Mackinac Island in the early 1900s from the corner of Fort and Main streets. Looking practically new at left is the Chippewa Hotel, built in 1902. On the corner to the right is the E.W. Wallace store, occupying the building formerly used by the Foley photographic studio. Mr. Foley moved out in 1895. Doud's Mercantile now is housed in the building, having moved there in 1943 when fire destroyed the original market at the head of the Union Terminal Piers dock, now called the Arnold Dock. The ornate building two stores down the street is William Gardner's photographic studio, the former opera house. Mr. Gardner operated his business from 1896 to 1915. 115 Years Ago

The St. Ignace News

Saturday, March 21, 1891

Lieutenant Smith of Fort Mackinac was a caller at this office Monday.

The Gateway City Athletic Club received their gymnasium outfit last Tuesday.

John D. Leahy left for the copper country Tuesday morning, on a 10day business trip.

A number of soldiers from Fort Mackinac come over almost daily to St. Ignace to do their trading.

A party at the Hotel de Gagnon Tuesday evening was well attended and a pleasant time had by all.

W.A. Patrick of Les Cheneaux was a caller at this office Thursday. He reports everything moving nicely at his home, and great preparations are being made for a busy season. He intends adding several rooms to his hotel to accommodate tourists.

Alamp in the First National Bank narrowly escaped causing a conflagration Thursday evening. Mrs. A. Rankin, who was passing by at the time, noticed it all ablaze and notified the bank officials. The lamp was promptly fired into the street by P. Murray.

Advertisement Grand Rapids and St. Ignace artists having completed the work on the M.E. Church, you are cordially invited to attend the "Gentlemen's Social" next Wednesday evening and inspect the interior of the edifice. The gents on the various committees will see to it that this is the event of the season do not fail to go. Committees have been appointed as follows: On reception E.M. Mallett, E.B. Chamberlain, J. Coomer, T. Whitwell, Geo. Kirby, W. Ogle, and A. McKay. On program M.F. Stellwagen, Ray Boynton, A. Hulbert, J. Foley, J.B. Clark, and J.K. Brown. On table No. 1 James Connor, G.C. Clark, A.B. Standish, Silas Webb. Table No. 2 J.B. Clark, Will Truscott, T.L. Everett, and Myron Chamberlain. Table No. 3 M.F. Stellwagen, S.A. Wilson, H. Whitwell, and P.J. Dolson.

Wm. St. James has christened his saloon the "Arcade," and has the front of it decorated with a new sign.

Although thousands of cords of wood were marketed here during the winter, it is still in great demand, with very little being offered. We need a wood yard badly.

George T. Arnold was guaranteed $6,500 to run the steamer Faxton between Traverse City and St. Ignace, but concluded that there was more money in running to the Soo. Cheboygan News

Capt. Boynton of the St. Ignace, which plies between St. Ignace and Mackinaw, says that the lake is solid with ice as far as the eye can reach and navigation will not open before the latter part of April.

A wicked drummer who visited Au Train last week is telling around that he overheard a lady school teacher of that place say: "Charley never shaves and his whiskers are so soft and curly." He wonders how she knew so much.

Still it snows. March howls more like a wolf than a lion. If it leaves us like a lamb it should be a full blood South Down.

News items are scarce but we hear the toot of the whistle and we know that the mill is running. Johnson and Co. are building barns and a boarding house, and will soon be ready to make business hum.

John Lee is fishing, and having good luck. He caught several pike lately that weighed 12 and 16 pounds, and says he got hold of a whale, or something, anyway, that broke his spear and got away.

90 Years Ago

The St. Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, March 23, 1916

There are in Mackinac County 475 miles of roads of which 80 miles are very good, having been graded and more or less surfaced with gravel. With favorable weather this spring, the road from St. Ignace to Hessel and the road from St. Ignace to the Warehouse will be open to travel some time in June. From Rexton west to the Schoolcraft county line, the trunk line road is passable and by the time the road from Blaney to our road is ready for traffic, that in this county will be in good shape.

J.C. Healy, Gould City's leading merchant, takes two pages of the Enterprise this week to advertise a sacrifice sale, which will include everything in his big general stock.

City Treasurer's Report, City of Mackinac Island: Disbursements Alfred Deloria, 1 day's labor (1914), $2; (1915-16) Wm. Donnelly, salary, night watch, April 8th, $60; Michigan State Telephone Co., phoning, $0.25; George Lapine, chief fire department, $5; Wallace Hall and Scottie Terrian, A. Cadreau, Doud fire expense, $1; Mallet & Walker, casket for Mrs. A. Cadreau, $45; Anthony Corrigan, team work, road, $33.75; John Lapine, 15 days, city marshal salary, $37.50; John Franks and John Francis, team work, roads, $16 each; George T. Arnold, 650 pounds of soft coal, $1.95; George Lasley, caring for yachts, $15; J.D. Flanagan, 1.5 hours carriage hire, $2; Peter Early, poor commissioner, digging grave, Peter Hammond, $10; Herman Gallagher, carriage license, $2.

Michigan's new presidential preferential primary law will be tried out in St. Ignace and in every township in the county for the first time on Monday, April 3. At that time, national committeemen will also be elected.

The ballots which will be given to the people of Mackinac county will contain the following names:

For president Republicans, William Alden Smith of Grand Rapids; Henry Ford of Detroit; William G. Simpson of Detroit. Democrats, Woodrow Wilson of New York; Prohibition, William F.P. Ferguson of Pennsylvania.

For national committeemen Republican, Charles B. Warren of Detroit; Democrat, Edwin O. Wood of Flint; William A. Comstock of Alpena; National Progressive, Gustave D. Pope of Detroit.

Unusual heavy travel Detroitward has marked the last 10 days. The evening train has crossed the straits with between 40 and 60 men leaving the peninsula for the metropolis where they have or will seek positions. The great majority of these are young men, attracted to Detroit by the high price of labor.

Monday was the first day of spring and the weather man celebrated the event by giving us a snowstorm.

Les Cheneaux column Edwin Johnson, who has been in DeTour for the past 10 months with James Cochran at DeTour Hotel, has returned to Cedarville and will remain.

The ice is now so heavy that it is not suitable for storing but a second crop, about a foot thick, is being harvested from some of the places where ice was taken out a month or so ago.

H.P. Hossack Co. are rebuilding the old piling dock at the mill, which has not been used for years and which was falling into decay. Now that the Hossack company owns this property and needs the room for piling lumber, they are repairing it. R.P. White has been getting out timber for the work at McKay's Bay.

The St. Patrick's Day party at Young Bros.' Hall was well attended and a very enjoyable time was had, there being a considerable number down from Pickford and other points. About 80 took supper with Mrs. Went Beach and then danced until morning. The touring car that was to be given away was not disposed of but will be at a later time.

Engadine column The dance Friday evening was a splendid affair. Excellent music was furnished by the band and a good time was enjoyed by all. Last but not least was the sumptuous supper which was given at the Cottage hotel.

Fred DeGuire left Monday evening for British Columbia, where he expects to locate and will move his family there in the course of a few weeks. Mr. DeGuire has been the blacksmith for the Freeman Lumber Co. for the past two years. We wish him success in his new home and work.

50 Years Ago

The Republican-News

& St. Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, March 23, 1956

Kress Reavie has been named chairman of the Kiwanis group project to gather information concerning "The Story of St. Ignace and the Area Around." The Kiwanis has launched a community-wide project to compile date of family and place history as well as a business directory for inclusion in a publication to be issued in 1957.

Letters from the Federal Communications Commission addressed to Mrs. Bruce Westover and the mayor concerning a petition filed complaining about television interference from the local state police post were read. The state police had its radio-TV expert investigate the situation, which is paralleled in other communities, and learned that the local radio is properly filtered and operated. It was explained that most TV manufacturers have selected a channel of amplification which gives a spurious response in the neighborhood of police radios.

The Mackinac Island life boat station control house started tests of its fog signal on Saturday.

The Women's Auxiliary of Mackinac Straits hospital meeting in the city hall last Thursday considered plans for landscaping at the hospital and determined to engage University of Michigan services in selection of shrubs.

The past week has seen a mild influx of American Bridge workers as superintendents and foremen are arriving to prepare for the opening of bridge work.

St. Ignace Board of Education will be host to the Moran, Brevort, and St. Ignace townships boards of education at LaSalle elementary school next Monday evening. The session will consider common school problems of the district, which is steadily growing as a result of the Straits bridge.

The Les Cheneaux Drive-in Restaurant opened last Friday. Anice day for the opening, it happened to be Mrs. Daniels' birthday.

35 Years Ago

The Republican-News

& St. Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, March 25, 1971

The LaSalle faculty struck a blow for the older generation as they defeated the seniors Friday night 9158. Senior Jeff Savard put on a fine shooting exhibition as he posted a game high of 32 points. He didn't have much help, as Howard Gustafson was second in scoring with seven. Gallagher paced the faculty with 30 points and had plenty of help as Lorente, Shank, and Blomquist all hit in double figures with 20, 19, and 13 points, respectively.

Mr. Rex Barrett, administrator for Mackinac Straits Hospital and Medical Care Facility, announces the availability of a complete physical therapy program for hospital patients and also on an outpatient basis.

Les Cheneaux column Nellie Lindberg, Ferne Huff, Les Cheneaux Elementary teachers, attended the Scott, Forceman demonstration and lecture at Lake Superior State College on Monday afternoon.

15 Years Ago

The St. Ignace News

Thursday, March 21, 1991

St. Ignace's water filtration project could cost $2 million more than originally projected, if the City is to meet the requirements of the state health department and Farmers Home Administration. Both agencies want the City to include substantial improvements in its leaky water system, engineers for McNamee, Porter, and Seeley told officials at a March 18 City Council meeting. Those improvements could drive up the cost to as much as $4.55 million, they said.

A Mackinac County deputy's two police dogs are back on duty following approval last week of an agreement that essentially frees the County of expenses involved in use of the dogs.

Brimley's volleyball team upset the second-ranked team in the state Cedarville to capture the Upper Peninsula Class D championship March 16 in Escanaba. The win gave the Bays their eighth U.P. volleyball title in 12 years, their first since 1988, while the Trojans finished second for the fourth straight year.

The West Iron County Wykons ended St. Ignace boys basketball team's Cinderella season with a 60-45 defeat in the regional final March 16 at Hedgecock Fieldhouse in Marquette. The Saints, who started three freshmen in the post-season, finished the season with a 4-19 record.

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.