Looking Back
Compiled by Ryan Schlehuber

Summer guests arrive by ferry steamer at the dock of the former Lakeside Hotel on Coryell Island, near Cedarville. Construction on the hotel started in 1896, and by 1897, the hotel was renting rooms for $2 to $2.50 a day, according to an account by Louis Coryell, a descendent of one of the hotel's founders. At one time, 25 to 30 people ran the hotel, which also offered tent platforms for campers. Fresh vegetables for the operation were provided by a garden at the hotel. Guests, mail, freight, and baggage came to the hotel by steamer from Mackinac Island or Mackinaw City, and Mr. Coryell's account said there was always a crowd on the dock to meet the boat. The hotel closed in 1953. (Les Cheneaux Historical Association photograph)

115 Years Ago

The St. Ignace News

Saturday, May 7, 1892

Snow fell here yesterday.

Work on the Point LaBarbe beach drive was discontinued last Saturday, to await the action of the council with regard to opening up Graham avenue to the city limits. It is too bad a hitch has occurred in this important matter.

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While some men were digging a ditch for water pipes at the Court House a short time ago, a stone was found which is now in A.J. Gennell's office. It is flat and diamond-shaped and on one side are hieroglyphics, which present the appearance of having been made by human hands. Mr. Gennell prizes the stone very highly and hopes some day to have the mysterious characters translated, so that if there is any wealth connected with the writing, he may get some of it and be enabled to attend the World's Fair at Chicago next year.

On Thursday afternoon the steamer St. Ignace went ashore at Mackinaw City in a dense fog. She had several loaded cars aboard and went out three feet forward. Two tugs had been working on her up to

Thursday night], the Champion and Favorite, and yesterday two more arrived to assist, the Sea Gull and Gladiator. At this writing (Friday a.m.), she is still hard aground.

Ex-mayor of St. Ignace, Michael Chambers, is at Naubinway.

90 Years Ago

The St. Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, May 10, 1917

The Kynochs hope to be able to open the new Grand Theater early in June. Contractor Rutherford is rushing the work of rebuilding as rapidly as possible and satisfactory progress is being made.

Frank A. Kenyon of Mackinac Island has been appointed by Gov. Sleeper a member of the recruiting committee for the U.S. Navy League. Those desiring to join the navy may do so by applying to him.

Prosecuting Attorney Brown made a business trip to Rexton the first of the week, going by way of the Warehouse and returning via the country road. As to the return trip, Mr. Brown says that until the weather becomes more sealed, he would advise no one to take the county road with a car.

The Rankin harness shop, which has been closed since last summer, has been purchased by Charles Simmons, who is now in charge and is soliciting the patronage of the public for everything in the line of repair work or new goods in leather.

Copper has been discovered in and around Allenville and Moran in large quantities. An assay of the samples found show that it goes about 98 percent pure copper.

Les Cheneaux column - Among other improvements planned at the Islington this season is an electric light plant which will be combined with a new water pumping outfit.

William McFee opened his new ice cream parlor, as such, last Saturday evening. He has named the place Les Cheneaux Ice Cream Parlor and will carry and dispense about everything in the way of soft drinks and ice cream in all various ways of serving.

About the first man to get off the Lotus on her arrival at Cedarville May 1 was Harry E. Townsend. Mr. Townsend conducted the barber shop in the Bon-Air last season and at once opened the place up and dispensed a few much-needed hair cuts. He will not only run the place again this season as a barber shop, but will also conduct a watch and clock repairing business and carry a stock of jewelry to conform to the needs of the community.

50 Years Ago The Republican-News & St. Ignace

Enterprise

Thursday, May 9, 1957

Workmen at Mackinac Island engaged in transferring bodies from the abandoned church burial lot to St. Anne's cemetery met with unexpected problems when they found a second layer of bodies under the graves of those on record. This work is being undertaken by Michigan Bell Telephone company, who owns the property, preparatory to the erection of the tower.

According to Willard Lasley of the Mackinac Island Historical Society, the evidence is that Indians were among the older unrecorded burials, as knives and other relics are being found.

It is surmised that the bottom layer of graves were Christian burials made in missionary times. The British built the fort in 1780, when a church was established, and it is a logical deduction that the first burials were made from that time on, when the Island became a gathering place for the far-flung trading operations. However, it is possible that some of the burials may have been at an earlier date.

Through Emerson Smith, head of the local historian group, contacts have been made with the University of Michigan and historical commission to ascertain if they desire to stop the work on the project and conduct an archaeological investigation.

Two former Mackinac county men were among six of Michigan's sons who were honored as war heroes last Thursday as they paraded Broadway in New York. They are Harold F. Bogan of Mackinac Island, retired vice admiral who won the Navy Cross in World War II, and Aubrey Fitch of St. Ignace, retired admiral and winner of the Distinguished Service medal in World War II.

Phil Flanders, owner of the Gamble Store in St. Ignace, was nominated for president of the St. Ignace Lions Club Monday night.

35 Years Ago The Republican-News & St. Ignace

Enterprise

Thursday, May 11, 1972

The Stewart J. Cort, the largest ship to ever sail the Great Lakes, passed under the Mackinac Bridge for the first time at 6:25 p.m. Saturday. The new ship is 1,000 feet long and 105-feet wide and has a cargo carrying capacity of 52,000 long tons. The Cort was on her way from Taconite Harbor, Minnesota, to Burns Harbor, Indiana, with a load of taconite iron ore pellets for Bethlehem Steel Mills.

The St. Ignace City School Board voted on Monday night to proceed with a lease-purchase agreement with the McFadden Company for four relocatable classrooms for next fall.

15 Years Ago

The St. Ignace News

Thursday, May 7, 1992

St. Ignace's new loitering regulations, also known as a "disorderly persons" ordinance, are about to go on the books for use if police encounter troublesome youths downtown.

The Michigan Department of Transportation's state highway garage in Cedarville will close July 3, as four jobs will be eliminated there. The garage opened in 1957.

Brenda Swain of Pickford was sworn in May 4 as Hessel's new postmaster by St. Ignace postmaster Ollie Boynton.

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 the 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.