Looking Back

An April or May 1947 image of a group of Pickford, Cedarville, and Hessel area residents at the former Northland Manor in on Hodeck Street in Cedarville shows what is believed to be the first meeting to discuss the idea of forming a Lions Club in the Les Cheneaux Islands. Pickford Lions Club sponsored the Les Cheneaux Lions Club when it formed 60 years ago this month, and hosted the meeting with Clark Township residents to tell them about the club. Soon after, the charter members of the Les Cheneaux Lions Club had their first meeting. (Photograph courtesy of Les Cheneaux Lions Club)

115 Years Ago

The St. Ignace News

Saturday, May 14, 1892

Geo. Sayles started out with his horse and wagon Monday and reports a good business.

On Monday last, R.E. Metevier sold the boot and shoe business in the Orth opera house block to Abraham Goudreau.

There is nothing mossy about the farmers of Luce, Mackinac, and Chippewa counties. They will band together and organize a Mutual Insurance Company organization. The headquarters will go to St. Ignace. - L'Anse Sentinel

Abase ball club has been organized at Ozark and go into practice at once, to compete for a trophy at the Chicago World's Fair.

The St. Ignace Times is the name of a paper that will make its appearance in this city at no distant day. Although the publisher is a Republican, the paper will be nonpolitical. We wish the enterprise success.

It never rains, but it pours - St. Ignace now has six doctors and another is expected soon.

90 Years Ago

The St. Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, May 17, 1917

Owing to the shortage of cars, the Chief Wawatam has been obliged to transfer automobiles across the straits by allowing them to rest on the deck at the bow of the steamer. The work of loading the machines by reason of the numerous tracks over which they have to be run, especially the raised tracks on the steamer, has caused considerable inconvenience. The company is arranging to overcome this by the construction of a driveway and platform over which the autos can run while being loaded, unloaded and during transportation, thereby improving the service and causing no delay or inconvenience to car owners desiring to make the transfer.

St. Ignace gave welcome to the D&C steamer City of Mackinac Tuesday evening, she being the first steamer of the line to reach this port since the closing of navigation last fall.

Forest fires are raging in many sections of Mackinac and surrounding counties. A pall of smoke hangs over the entire peninsula from these fires, which are threatening the destruction of thousands of dollars worth of timber products, and unless rains bring relief, soon the losses will be enormous.

Owing to war conditions and other things, The Enterprise learns that St. Ignace will not this year compete for the upper peninsula base ball championship. The fact that R.E. Dill of Charles, manager of the team from that town for the past three or four years, and who has won many victories, has moved to town and has led the fans to hope that he will at least give the town some sort of a ball team.

50 Years Ago The Republican-News & St.

Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, May 16, 1957

Approximately 200 phones on 76 lines went dead about 9 a.m. Tuesday when a sheathed cable behind St. Ignace Lodge was damaged as the result of heavy rains.

Moran is to have a new shoe store. Sim Christensen and Son store has received a complete line of new shoes which are now on display there.

A gift of 5,000 photographic negatives from the Library of Congress has provided Michigan residents with some old-time views of Mackinac Island. The negatives, stored in the state archives center of the Michigan Historical commission, include more than a score dealing with Mackinac Island scenes between 1890 and 1925. Some show historic buildings of the early 19th century which have been allowed to deteriorate and were ultimately razed, hence are valuable - particularly in view of possible restoration. One shot shows cannon on the ramparts of Fort Mackinac (they are no longer there). Another shows Fort Holmes before it was restored in the 1930s, ad all that is visible is a part of the original blockhouse, which had been roofed over with a modern roof, and the earthen outline of the ramparts.

Nathan Shayne of the Chippewa Hotel, Mackinac Island, who is entertaining the mayor of Freemont on Mayor Exchange Day, Monday, says reservations are coming in for the evening dinner planned by the Lions club.

35 Years Ago The Republican-News & St.

Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, May 18, 1972

The Michilimackinac Historical Society was notified this week that the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, at its May 5 meeting, approved 10 weeks of archaeological digging at the Farther Marquette Park site at a cost to the Historical Society of $5,000. Dr. Lyle Stone, staff archaeologist for the Park Commission, will be directing the diggings.

St. Ignace City Council introduced an ordinance to control "dangerous buildings," which is similar to Manistique, Alma, and Charlotte and would provide for investigation of suspected dangerous buildings by the building inspector, who would be assisted by the police chief, fire chief, and or health officer.

The Vogelheim Lumber Company in St. Ignace is celebrating its 17th year in St. Ignace.

15 Years Ago

The St. Ignace News

Thursday, May 14, 1992

The Munuscong River bridge, near Pickford, will soon be replaced. Only the abutments of the old bridge will remain after the completion of a project that will replace it with a new, precast concrete and steel span this summer.

Brian Bosley of St. Ignace earned most valuable player award for Central Michigan University's rugby team.

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.