Foundations on Mackinac Island - Rocks and Faith

What is your reaction when you see a bulky door with crackling paint and rusted hinges? Or, a church with stones of various shapes and sizes forming walls that hold windows filled with intricate stained glass. Perhaps a stately house sporting uneven bricks surely cured by hands instead of those mass-produced.  What thoughts race through your mind?

What do you think is beyond this gate at right? Who lives there? And for how long? Is this house a new purchase or a family heirloom from the onset of Mackinac Island in the 19th century? Can you imagine all the little feet stepping into an enchanted courtyard? What games did they play over the years?

When I see an old building or other relic from the past, I stop. I cannot help myself. As I stand in awe, I first wonder at the people who turned the creaky handle and opened the thick door to pass through. How many over the years? What did they wear, eat, and how did they work? Did they believe in God? Serve Him? Did they marry? Have children and grandchildren? What prayers emanated from the pews? If the structures are historic, how many walked across the floors? Imagine all the people...

Here is a prime example at left. One glance and ten photos later I was still attempting to ascertain what this was and how it arrived in its present form.This conglomerate rests near the bay in Le Havre, France. Question-inducing to be sure. It appears at face-value to have multiple additions over time using varied styles and materials. Fodder for thought. Itching to go beyond the door, aren't you? Me too. Sadly, that wasn't an option. We will just have to wonder.

A similar sequence of events transpired as we passed the Little Stone Church on Mackinac Island. (Photo at right.) At the onset, I thought this was the only other church on the island aside from St. Anne's. Later as I researched, I learned there are a few other churches that called Mackinac home.

We visited Fort Michilimackinac the last two posts. If you missed the insider details, links are at the bottom. I shared that St. Anne's (built by the French) existed at the original fort (photo below left) and the latter constructed St. Ann's Church (built by the British) remains on Mackinac island (below right).

So how did faith make a way to an island, now home to 500 people and a tourist destination? Jesuit priests delivered Roman Catholicism to the Straits of Mackinac and in 1670, Father Jacques Marquette and his band of Huron landed on Mackinac Island. Though the poor soil discouraged the Huron, and they left a year later. After, Jesuits ministered within the palisade of Fort Michilimackinac beginning in 1715. As the British struggled to defend the fort, they transferred to Mackinac. Not only did they build a new fort, but dismantled and recreated Ste. Anne’s Church on the island. At that time, logs formed the walls, and the building sat along the shore. Eventually, Magdelaine Laframboise, a notable fur trader, donated land near her home. The church moved to its new location in 1820. In exchange of the land, Mme Laframboise asked to be buried under the altar. Father Henri Van Renterghem granted her request after she passed in 1846. There she remained until the church renovations of the 1990s. She was moved to the garden when the museum opened.

The oldest surviving church building in Michigan, known as Mission Church started in 1829. Missionaries Reverend William Ferry and wife, Amanda founded the Protestant church while serving the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mission,. To fulfill their calling, the couple sought to teach Native American children. With the decline of the fur trade, church attendance waned. The history of the building itself then featured private use, a meeting house, a substitute location for the Catholic church, among other purposes until Mackinac developed as a summer destination in the late 1800s. The restored building held services again in 1895. The State of Michigan assumed ownership in 1955. Now a State Park, from May through October, couples have the option to marry within this historic, New England style church.

In 1899 the Union Church Society formed the Union Congregational Church. In 1904 the construction of this adorable church consisted of assembling walls of fieldstone. If you read the first post on Castle Farms, you learned how farmers joked of the plethora of stones in Michigan. There are three ornate stained-glass windows that shed light on the history of Mackinac Island. From the fur trade to missionary William Ferry. Now an historic site, The Little Stone Church is a popular wedding destination. Visitors can tour the interior of the church and grounds in summer months.

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The final two churches on Mackinac are Trinity Episcopal Church and Mackinac Island Bible Church. Trinity Episcopal Church as a building was erected in 1882. Yet John O’Brien, an Episcopalian and Irishman, placed the cornerstone in 1842. In 1994, Mackinac Island Bible Church started. This church is unique as it is a church in name of the body, not in a building. The congregation meets at the Mission Point Resort in the theater.

An interesting point many sites offer is while the different congregations sought the same populations, which would seem to foster competition. Due to the nature of the geography, the denominations worked together. Case in point, multiple denominations worshipped inside the Little Stone Church.

For an island with 3.8 square miles in total area, it is home to many churches. Though, consider where we live. On the main street outside my neighborhood, I can count three churches. There are even more in the near vicinity. Are there numerous churches where you live? Are any of them over 350 years old?

If you missed the prior posts on Fort Michilimackinac you can find them here: Unearthing the Past at Fort Michilimackinac and Sneaking Inside the Walls of Fort Michilimackinac.

Sources below if you would like to read a bit more about the Mackinac churches and their histories.
https://steannechurch.org/history/
https://www.mackinacparks.com/blog/historic-mission-church/
https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.14321/j.ctt7zt6cw
https://www.mackinacparks.com/mackinac-venue/historic-mission-church-wedding/
https://www.littlestonechurch.com/history.htm
https://www.mackinacisland.org/blog/post/churches-of-mackinac-island-350-years-of-historic-beauty/

As a child, Rebecca loved to write. She nurtured this skill as an educator and later as an editor for anonline magazine. Rebecca then joined the Cru Ministry - NBS2GO/Neighbor Bible Studies 2GO, at its inception. She serves as the YouVersion Content Creator, with over 130 Plans, in 44 languages on the Bible.com app.

Rebecca lives near the mountains with her husband and a rescued dog named Ranger. She is a proud mom of an American soldier and a college senior. If it were up to Rebecca, she would be traveling - right now. First up, trips to see their two grown sons. As a member of ACFW and FHLCW, she tackles the craft of fiction while learning from a host of generous writers.

Connect with Rebecca: Facebook Goodreads Instagram Pinterest X/Twitter

Living History at Fort Nisqually

Living history has a nice ring, doesn’t it? What exactly is living history? According to Dictionary.com, it is “any of various activities involving the re-enactment of historical events or the recreation of living conditions of the past.”

At Fort Nisqually on Puget Sound, these activities, events, and recreations enable visitors to experience what it was like as a resident in 1855. How neat is that? This living history museum features Heritage Skills Workshops where individuals can learn butchering/curing, leather working, cup or mug making, creating candlesticks or wall sconces, and basketry. The methods and tools used are representative of that period. Fort Nisqually also hosts camps and holiday events. In the fall, take a Candlelight Walking Tour, by candle and firelight. At Christmas there is a Regale. Imagine Christmas festivities from the end of the 19th century - parlor games, making ornaments, harvesting the Yule log, creating pomanders (oranges decorated with cloves), and a visit from Father Christmas.

Where is Fort Nisqually located? For reference, Puget Sound is a 95-mile-long estuary, the second largest in the United States. In the state of Washington and connecting to the Pacific Ocean, it flows past notable cities such as Seattle and Tacoma. It has an average depth of 450 feet! This waterway was the attraction for the location. The fort is in present day DuPont, WA.

Originally owned by the Hudson Bay Company, a British enterprise, the fort was a site for the fur trade since 1833. It was the first settlement with global access. Once the fur trade declined, another income avenue was necessary – commerce. The Puget Sound Agricultural Company (PSAC) had 160,000 acres to grow crops and raise livestock from 1839 – 1869. The time that current visitors witness, 1855, was an era where American settlements surrounded the British of this site. The year 1869 is when Britain left the territory and the remaining manager, Edward Huggins took it over as his homestead.

How does it exist today? The Works Progress Administration (WPA) recreated the fort in the 1930s on this site. There are two original buildings, the Factor’s House (1855) and the Granary (1850). Visitors can view 20 locations allowing insight into daily life during those times. The kitchen, wash house, root cellar, smoke house, necessary, kitchen garden, poultry house, laborer’s dwelling, bastion (photo above), and store are a few of the sites. A self-guided tour is possible using a free downloadable or printed guide. However, history comes to life with demonstrations, tours by docents in costume, and events.

Granary featured above. Produce and grain stored here. It is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. The first of the original buildings on site.

Factor House parlor featured above left and parents' bedroom above right. This is the second original building at the fort. Examples of furniture, linens, dishes, decorations, tools, games, clothing, and more allow us to peek into many aspects of their days. 

In case you haven't visited a similar site before, you might wonder at points in the fort that have different functions than those of today. You may know that kitchens were separate from the house to prevent fires and root cellars stored food. The kitchen garden supported the settlement, with vegetables and fruit they would eat to be self-sufficient. There were field crops and orchards outside the palisade walls. The poultry house held chickens, ducks, and geese. 

The Laborer's dwelling was interesting. There was a side for bachelors with bunks and quarters for families. The parents shared their beds with children, or the young used mats on the floor. At left is a representation of a room that a laboring family would share. Notice the basics covered in one room, sleep, dress, cook, eat, and more. The Large Store held imported supplies and storage of those that would be shipped for sale. There was also a Sale Shop with imported goods for purchase. See images below.

Ever wonder at the creation of men's felt top hats? The beaver pelt at left is the raw material. After a lengthy process, the felt hat emerges. As a site for the fur trade. This was once a huge commodity.

One of the reasons I enjoy historical fiction is reading stories that show everyday life in varying times. How did they dress, eat, or gather? What objects or tools existed to enable them to function? This living history site offers visual representations that help garner appreciation and understanding. Have you visited an historical site with a window into the past?

As a child, Rebecca loved to write. She nurtured this skill as an educator and later as an editor for an online magazine. Rebecca then joined the Cru Ministry - NBS2GO/Neighbor Bible Studies 2GO, at its inception. She serves as the YouVersion Content Creator, with over 125 Plans, in 44 languages on the Bible.com app.

Rebecca lives near the mountains with her husband and a rescued dog named Ranger. She is a proud mom of a soldier. If it were up to Rebecca, she would be traveling - right now. First up, trips to see their two grown sons. As a member of ACFW and FHLCW, she tackles the craft of fiction while learning from a host of generous writers. Connect with Rebecca: Facebook Goodreads Instagram Pinterest X/Twitter

Still Rockin' at Castle Farms

At the end of the last post, Rockin’ at Castle Farms, we left off with John VanHaver. He was the second owner of Castle Farms and an artisan in the 1960s. VanHaver worked with what remained of the dilapidated buildings on the farm. He converted the horse barn to use for metal working. To give a measure of protection from fire, he removed the beams from the hay loft. Notice the vertical rectangular slots in the stonework at the top of the stone walls in the photo at left (with the later restored roof). This is where the beams rested to support the structure and the original loft. Without the loft in place, he was able to use this building with a forge to create his works of art. On other sites he hosted art shows and workshops.

The property changed hands again to an individual that used the location to host rock concerts from the 1970s through the early 1990s. At this time, little remained of the original buildings. What did exist was in poor shape. The concerts were held in the open area that now leads to the formal garden, portrayed in the header photo at the top of this post. There were exterior walls left on the horse and cow barns (at sides in the same photo above) that served as barriers. From the Beach Boys to John Denver, Alabama to Amy Grant, crowds of up to 20,000 rocked the grounds to listen to musicians among the ruins.

                

The owner built apartment on site so that he could remain on the weekend. He did not live there. He only stayed for concert nights so he did not have to drive. Why? US 31, the road at the entrance to the property, featured parked cars where people partied on the highway. Circulation was impassable. As you can imagine, the towns people were not fond of this proprietor. In the end, he did not pay his taxes. His estate lost the property.

During much of the time when the third owner held the farm, the current owner Linda Mueller and her family visited often. At one time, they hoped to purchase the property. Alas, the price was too steep. Later, it went up for auction. Richard Mueller, Linda's husband, owned forty-five Dominos franchises at the time. Richard sold enough Dominos franchises to buy the property for around $300,000 in 2001. Then the long road of renovations commenced. While the major retrofits and building ended in 2005, they do add and improve on the regular. Richard, along with his investors, one being his friend Tom Monaghan, the founder of Dominos, poured at least nineteen million into the property to date. You read that correctly, nineteen million dollars. While the current site hosts around 200 weddings a year, this revenue helps but does not cover that cost.

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There are seven locations for weddings on the grounds. Multiple ceremonies can be held in one day. The highest number of weddings in one weekend was thirteen!

Historic guided tours, entrance tickets, school and local group events also provide income. If you notice the capital letters on plaques in the photo at left below, these are part of the scavenger hunt for children’s programs. Another attraction for the young and old is the train exhibit. These tracks remain during the winter. Everything else is removed and brought into storage. In the spring, train engines with brushes run to clean and clear the track. How neat is that?

It is evident in every direction that Linda does not maintain this property with the sole hope of profit. Her love for the history, buildings, and property flow into every aspect. She is known to tend the gardens herself. Unafraid of hard work, she can often be seen digging in the soil or designing a new facet to the parcel. 

Built in 1918, this treasure thrives 106 years later. A part is owed to the visions of Albert Loeb who first acquired the land and foremost to Linda and her family whose dream long ago became the happily ever after visitors enjoy today.

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A sincere thank you to our tour guide, Betsy. She holds a wealth of

knowledge that she shared in stories and personal experience. Betsy made our adventure at Castle Farms much richer than if we would have strolled the grounds alone. We recommend the tour for sure. Would you like to see Castle Farms? 

As a child, Rebecca loved to write. She nurtured this skill as an educator and later as an editor for an online magazine. Rebecca then joined the Cru Ministry - NBS2GO/Neighbor Bible Studies 2GO, at its inception. She serves as the YouVersion Content Creator, with over 125 Plans, in 44 languages on the Bible.com app.

Rebecca lives near the mountains with her husband and a rescued dog named Ranger. She is a proud mom of a soldier. If it were up to Rebecca, she would be traveling - right now. First up, trips to see their two grown sons. As a member of ACFW and FHLCW, she tackles the craft of fiction while learning from a host of generous writers. Connect with Rebecca: Facebook Goodreads Instagram Pinterest X/Twitter

Pingree's Potato Patches

By Tiffany Amber Stockton

Last month, I shared about the "Old West manners." If you missed that post, you can read it here: http://www.hhhistory.com/2017/08/old-west-manners-book-giveaway.html.

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Pingree's Potato Patches

This month, I'm going back to highlight one of my older books from a 3-book series set in historical Detroit during the Industrial Revolution. The effects of this boom in industry took a little longer to reach the ranches and undeveloped wide, open land of the West, but they weren't without their needs that the industry offered. The general stores of those western towns relied on the railroad industry as well as the major cities and the production of items the trains brought to them so they could sell the treasures to folks living nearby.

As I researched details for book 2 in this series (entitled Hearts and Harvest released in September 2009), I came across newsworthy events such as the Pullman Strike in Chicago in the summer of 1894 which about shut down all transportation west of that city. You can bet the western towns felt the effects when they couldn't get their standard shipments of goods and materials because the trains weren't running.

Another major component of this recent book is spotlighting the Pingree Potato Patches which were established following the economic recession that occurred in 1893. Overinvestment in railroad development led to widespread bank failures and the eventual closing up shop of several prominent business or industries. Places such as cookstove companies, railcar industries and shoe factories all had to close their doors when they could no longer afford to stay open.

The major cities were hit the hardest, but once the effects trickled outward toward the western territories or states, the folks living in those towns suffered as well. Mayor Pingree of Detroit was the first man to settle on public works as a means of recovering from the financial crisis. Instead of allowing those who suffered to be left to their own devices, the mayor sought out donations of land from investors who had purchased the plots, hoping for a rise in value. The land was then converted into vegetable farms, with potatoes being the prime crop grown. Those who worked the plots would be able to feed their families and provide the surplus to the city to replenish the stores and help rebuild the economy.

The idea held widespread appeal, and soon other cities both in the US and Europe adopted similar plans to help dig themselves out of the financial pits. The recession and potato farming lasted until 1896, but as early as 1894, produce again could be shipped all around the country and folks were ready to face the dawning a new century.

And that's not all. Despite some of the rough-and-tumble sorts who frequented saloons or seemed to populate those typical western towns, there also existed a more genteel lot. And many of them had begun in the major cities before moving west. Many of them even maintained their annual trips back to the big cities like Detroit on their way to places like Mackinac Island and the Grand Hotel between the upper and lower Michigan peninsulas. The resort island was a hot spot for the high-society folks who wore bustles instead of spurs as their everyday clothing. :)

Today (with the lack of automobiles and transportation being limited to horses, carriages, bicycles or on foot), the island represents a harkening back to a simpler time....much the same way westerns take us back to the age of westward expansion and the pioneering souls who helped pave the way to the world in which we live today.

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:

* What would YOU do if you all of a sudden found yourself with nothing after having lived an affluent lifestyle?

* Would you be willing to give up land for those who had lost everything and see those same people farm on that land? Would you be willing to work alongside them?

* What vacations does YOUR family take or what traditions do you have that you do each year?

* What is 1 fascinating fact about today's post which caught your eye today?

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BIO

Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having a very active imagination and cited with talking entirely too much. Today, she has honed those childhood skills to become an author and speaker who works in the anti-aging, health & wellness, and personal development industry, helping others become their best from the inside out.

She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, in Colorado. They have one girl and one boy, and a Retriever mix named Roxie. She has sold twenty (21) books so far and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.

1913 Italian Hall Massacre

At the turn of the century, the most prosperous copper mines in the world were in the Keweenaw Peninsula in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Many of these were owned by the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company of Chicago (C&H), and from 1871 through 1880, the mines produced more than half of the United States’ copper.

Raw Copper

At the peak of production, the mines employed approximately 15,000 miners. Working conditions were poor, at best, and deadly, at worst. Due to the long hours, dangerous condition, and low pay, the Western Federation of Miners Union (W.F.M.) established a local office in the area in the year 1908. Though because miners were under the constant threat of C&H thugs, it wasn't until 1913 that the W.F.M. had a large enough membership to effectively strike.

During the strike of 1913, many of the miners and their families lived in the Calumet/Red Jacket area. Times were tough. The striking workers didn’t receive benefits during the strike, and the people’s finances suffered along with the optimism of the workers.

Dangerous, one-man mining

Many knew Christmas would be lean that year and wanted something to raise the holiday spirits of the town folks. A Christmas party, sponsored by the Ladies Auxiliary of the Western Federation of Miners, was planned. The ladies meant for the gathering to boost the morale of the striking workers, and the festivities were more than just a time of fellowship, but also an attempt to bring the people together and encourage one another to fight the good fight.

On Christmas Eve, 1913, on the second floor of the Italian Hall in Calumet Michigan, over four-hundred striking workers and their families gathered together. Wives huddled in groups at the food and beverage table trading recipes with one another and bragging on children. Husbands gathered in small groups and spoke of the hard times of the past and the better times to come. Children ran from one side of the hall to the other, chasing each other until they could no longer catch their breath or a parent waggled a finger in their direction as a sign to slow down. The mood remained light and festive and the people bonded in camaraderie. 

  

The Italian Hall, Calumet, MI

Until someone shouted, “fire!”.

Suddenly, horror ensued. Poorly-marked fire escapes on one side of the building and precarious, emergency-ladders located at the back of the building, which could be only be reached by climbing through the windows, left mothers and fathers frantic to get their children to safety as quickly as possible.

So, everyone—all four-hundred terrified people—panicked and ran for the narrow staircase leading outside. Little did they know the exterior doors wouldn’t open. The party goers packed tighter and tighter into the stairwell, crushing those who were first to enter.

Though highly debated, it’s been reported that the doors opened inward, but other reliable reports and supporting photos suggest that the exterior doors opened outward and were bolted from the outside by the ruffians attempting to get workers back in the mines.
  

Funeral march for those who perished

The true heartbreak of the false alarm is the deaths of 73 people. This number includes 59 children who tragically lost their lives on Christmas Eve, 1913.

In the first of several investigations into the disaster, the coroner’s inquest forced witnesses who did not speak English to answer their questions in English without an interpreter. After only three days, the coroner issued a ruling that stated no cause of death.

Then in early 1914, the United States’ House of Representatives arrived in Copper Country to probe the strike and the Italian Hall disaster. This time, twenty witnesses testified with the proper interpreters and under oath.

Eight of the twenty witnesses swore that the man who cried "fire" wore a “Citizens' Alliance” (a mine owner’s group) button on his coat.
  

Italian Hall Memorial

No one was ever prosecuted nor were any indictments made. The Italian Hall was demolished in 1984. Today, only the archway to the old hall remains.

This horrific story seems to be founded on greed and power, and those who perished should never be forgotten.

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Award winning author, Michele Morris’s love for historical fiction began when she first read Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House book series. She grew up riding horses and spending her free time in the woods of mid-Michigan. Married to her high school sweetheart, they are living happily-ever-after with their six children, three in-loves, and seven grandchildren in Florida, the sunshine state. Michele loves to hear from readers on Facebook, Twitter, and through the group blog, Heroes, Heroines, and History at HHHistory.com