The End of the Road in Michigan

For nearly 100 years, the Hotel Ojibway has stood as one of Michigan's most recognizable historic hotels. Overlooking the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, it welcomed tourists, business leaders, politicians, and Great Lakes travelers during the golden age of railroads and automobile tourism.In this episode of The End of the Road in Michigan Podcast, we trace the hotel's story from its grand opening in 1927 through the Great Depression, World War II, and decades of change in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. You'll meet longtime owners Leon and Beatrice Deglman, learn why former Governor Chase S. Osborn helped bring the hotel to life, and hear how the Soo Locks transformed Sault Ste. Marie into one of North America's most important transportation hubs.We'll also separate documented history from local legend as we examine the enduring story of Room 616, where many believe the spirit of Beatrice Deglman still watches over the hotel. Is it history, folklore, or simply one of Michigan's favorite ghost stories?Join us as we uncover the luxury, the legends, and the lasting legacy of the Hotel Ojibway—one of the Upper Peninsula's most fascinating landmarks.The End of the Road in Michigan Podcast brings you the people, places, history, and legends that make Michigan unique—one story at a time.The End of the Road in Michigan is a production of Thumbwind Publications

The Pere Marquette docks in Arcadia, Michigan, once connected a small Lake Michigan village to a much larger world. In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we follow the story of the harbor, railroad and steamship network that helped shape Arcadia during the late 1800s and early 1900s.Through rare historic postcards and local history, we examine how the Pere Marquette Railroad, the Arcadia & Betsey River Railway and Great Lakes steamers worked together to move lumber, freight, passengers and manufactured goods through this busy harbor. What began as a lumber town grew into a transportation hub where trains met ships and local products reached markets across the Great Lakes region.You'll learn about Henry Starke's role in building Arcadia, the creation of the channel connecting Bar Lake to Lake Michigan, the rise of the Starke Land & Lumber Company, the devastating 1906 sawmill fire and the town's transition into furniture manufacturing. We also look at the steamers that regularly called at Arcadia's docks and the people whose daily lives revolved around the waterfront.This episode offers a fascinating look at a forgotten chapter of Michigan transportation history and reveals how one small harbor played an important role in the economic growth of Northwest Michigan.If you enjoy stories about Michigan history, Great Lakes shipping, railroads, steamships, lumber towns and vintage postcards, be sure to follow End of the Road in Michigan for more journeys into the state's past.#MichiganHistory #ArcadiaMichigan #PereMarquette #GreatLakesHistory #RailroadHistoryThe End of the Road in Michigan is a production of Thumbwind Publications

Hillman, Michigan, began as Brush Creek, a small settlement shaped by timber, water, farm trade and the Thunder Bay River. In this episode of Michigan Moments, we follow Hillman from its early days as a Montmorency County center to its years as a railroad stop, hotel town, farm market and Lake Avalon resort community.The story includes State Street, Louis Davidson’s Department Store, the Winona Hotel, the Hillman depot, local elevators, Cronk’s service station, early automobiles, hunting clubs and the cottage culture that grew around Brush Lake, later known as Lake Avalon.One of Hillman’s most surprising turns came when the Detroit & Mackinac Railway reached the village after the old pine boom had already faded in much of the region. The train gave Hillman a boost, but the town’s future came from something broader: farms, stores, roads, lake visitors and a main street that kept coming back after fire and change.This episode is for listeners interested in Hillman history, Montmorency County, Northern Lower Michigan, vintage Michigan towns, logging-era communities, small-town railroads and early Michigan resort life.The End of the Road in Michigan is a production of Thumbwind Publications

In this episode of The End of the Road in Michigan, we tell the bizarre true story of the House of David — a celibate, vegetarian religious commune in Benton Harbor that ran one of the most successful amusement parks in the Midwest. With long beards, a world-famous baseball team, miniature trains, and half a million visitors a year, they built an empire on joy and faith.Then came scandal, a public trial, and a slow collapse.How did a strict religious sect end up with a beer garden, a zoo, and nightly dance parties? And what finally brought it all down?The End of the Road in Michigan is a production of Thumbwind PublicationsThis episode includes AI-generated content.

Long before Farmington became a suburb, it was a stopping point on one of Michigan’s most important roads. This episode traces Farmington’s story from the late 1800s through the early 20th century, when Grand River Avenue carried farmers, rail traffic, interurban cars, and travelers moving between Detroit and the interior of the state.Using historic descriptions and first-hand accounts, we look at the hotels, mills, churches, schools, and power plants that shaped daily life between 1890 and 1940. This was a town built around movement—goods coming in, people passing through, and a community adjusting to modern life one decade at a time.Grand River Tales is a reminder that some of Michigan’s most important stories unfolded not at the destination, but along the road itself.The End of the Road in Michigan is a production of Thumbwind PublicationsThis episode includes AI-generated content.

In 1763, the Great Lakes erupted in rebellion. The war between Britain and France had ended, but peace never reached the frontier. When British officers replaced French traders at forts like Detroit and Michilimackinac, Indigenous nations faced an empire that dismissed their alliances and restricted their trade.The result was a sweeping uprising led by an Odawa war chief named Pontiac — a conflict that reshaped both Michigan and North America. This ten-minute episode of End of the Road in Michigan takes listeners to the forests and rivers where Pontiac’s alliance struck back against British control. From the five-month siege of Detroit to the daring lacrosse ruse that captured Fort Michilimackinac, the story reveals how the Indigenous nations of the Great Lakes forced the world’s most powerful army to change course.This episode explores the war’s origins in Neolin’s spiritual movement, the shocking use of smallpox as a weapon at Fort Pitt, and the human cost that rippled across the frontier. It ends with the Royal Proclamation of 1763 — Britain’s attempt to contain the unrest by recognizing Native land rights west of the Appalachians. Pontiac’s War – The Fire That Swept the Great Lakes is more than a story of rebellion; it’s a story of resilience, diplomacy, and the enduring will of the Great Lakes nations to protect their homelands. Key segments include:The Delaware Prophet Neolin and the vision that inspired unity.Pontiac’s council near Detroit and the start of the 1763 siege.The capture of Fort Michilimackinac through a staged lacrosse game.The British counterattack at the Battle of Bushy Run.The Royal Proclamation of 1763 and its impact on Michigan.The legacy of Pontiac’s leadership and the enduring lessons of the uprising.The End of the Road in Michigan is a production of Thumbwind PublicationsThis episode includes AI-generated content.

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 from their hands. Spikehorn became both a beloved folk hero and a thorn in the side of state conservation officers, proudly displaying a sign that read, “Feed Conservation Officers to the Bears.” In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we revisit the life of Spikehorn Meyers, his colorful partnership with “Chief Red Eagle,” and the unforgettable stories of the Bear Den. It’s a tale of showmanship, danger, humor, and the unique roadside history that shaped small towns across Michigan.The End of the Road in Michigan is a production of Thumbwind Publications

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: the rise, the innovation, and the strife that shaped the Quincy Mine and the community around it.Listen now and step back into a world where copper was king—and the cost of progress was paid in human lives.#QuincyMine #MichiganHistory #CopperCountry #EndOfTheRoadInMichiganThe End of the Road in Michigan is a production of Thumbwind Publications