Looking Back
Compiled by Ryan Schlehuber

115 Years Ago

The St. Ignace News

Saturday, June 25, 1892

Looking

Grand Hotel opens its doors July 1st.

The barge Lone Star ran on Grahams Shoal Thursday, but the water raised in the evening, and she floated off.

An excursion to Les Cheneaux Islands will be run on the 4th at very cheap rates. Muskalonge Hotel will be the objective point. Ice cream for sale. Next week shall give full particulars.

Everybody should see the Bohemian glass blowers at store on State street next door to Mulcrone Bros., and witness their wonderful work in making the most beautiful ornaments in glass.

John Everett of Chicago arrived in Les Cheneaux today and will build a fine residence on Marquette Island.

Vessels in Les Cheneaux are arriving almost daily; five vessels and one steam barge left for Chicago the first of the week.

90 Years Ago

The St. Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, June 28, 1917

The Ursuline Academy ended its 20th successful year on the evening of the 13th when the annual commencement exercises were held in the pavilion. The graduates were Miss Edna Gleason, who delivered the salutatory, and Miss Elizabeth Boynton, the valedictory. Earl Boucha and James LaRocque were also given eighth grade diplomas.

A German spy scare gripped Mackinaw City Monday evening when the authorities at that village arrested and searched two men, who gave their names as Torsten Pauli of Stockholm and Gustaf Lysander of Trelleborg, Sweden, says the Petoskey News. It was rumored on the car ferry on the trip over from St. Ignace that two German spies were aboard and would be placed under arrest when the boat landed. The passengers kept close account of affairs and as the ship was warped to the dock, deputies came aboard and placed the men under arrest.

They were taken to the depot and searched. Their baggage was also searched. On them, it is reported, were found maps and drawings of car ferries and boats at Mackinaw City, St. Ignace, Mackinac Island. They carried passports which appeared to be official and O.K. Officers at Mackinaw City wired to Grand Rapids that it might not be a bad thing to search the men again upon their arrival in that city and to get in touch with the state and war departments in Washington on the matter.

The two men were allowed to proceed to Grand Rapids Monday night. They had visited Petoskey last Saturday afternoon and evening.

Les Cheneaux column - Many improvements have been made at the Lakeside Hotel and others are in prospect.

All the boat shops report that they are busy preparing boats for cottagers and others who expect to arrive soon.

Mr. and Mrs. Herman of Erie, Pennsylvania, are connected with the Bon Air this season. Mr. Herman will do the photographic finishing and Mrs. Herman will be in the store.

So far as we can learn, there are no arrangements for operating Cedar Inn this season. Last week, there was a woman here looking at it. This is a small-sized hotel in the center of a developed and growing resort region and when the right person comes into control of it, it should be one of the best hotel properties of its size in this northern country.

50 Years Ago

The Republican-News

& St. Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, July 4, 1957

Berth for the buoy tender Sun Dew from Sturgeon Bay, Wis., was sought in a letter presented to the city council Monday from the U.S. Coast Guard office, Cleveland, Ohio.

"It appears that the coast guards desire dock facilities, parking space, business office, suitable and adequate living facilities in the city, adequate schools, hospital, churches, electric power, and water supply," explained city attorney Prentiss M. Brown.

When the line of March in St. Ignace for the Fourth of July begins, from the assemblage on the old mill site, floats will be judged by John D. Donnelly, Mrs. Phil Flanders, and Mrs. William Morin, according to John Lahaie of the Mackinac Chamber of Commerce and Robert Davis of the Kiwanis club, who head up the parade committee. Prizes will be $25, $10, and $5, and judging will be on appearance, originality, and uniformity. The line of march will be along State Street to McCann Street and then to Athletic Park.

Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, will celebrate a birthday, its 70th anniversary on July 10. The World's Largest Summer hotel, W.S. Woodfill, president, opened its doors first on July 10, 1887.

Omega Construction Company of Grand Rapids has been awarded a $29,600 contract to construct aircraft shelter foundations at Kinross Air Force Base.

Nick Lauri, operator of the Chip'n Drive golf range, said today that lights are being installed this week for those golfers who can't enjoy their favorite sport during the daylight hours.

"A total of 4,000 watts will be used to illuminate the field during nighttime playing hours," said Lauri in describing the improvement to the range located on US-2 West just beyond Hi-Buddy Inn.

Four boys - Johnny Duncan, Ron Hudson, Bob Shoberg, and Jimmy Hamel - from the Les Cheneaux Boy Scout Troop 140 will leave Saturday, July 6, to begin a 16-day trip to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

35 Years Ago

The Republican-News

& St. Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, June 29, 1972

The newly organized Straits Flotilla, an arm of the National Coast Guard Auxiliary, held its formal organizational meeting at the Shores Restaurant Saturday, June 24, with Commander Robert L. Holle receiving the charter on behalf of the local group.

Ken Gillmore and Pete Heckman spent several hours stranded on St. Helene Island last Saturday when the motor on their boat failed. They had been scuba diving and dragging in the area when they encountered the trouble, and when the wind came up, they donned their wetsuits and swam to shore on the island, pulling the boat with them. Paul Gustafson retrieved the boys after Mrs. Gillmore, concerned the boys were not back yet, drove along the lakeshore and spotted the boat and a fire with binoculars.

15 Years Ago

The St. Ignace News

Thursday, June 25, 1992

The limestone mining plant at Gulliver, closed more than two years ago, officially was reborn as a part of an international firm, Pfizer, Inc., in public ceremonies June 19. It has created 70 new jobs.

Charles Jordan, vice president of design for General Motors, is guest of honor for this year's Straits Area Antique Auto Show in St. Ignace.

Robert Lewis, former assistant principal at Cheboygan Middle School, is the new principal for Pickford High School.

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.