By 1907, Simeon Snyder (fifth from left) had changed his hotel's name from Snyder House to Central Hotel. It stood on the corner of State Street and what is now called Goudreau Street in St. Ignace. Years before, there had been another hotel under the same name. The Snyder family continued running the Central Hotel after Mr. Snyder's death in 1917 until 1925, when the hotel closed. It stood idle until 1939, when it was razed, along with Mr. Snyder's home and another building, to make room for the St. Ignace City Hall. (Photograph courtesy of St. Ignace Public Library) 90 Years Ago

The St. Ignace News

Thursday, June 20, 1918

The twenty-first annual commencement exercises of the Ursuline Academy were held in the academy auditorium Monday evening. The graduates, Bernice LaRocque, Catheryn Kolar, and Olive Edgar, delivered their numbers to a crowd that taxed the seating capacity of the hall.

Jas. E. Quinlan, county director of U.S. Boys work, is in receipt of a communication from Federal Director Chas. Parcels, in which he says that farmers needing the help of boys during the summer can have their wants supplied if they apply at once to the county director, as there are several boys in the peninsula enrolled for whom places have not as yet been provided. Mr. Quinlan says there are 75 boys in Mackinac County, but places for all have been provided and there is none of this class of labor available here.

Dr. Sellers of Manistique was in St. Ignace Wednesday on a political mission looking the local field over for a candidate acceptable to the "drys" for representative in the state legislature.

While rapid progress is being made on the country road between St. Ignace and the Snows (Les Cheneaux), auto owners are warned that there are several rods through the swamp which is not yet suitable for travel. This stretch is all that remains to put the road in good shape, and the contractors are hustling the work as fast as possible, but it will be ten days or two weeks before it is finished and should not be traveled over at present.

The Lotus made her first trip to the Snows last Saturday, June 15th, and is now on the run regularly.

Both the Lakeside and Islington hotels have a few guests, although they do not open regularly as early as this.

Mrs. E.D. McBain has put a very neat post office outfit in the Lakeside hotel office, which is Coryell post office. Many of the cottagers in this vicinity get their mail at this office besides the other usual conveniences.

50 Years Ago

The Republican-News

& St. Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, June 19, 1958

Mr. and Mrs. Ray Walker Jr., who were cruising in their power boat in the bay last Saturday, were pressed into service by police officials to rescue a girl drifting out into Lake Huron on a raft. Pamela Marriman, 15, was aboard a raft off Evergreen Shores which drifted out into the lake.

Clarence Eby, developer of such tourist attractions as Castle Rock, Indian Village, and Curio Fair, has purchased the Million $ View cabins and land overlooking the golf course and Straits of Mackinac.

Opening with perhaps the only observance of the Scandinavian pole-raising ceremony in this nation at Brevort next Sunday afternoon, the approaching week will provide a galaxy of highlights climaxed on Saturday by the dedication of the Mackinac Bridge and supplemented by the historic presentation on June 29 of the re-enactment of the landing in 1671 of Pere Jacques Marquette.

Another new business has started in the Les Cheneaux area. Russell Alto, a resident of Cedarville and en employee of Port Dolomite of Michigan Limestone, has started an antique shop 3.5 miles east of Cedarville.

35 Years Ago

The Republican-News

& St. Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, June 21, 1973

Game Warden W.R. McDonald, when questioned about the many reports of bears being seen in the area of the W-US 2 Shell Station and as close to town as the church area on top of Convent Hill, said that to the best of his knowledge there has only been one bear sighted and it is believed to be a yearling.

Senator Robert Davis, addressing more than 100 area residents at a fundraising dinner at the Shores Restaurant last Saturday evening, happily announced that the $350,000 for the Straits State Park, which had been dropped from the Parks 1973-74 Capital Outlay Request, has been readmitted to the budget via substitute Senate Bill 130, and that while he is not absolutely positive at this time that the money will be appropriated, he is "98% sure of it" and hopes to see construction begin next year.

15 Years Ago

The St. Ignace News

Thursday, June 17, 1993

Forty-six seniors were graduated at LaSalle High School's 102nd commencement ceremony June 11.

A proposal to close a portion of Boulevard Drive near St. Ignace ran into strong opposition at a June 10 public meeting in the Moran Township hall. About 50 area residents packed the hall, most of them clearly opposed to closing of the lakeside drive.

The U.S. Coast Guard's Marine Inspection Division for a broad area of northern Michigan, a fixture in St. Ignace for about 50 years, has moved to Sault Ste. Marie.

Eighty-five members and guests attended special rites dedicating the newly renovated sanctuary of Redeemer Lutheran Church in DeTour Village recently, celebrating the revival of the 104-year-old building.

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 sent or dropped off at The St. Ignace News.