Michilimackinac Historical Society can also be dropped off at The St. Ignace News.