The Hudson Lumber Company once stood on the grounds of the Browning shingle mill in Garnet. The building was eventually moved across the street and was referred to by residents as "Garnet Store Number 2." The site is now an empty lot though the mill still stands but is not in use. (Photograph courtesy of John Browning) 115 Years Ago

The St. Ignace News

Saturday, January 21, 1893

Dr. Young was at Les Cheneaux Tuesday last.

Miss Mary Newton has been appointed deputy county treasurer.

Many conflicting stories have been in circulation here for several days, regarding an assault and highway robbery at Les Cheneaux. No reliable information being at hand, we defer any comments on the case at present.

S.A. Snyder and F. Kruger have men at work cutting ice in the bay.

A sleighing party of young people drove out to Point La Barbe Wednesday evening. The Misses Senecal took care of the crowd and all had a splendid time.

An engineer on the Mackinaw division of the Michigan Central railroad says there is more snow this year than there ever has been in the last 10 years.

The mercury registered 28 degrees below on Tuesday morning.

90 Years Ago

The St. Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, January 17, 1918

The big storm that demoralized the entire county set in Friday night, being the worst storm in over 50 years. No portion of the county escaped its ravages. Michigan Central was blocked between Detroit and Bay City and no south mail has been delivered since Saturday

Butter is selling in Berlin at $2.25 per pound, sugar at 96 cents per pound, ham and bacon at $2.11 per pound, and Ivory soap at five bars for $1.12.

These prices are from four to five times as high as those in the United States.

Chairman John Brawley of the Board of Supervisors is in the city today from Gould City on business in connection with the county house.

The selective service act has been held constitutional by the Supreme Court. The government's contentions that the power given congress to declare war includes power to compel citizens to render military service, both home and abroad, were sustained by the court.

William Greenwood of Windsor, Ontario, is in Engadine. Mr. Greenwood is in the lightning rod business and expects to make Engadine his headquarters for the Northern Peninsula.

School throughout Moran Township has once more started, and all are wading knee deep to get there.

Capt. William McCarty took the mails to St. Ignace from Mackinac Island Wednesday with a horse and sleigh. This is the first time it was safe to take a horse on the ice, the mails being carried by dog team the past few weeks.

50 Years Ago

The Republican-News

& St. Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, January 16, 1958

The St. Ignace office has an unemployment claim load of 700 at the present time, according to Oliver Cummings, local manager. He said this represents an increase of 200 over the same time in 1957.

A petition from Guy H. Hamel, Cedarville realtor, was approved by Mackinac county's board of supervisors. Hamel proposes a 350-foot causeway and bridge between Hill and No. 8 islands located about two miles east of Cedarville.

Hamel says the link will permit development of about three miles of island lake frontage. He has approval of the Clark Township board and now seeks approval of the U.S. Corps of Engineers.

Mackinac Bridge Authority Chairman Prentiss M. Brown issued a statement Friday "to put an end to rumors, speculation, and mistaken notions" about the financial plans of the authority. Brown said, "The bridge is operating successfully" and the authority has no plans for seeking any legislation this year.

Mrs. Fred Pierson has been hired by the board of education as secretary to the superintendent of schools.

St. Ignace City Council referred P.J. Della-Moretta's proposal to closing of Prospect Street to oneway traffic to the streets and sidewalk committee.

Aspecial meeting was called by city council Monday, December 30, to discuss the state's disposal of the state ferry docks in the city and the future plans of the Arnold Transit company for dock location.

The inadequate parking facilities to accommodate anticipated growth of tourist travel to the Island from the ferries at Dock 1 and the protection of pedestrians crossing State Street to Dock 1, by means of a safety crossing zone or police patrolling, was given great consideration.

Last trip of the Motor Vessel Huron was made Saturday, January 11, at 3 p.m. Our past week of near zero weather has helped to form much ice in the lakes.

35 Years Ago

The Republican-News

& St. Ignace Enterprise Thursday, January 18, 1973

The first snowmobile crossing, via the ice bridge from Mackinac Island to St. Ignace, was made by Stanley Green at 9:20 a.m. Friday, January 12.

Green said the ice was smooth as glass and he crossed the fourand one-half mile ice bridge in 15 to 20 minutes.

The St. Ignace City Council in session Monday, January 15, took initial steps to acquire a portion of the former Steele Farm in an effort to provide a basic ski hill, ready for operation for the 1973-74 winter.

Lawrence A. Rubin, executive secretary of the Mackinac Bridge Authority, will oversee five regions and 27 counties this year as Michigan Week deputy general chairman for northern Michigan.

H&R Block, Inc., America's largest income tax service, announces the opening of its St. Ignace office in the theatre annex next to Fox's Sporting Goods.

Margaret Doud left Friday for Mt. Pleasant, where she will enter CMU for the winter term.

The Mackinac Island Snowmobile Club enjoyed a cook-out at British Landing Sunday. Chief cook was Otto Wandrie.

About 30 to 40 snowmobiles made the crossing via the ice bridge between St. Ignace and Mackinac Island Saturday. They say the ice is really the smoothest in years, but the ice bridge is not too wide.

15 Years Ago

The St. Ignace News

Thursday, January 14, 1993

The third annual Les Cheneaux Sled Dog Races, originally scheduled for January 16 and 17, may not be held as scheduled, owing to a lack of snow, said Mary Duncan, secretary of the race committee.

A long-time Brevort motel was destroyed by a blaze that was fought by three area fire departments and whose glow against the evening sky could be seen from miles around Monday, January 11.

The motel, between a private home and Gustafson's Restaurant, had stood since the 1950s.

Michigan State Trooper Paul Sved of St. Ignace will celebrate his retirement Saturday, January 16.

He has been a State Trooper since joining the West Branch Post in 1964. He served with the St. Ignace Post from 1966 until his retirement in December.