On September 8, 1860, the sidewheel steamer Lady Elgin collided with the schooner Augusta off Winnetka, Illinois, sending more than 300 passengers into the frigid waters of Lake Michigan. While the disaster became one of the deadliest shipwrecks in Great Lakes history, much of the blame focused on the Augusta. Branded reckless, cursed, and unlucky, the schooner soon earned a reputation as a pariah of the inland seas. This episode of End of the Road in Michigan traces the tangled story of the Aug...
Aug 18, 2025•7 min•Season 5Ep. 78
The Bear Man of Harrison, Michigan In the 1930s and 1940s, motorists driving through Harrison, Michigan, often stopped at a roadside attraction unlike any other: Spikehorn Meyers’ Bear Den. Here, an eccentric old woodsman dressed in buckskin invited families to feed, pet, and even shake hands with live black bears. For nearly three decades, John “Spikehorn” Meyer turned his rustic camp into a legendary stop along US-27. Visitors gasped as bears sipped soda from glass bottles and nibbled popcorn ...
Aug 16, 2025•9 min•Season 5Ep. 77
In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we journey to Beaver Island — the largest island in Lake Michigan and the only place in America that once had a king. From 1848 to 1856, James Jesse Strang ruled here as a self-proclaimed monarch, building roads, homes, and a newspaper before his dramatic assassination at the St. James docks. We explore the Irish fishing community that reclaimed the island, the rise and fall of its Great Lakes fishing dominance, and the daring rescues of lighthouse...
Aug 15, 2025•12 min•Season 5Ep. 76
In the early 1900s, Hancock’s Quincy Mine —nicknamed Old Reliable—was one of America’s most productive copper mines. It reached over a mile underground, ran the world’s largest steam hoist, and fueled Michigan’s Copper Country economy for decades. But the work was grueling, the hours long, and tensions boiled over in the 1913 strike—culminating in the Italian Hall disaster, one of the darkest days in Michigan’s labor history. In this End of the Road in Michigan episode, we uncover the full story...
Aug 12, 2025•8 min•Season 5Ep. 75
In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan , we take you back to the early 1900s, when Saugatuck transformed from a quiet lumber town into a vibrant summer retreat for Chicago’s city dwellers. You’ll hear how steamships, interurban trains, and hand-cranked ferries brought thousands to this lakeshore village. We revisit the days of the Big Pavilion , where electric lights lit up the harbor and music echoed across the water, and follow vacationers over Mt. Baldhead to the soft sands of Oval Be...
Aug 06, 2025•7 min•Season 5Ep. 74
This episode traces North Adams , a Hillsdale County village that grew up along the rails and wired itself for the future. We open with the town’s most retold story—blacksmith Henry Taylor , a former slave who became a respected tradesman and was said to carry his anvil and once walk off with a potbelly stove. From there, we move down Main Street to Maccabee Hall, Barden’s Hotel, and C. J. Knapp’s store, then over to the 1912 Municipal Lighting Plant that brought electric light to homes and stor...
Aug 06, 2025•6 min•Season 5Ep. 73
At the far eastern tip of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula lies De Tour Village, where the St. Marys River meets Lake Huron. In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we trace De Tour’s history from its earliest Native American encampments and French voyageurs to the bustling lumber era of the late 1800s. We revisit the days when the harbor was crowded with freighters, the winters when ships froze in place, and the arrival of summer tourists drawn to nearby Caribou Lake resorts. Through maritime...
Aug 06, 2025•6 min•Season 5Ep. 72
The History of Tower, Michigan (1900–1950) In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we travel to Cheboygan County to tell the story of Tower, a northern Michigan village built on timber and the railroad. At the turn of the 20th century, Tower was a booming lumber town — home to busy sawmills, the Stratton Handle Factory, and a thriving Main Street lined with shops, hotels, and saloons. But Tower’s fortunes changed quickly. In 1911, a massive wildfire destroyed much of its industry and inf...
Aug 06, 2025•6 min•Season 5Ep. 71
On September 5, 1881, Michigan’s Thumb was engulfed by one of the deadliest forest fires in state history. In this gripping episode of The End of the Road in Michigan, we recount the devastating story of the 1881 Parisville Fire , which destroyed 446 buildings and claimed 22 lives in a single afternoon. Through vivid storytelling and eyewitness accounts, we explore how this small Polish immigrant community faced total destruction—and how a handful of mysterious "miracles" gave them hope amid the...
May 01, 2025•9 min•Season 5Ep. 70
Before the freeways, before commercial flights, lake steamers were the gateway to the Midwest. In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we chart the rise and fall of the Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company—one of the Great Lakes' most iconic passenger lines. From grand vessels like the City of Detroit III and Greater Detroit, to the six-day cruises connecting Detroit, Cleveland, and Put-in-Bay, the D&C Line helped shape the travel culture of an industrializing Michigan. With lu...
Apr 29, 2025•5 min•Season 5Ep. 69
In 1911, the tiny farming town of Tyre, Michigan, was rocked by a string of mysterious deaths in the Sparling family. Over the course of two years, four men from the same household died of sudden, agonizing illnesses. At first, it seemed like a tragedy. Then suspicion. And finally, murder. In this episode, we unravel the haunting story of “ The Dying Sparlings ”—a tale of poison, scandal, and a courtroom drama that captured the attention of a state. Was it the family doctor? The grieving mother?...
Apr 25, 2025•24 min•Season 5Ep. 68
In January 1911, two young brothers vanished into the frozen waters of Lake Huron. What followed was one of the most daring rescue efforts in Great Lakes history. With ice closing in and time running out, a life-saving crew from Harbor Beach set out on a 40-mile journey by sleigh to bring them home. This episode of End of the Road in Michigan tells the true story of grit, community, and survival during one of Michigan’s coldest winters. 🔹 Bite-size pieces of Michigan history you likely never he...
Apr 23, 2025•8 min•Season 5Ep. 67
Pontiac’s War: Fire on the Frontier, Peace in the Shadows In 1763, as British flags replaced French ones across the Great Lakes, the First Peoples of Michigan faced a new empire—one that dismissed their diplomacy, severed their trade, and threatened their way of life. Led by Odawa war chief Pontiac and inspired by the spiritual teachings of Neolin, tribes from across the region united in a massive resistance campaign. This episode traces the dramatic siege of Fort Detroit, the harrowing use of s...
Apr 21, 2025•9 min•Season 5Ep. 66
Beneath the waters of Lake Huron lies one of the oldest known hunting grounds in North America. In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we explore the discovery of the Alpena-Amberley Ridge—a submerged prehistoric land bridge once used by Ice Age hunters to track caribou. Archaeologists uncovered stone structures over 9,000 years old, reshaping our understanding of ancient life in the Great Lakes. We also examine the Indigenous stories that may align with this site’s hidden history. Read...
Apr 20, 2025•7 min•Season 5Ep. 65
The Sinking of the Lady Elgin – Milwaukee’s Night of Mourning In this emotional 10-minute episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we recount the 1860 wreck of the Lady Elgin—a luxury steamer torn apart in a midnight collision that killed nearly 300 people. Through survivor accounts, newspaper reports, and haunting details, this story explores how an entire city mourned, how bravery shone in the darkness, and why the disaster still resonates today. Read more about this tragedy at The 1860 Lady El...
Apr 17, 2025•6 min•Season 5Ep. 64
What do you do when your town dies? If you're William Carter and William McCoy in 1880s Michigan, you move your hotel — building and all — to where the action is. In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we trace the 140-year life of a single building that started in Port Crescent, found new life in Kinde, and reinvented itself as the Grand Central Hotel, Clancy’s, and finally the Wagon Wheel Inn. It’s a story of sawdust, railroads, Friday fish fries, and the long arc of small-town histor...
Apr 16, 2025•7 min•Season 5Ep. 63
In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we uncover the remarkable 1838 journey of 15-year-old Edward Petit , the first European child born in Port Huron. As a teenage fur trader fluent in Ojibwe, Petit set out to locate a lost winter camp led by the elusive Chief O-ta-was . Braving freezing rain, hunger, and vast wilderness along the shores of Saginaw Bay, he completed one of the most successful trades in Michigan's early frontier history. This story sheds light on the human side of earl...
Apr 13, 2025•7 min•Season 5Ep. 62
Step aboard the grand steamers that once ruled the Great Lakes. In this episode, we trace the story of the Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company — from its 19th-century founding to its peak as a fleet of luxurious passenger ships and, finally, to its quiet demise in the postwar era. You’ll hear about moonlit voyages, the majestic City of Detroit III, legendary designer Frank E. Kirby, wartime conversions, and the final season marked by tragedy. A compelling look at the transportation networ...
Apr 12, 2025•16 min•Season 5Ep. 61
Explore the rise, golden era, and trials of Bay Port, Michigan’s Gillingham Fish Company – once the world’s largest freshwater fishery – in this documentary-style narrative. Discover how this Saginaw Bay fishing empire expanded to Charity Island, endured a devastating fire and economic decline, and lives on today through the Bay Port Fish Company. We also examine modern threats to this 140-year fishing legacy, from climate change to proposed conservation laws. Read the full story at R. L. Gillin...
Apr 11, 2025•7 min•Season 5Ep. 60
Explore Michigan’s shipbuilding legacy from 19th-century schooners to Great Lakes freighters. Learn how towns like St. Clair and Port Huron became shipbuilding hubs in “Schooners and Steam” on The End of the Road in Michigan podcast.
Apr 10, 2025•5 min•Season 5Ep. 59
Explore the rise and fall of New River, Michigan, on "End of the Road in Michigan." Discover how this once-thriving lumber and salt production village emerged in the mid-19th century, only to vanish as industries declined. Uncover the stories of early settlers, industrial endeavors, and the economic shifts that led to the disappearance of this remarkable hamlet.
Apr 09, 2025•4 min•Season 5Ep. 58
In this episode of The End of the Road in Michigan, we investigate the tragic 1907 sinking of the fishing tug Searchlight , which vanished during a Lake Huron storm just outside Harbor Beach . With six men aboard and no survivors, this story includes first-hand reports, a haunting message in a bottle, and new historical context from local archives. Discover how a sudden gale changed the fate of one small tug—and the community it left behind. Topics include Great Lakes fishing history, the Harbor...
Apr 08, 2025•16 min•Season 5Ep. 57
Join us on "End of the Road in Michigan" as we explore the inspiring story of Captain Aaron Peer and Grindstone City . Discover how a remote shoreline community in Michigan’s Thumb region became a global leader in grindstone production, shaping industries worldwide. Learn about the resilience, innovation, and communal spirit that transformed a harsh wilderness into a thriving hub of industry and culture. Read the whole story at Captain Aaron Peer Founded Grindstone City In 1834 And Began a New I...
Apr 07, 2025•6 min•Season 5Ep. 56
Explore the fascinating life and enduring legacy of Douglass Houghton, Michigan’s pioneering geologist, whose groundbreaking discoveries initiated the Michigan Copper Rush and transformed the Upper Peninsula forever. This detailed narrative reveals Houghton’s adventurous explorations, impactful civic contributions as Detroit’s mayor, and his tragic demise on Lake Superior. Join us to celebrate this remarkable historical figure whose relentless curiosity and dedication shaped Michigan’s history....
Apr 06, 2025•9 min•Season 5Ep. 55
In 1679, a wooden ship named The Griffon sailed into Lake Michigan—and vanished without a trace. Built by French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, the Griffon was the first European-style ship to sail the upper Great Lakes. She was loaded with furs and promise... but she never came back. In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we explore one of the oldest mysteries in North America. We trace the Griffon’s journey, the legends surrounding her disappearance, and the many fa...
Apr 06, 2025•7 min•Season 5Ep. 54
In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we follow fur trader Louis Campau as he builds the first permanent white settlement in the Saginaw Valley in 1815. From his log trading post on the Saginaw River, Campau traded with the Anishinaabe and helped shape the future of Michigan. His post became the site of the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw, a deal that ceded over 6 million acres of Native land to the United States. Learn how one man, one building, and one treaty helped launch the city of Saginaw...
Apr 05, 2025•6 min•Season 5Ep. 53
For more than 50 years, a mysterious glowing light has appeared in the remote woods near Paulding, Michigan—captivating curious visitors, spawning ghost stories, and defying simple explanation. Known as the Paulding Light, it’s been called everything from a spectral railroad lantern to an optical illusion caused by distant headlights. In this episode, we travel deep into the Upper Peninsula to uncover the truth behind one of Michigan’s most persistent legends. We explore the folklore, the scienc...
Apr 05, 2025•7 min•Season 5Ep. 52
In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we uncover the quiet collapse of Port Crescent, a once-promising Thumb Coast lumber town left behind when Washington said no. In 1886, the people of Port Crescent pleaded for help dredging the silt-choked Pinepog River—a final hope to revive their struggling economy after decades of logging and devastating wildfires. Lieutenant Colonel Orlando M. Poe, a respected U.S. Army engineer and Civil War veteran, was sent to investigate. His report didn’t j...
Apr 02, 2025•8 min•Season 5Ep. 51
In 1962, a group of college students met at a union retreat in Port Huron, Michigan —and wrote a document that changed political activism in America. Known as the Port Huron Statement, it became the foundation of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and launched the New Left movement of the 1960s. In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we tell the story of how one summer retreat on Lake Huron gave rise to a nationwide call for participatory democracy, student protest, and generat...
Apr 01, 2025•5 min•Season 5Ep. 50
In 1966, Michigan came dangerously close to a nuclear catastrophe—just 30 miles from downtown Detroit. A failed cooling system at the Fermi 1 fast breeder reacto r caused a partial meltdown, releasing radiation and sparking a cover-up that lasted years. Engineers blamed a loose piece of metal—described as “the size of a beer can”—for the failure. In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we uncover the chilling truth behind America’s first commercial nuclear accident, how close we came to ...
Mar 31, 2025•7 min•Season 5Ep. 49
