In the years before the Civil War, the Underground Railroad was key to helping slaves find their freedom. This railroad was a network of roads and homes that slaves used to reach northern states and Canada. Michigan was a key state in this route, especially for slaves coming up from Kentucky. Before the 1850s, if escaped slaves
Though pirates are criminals, usually quite brutal and violent, their lives are often studied, esteemed, and shown as an exciting lifestyle in many stories and Hollywood movies, from Captain Hook in Once Upon a Time to Captain Jack Sparrow. Many of the well-known pirates sailed tropical seas, but the Great Lakes has had their fair share of
Beaver Island is the third largest island in Michigan and has been a popular vacation tourist destination since the 1860s. It is well known for its beautiful beaches, awesome forests, recreational harbors and its isolation from the mainland. In addition to this, did you know that it has a colorful and unique history? This is especially true
It’s spring, and that means getting out and playing sports. While looking around at all the active ball fields, I can’t help but think of the classic line, “There’s no crying in baseball.” Many people know the quote. It comes from the timeless 1992 movie, A League of Their Own and tells the story of the All-American
The year was 1841, and the United States faced another possible threat from Great Britain, the same nation from whom it had won freedom only 65 years ago, and who tried again to retake it 28 years prior. In August of this year, Congress appropriated hundreds of dollars to build a chain of forts from the East
The Spanish American War is likely the least-known war in American history, and it’s no surprise, considering the fact that it didn’t even last a year. Needless to say, it did happen, starting in April of 1898 and Michigan led the way in many aspects of the war. In the 1890s, Cuba was under the rule of
