This postcard shows the 288-foot Sainte Marie, which ferried 18 rail cars across the Straits of Mackinac from 1893 until a newer rail ferry by the same name was put into service in 1913. The first Sainte Marie, which had a steel clad oak hull, had four stacks, while the later version, and the larger Chief Wawatam, had two. The original 2,700 horsepower engines in the first vessel were removed and installed in the new Sainte Marie, which was only 250.8 feet long. A man can be seen standing on the ice almost directly below the pilot house. (Photograph provided by Bonnie Stuart of Horton) 90 YEARS AGO

The St. Ignace News

Thursday, January 9, 1919

Colonel Theodore Roosevelt died in his sleep early Monday at his home on Sagamore Hill in Oyster Bay. It was first announced that death was believed to be caused by rheumatism, which affected the heart, but later, one of Colonel Roosevelt's physicians stated that death was due to pulmonary embolism or lodgment in the lung of a clot from a broken vein. Death, it was said, came painlessly while he slept.

C.W. Gustafson is proudly displaying to friends a German helmet which was taken from a Hun officer by his son, Pvt. Edwin Gustafson, and which was received here last week. The helmet gives evidence of having seen hard usage and it is not unlikely that Edwin was forced to use the butt of his gun on the officer before the latter succumbed.

Mackinac County should profit largely within the next few years by the exodus of cattle and sheep men from the south and west to Cloverland. Entire ranch outfits are to be moved to upper Wisconsin and Michigan to a section known as Cloverland, according to plans being worked out by southwestern cattlemen.

The government is asking for bids for carrying the mail between St. Ignace and the Island and Mackinaw City. It is likely that power boat owners may put in bids for the work.

Sheriff Benjamin spent Thursday on the Island.

The Islander is again on the mail route to St. Ignace and the Island.

Wheat will remain at war prices. The government will buy all of the 1919 crop and sell it at the world prices, whatever they may be.

50 YEARS AGO

The Republican-News

& St. Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, January 8, 1959

Highway Commissioner John Mackie has scheduled the project of the by-pass of St. Ignace to be let in 1959. The 3.5-mile by-pass will cost an estimated $1,300,000 and is designed for completion in 1960.

Mackinac county's board of supervisors, in their January session this week, learned from the Michigan Department of Conservation that lack of funds is delaying work on the Pte. aux Chenes wildfowl refuge project.

Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Carson perished, Mrs. Raymond Cody was critically burned, and property loss amounted to $9,400 as the result of fires here during the past year, according to the annual report of Fire Chief Leonard St. Louis, which was read to the [St. Ignace] city council Monday evening.

First fish shanty on the bay ice was placed by Glenn Arnold for a few hours Tuesday afternoon. Arnold removed the shanty before dark because the bay ice had not really set in solidly.

Jerry Mahoney, who started last summer the construction of a new garage and auto dealership headquarters on US-2, west of St. Ignace, has now opened for business.

Last Monday was the first working day in the past 30 years that the T.A. Taylor trucking service did not handle freight for the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co.

The heat wave in Les Cheneaux has subsided and temperatures have dipped to sub-zero readings. Monday morning, the thermometers were reading around 25 below zero. Cars and trucks were seen being towed to get a start and some people had to depend upon their neighbors for a ride to work.

Mr. and Mrs. Louis Yellen were hosts to a group of customers and friends at Danny's Bar on Saturday evening.

Chuck Blanck, the Moran sheep ranch owner, and Jimmy Brown, are trying to barter for a good dog team to use on their long trek into the great Canadian wilds up around the Great Slave Lake territory.

Kayron Tamlyn was named Monday night to promote the annual Lions-Kiwanis cribbage and steak fry at Dr. Shaftoe's Brevort Lake cottage.

Jim Lasley of St. Ignace is among the 10 top scorers in the new Huron-Straits basketball conference, with 26 points and an average of 13.0.

35 YEARS AGO

The Republican-News

& St. Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, January 10, 1974

In the last six months, the St. Ignace Ranger District of the Hiawatha National Forest has issued 101 free fuelwood permits to local residents for home use. The total volume given away was over 640 standard cords, which approximates 1,800 fuelwood cords. This is three times the volume normally given away in an entire year. Some of this increase is due to a recent change in regulations regarding those eligible to receive the free permits; however, it is mostly due to the energy crisis.

The energy crisis, particularly as it affects the price of gasoline and the ban on Sunday sales, has had a negative effect on Mackinac Bridge crossings and revenues during December.

Sofie's Tavern, located on the Pine River and M-134, burned to the ground Sunday, January 6. The tavern was owned by Anthony Klimas of Grand Rapids and was operated by his son, Ronald.

Mary K. Shoberg began her duties January 1, 1947, for Michigan State University as 4-H Program assistant for Mackinac County. Miss Shoberg was raised in Cedarville.

Among the forty-three members of Northern Michigan University Wildcats' football team named to receive varsity grid awards is Ed Lester, freshman quarterback for the Wildcats, and former St. Ignace Saints football star.

A two-hour chase and capture of a ten-pound bobcat in downtown St. Ignace occurred Thursday evening. The chase began when Robert Therrian and Tony Grondin spotted a bobcat at the Therrian residence on Fitch Street. With the help of Joe Prout, it was captured and placed in a cage to be returned to the woods.

15 YEARS AGO

The St. Ignace News

Thursday, January 13, 1994

Mackinac Straits has passed a follow-up state inspection, apparently in time to avoid being disqualified from Medicare benefits.

A Quinnesec man was killed Tuesday night, January 4, when the car he was driving to return to University of Michigan collided with two semi-trailer trucks on US- 2 in Moran Township.

Mackinac County will begin selling bonds this month to pay for the $2.4-million, 39-bed addition to Mackinac Straits Hospital Long Term Care Unit, the county commissioners decided January 11.

Just a few days ago, there was open water between St. Ignace and Mackinac Island. Tuesday, January 11, however, four intrepid Mackinac Island men came across the ice on their snowmobiles. Randy Bazinaw, Frank Doud, Matt Bazinaw, and Brett Horn left Humbard Hill, Mackinac Island, at about 9:30 a.m. and arrived at the State Street Bar & Grill, St. Ignace, an hour later.

Senior Willy Beach scored 25 points and grabbed 20 rebounds to lead Mackinaw City over Harbor Light Christian 60-57 in a Great Northern Conference- Northern Lakes Division basketball game Friday, January 7.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The St. Ignace News is seeking original prints or reprints of old photographs depicting areas in the Eastern Upper Peninsula to e 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.