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September's Subject of the Month
Michigan Road Trip
Credit: Mackinac Island in the Fall. (2022). Mackinacisland.org.
Selector: Marty Wilder
“The best sky was in Italy or Spain and in Northern Michigan in the fall”
- Ernest Hemingway
Interactive Guide
Books in Print
Backroads of Michigan by Publication Date: 2006Backroads of Michigan is a celebration of our states beauty, guiding you on scenic Backroads of Michigan is a celebration of our states beauty, guiding you on scenic drives and adventures through nearly every corner of the Great Lake State's routes that take you to the most scenic natural areas and sites that capture the state’s colorful history. Whether your planning a day trip, weekend getaway, or a relaxing vacation, Backroads of Michigan leads you deep into the soul of the state. And the glorious color photography and historic images are a prize for armchair tourists or dreamers as well!
Country Roads of Michigan by Publication Date: 1998Exploring drives, day trips, and weekend excursions across Michigan.
Geology and Landscape of Michigan's Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and Vicinity by Publication Date: 2012Michigan's Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore was established in 1966 to preserve one of the most exquisite freshwater coastal landscapes in North America. Located between Munising and Grand Marais on Lake Superior, the rugged coastline is anchored by the Pictured Rocks cliffs soaring sandstone fortresses awash with natural pink, green, and brown pigments. In Geology and Landscape of Michigan's Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and Vicinity, William L. Blewett synthesizes published and unpublished information on the park's geologic history and combines it with vivid color photographs, detailed maps, and diagrams of the area.
Hollowed GroundPublication Date: 2010In Hollowed Ground, author Larry Lankton tells the story of two copper industries on Lake Superior - native copper and copper sulfide mining. In addition to documenting companies and their mines, mills, and smelters, Hollowed Ground is also a community study. It examines the region's population and ethnic mix, which was a direct result of the mining industry, and the companies' paternalistic involvement in community building. Hollowed Ground presents a wealth of images from Upper Michigan's mining towns, reflecting a century and a half of unique community and industrial history. Local historians, industrial historians, and anyone interested in the history of Michigan's Upper Peninsula will appreciate this informative volume.
Lost Detroit by Publication Date: 2010Lost Detroit tells the stories behind 12 of the city's most beautiful, all-but-forgotten landmarks and of the people behind them, from the day they opened to the day they closed. While these buildings might stand as ghosts of the past today, their stories live on within these pages. As Detroit Free Press Architecture Critic John Gallagher said, the buildings in these pages held a central place in the story of Detroit's Auto Century. It was America's story, too. Detroiters lived, loved, toiled, played, celebrated and dreamed great dreams in these buildings and thereby helped shape a nation."
Of Woods and Water by Publication Date: 2008Celebrated photographers Ron Leonetti and Christopher Jordan explore the diversity of Michigan landscapes in their latest collection of photographs. Of Woods and Water conveys the natural allure and hidden treasures that exist in Michigan--scattered, isolated, and generally small in size, their protection and preservation are paramount. At present, these beautiful landscapes thrive, untouched by the urban sprawl that sweeps our country's land, but a greater awareness for and involvement in the preservation of our threatened natural communities are greatly needed. This shared love of nature and the unexpected gifts the state has to offer guided Leonetti and Jordan in producing a splendid body of work that captures the spirit of Michigan's untamed beauty.
The Road Guide to Sleeping Bear Dunes by Publication Date: 1998A Guide book for Michigan sand dunes: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Hiking maps, swimming beaches, scenic drives are all described in this handy reference to the dune country.
Sixties Sandstorm by Publication Date: 2001Sixties Sandstorm is not a book about dunes as much as it is a book about people and their government. It chronicles the public meetings, bills, protests, and congressional interactions that led to the signing of the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes Act in 1970. The Dunes park fight is a case study of the politics, the legislative process, citizen response to the expanded role of government in the 1960s, and the rise of the environmental movement in America during that decade.
Upper Peninsula Destinations
- Historical Guide to Copper HarborMichigan’s northernmost town of Copper Harbor is a beautiful destination that is well-known for its outdoor recreation, small town charm, and incredible views of Lake Superior. Not only is it a great place to unplug and unwind, but it is also a historically significant destination in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
- Isle Royale National Park
Surrounded by Lake Superior, Isle Royale National Park encompasses 850 square miles of natural wilderness, spacious lands, and aquatic life. A cool climate, crystal-clear waters, and the wild North Woods forest characterize Isle Royale National Park. The park encompasses a total area of 850 square miles including submerged lands which extend over four miles out into Lake Superior, and 99% of the land mass is federally designated wilderness. The archipelago is composed of numerous parallel ridges, the result of ancient lava flows which were tilted and glaciated.
Aaron, Peterson. Kayaking shoreline of Isle Royale National Park. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/travel/best-uncrowded-national-parks-5a65e80a. - Hungarian Falls Nature CenterA prized rustic recreational spot located in the heart of the Keweenaw, Hungarian Falls is one of the most visited destinations for both tourists and local residents. A series of impressive waterfalls cascade down the steep gorge before draining into Torch Lake near the small town of Tamarack City. Mixed hardwood forests fill the valley, with towering white pine, dense hemlocks, maple, oak, birch, and other native species providing shade in summer and beautiful hikes in the autumn. A series of trails meander their way up both sides of the gorge, allowing hikers an almost unlimited number of viewpoints from which to enjoy the waterfalls’ scenic beauty. The Keweenaw Fault, a billion-year-old geological feature, is exposed at the uppermost falls and provides insight into the history of how the Keweenaw landscape was formed long ago.
- Lake of the CloudsLake of the Clouds, located in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park of Michigan, is a mesmerizing mountain lake surrounded by lush forests and dramatic cliffs, providing visitors with a breathtaking vista that truly lives up to its name and offers a serene escape into nature’s splendor.
- Soo Locks
Affectionately called the “Linchpin of the Great Lakes” by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Soo Locks are a remarkable feat of engineering and human ingenuity that connect Lakes Superior and Huron. The locks operate by raising and lowering boats between the levels of Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes using a series of gates and chambers. Water and boats are moved solely by the force of gravity. The Soo Locks date back to the mid-1800s and are a popular tourist destination, attracting an estimated 500,000 visitors annually.
Michelle, LaLonde. Ship on the Soo Locks. - Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum
The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum has become one of Michigan’s most popular destinations in the cultural tourism industry, attracting nearly 100,000 visitors each season. Museum patrons learn about the perils of maritime transport on the Great Lakes at the Whitefish Point Light Station, an historic site on the National Register of Historic Places. We are also home of the Whitefish Point Light Tower, which has been in continuous operation since 1861, making it the oldest operating lighthouse on Lake Superior.
Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. https://www.awesomemitten.com/great-lakes-shipwreck-museum/. - Keweenaw Dark Sky Park
The Keweenaw Dark Sky Park is located at the top of the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan. The park was designated by the IDA in June 2022 as an International Dark Sky Park.
Thomas, Oliver. Gratiot River Aurora Glow. Dark Sky. https://darksky.org/places/keweenaw-michigan-dark-sky-park/. - Tahquamenon Falls State ParkThe centerpiece of Tahquamenon Falls State Park's nearly 50,000 acres is the Tahquamenon River with its waterfalls viewable from multiple accessible overlooks.
- Kitch-iti-Kipi (The Big Spring)
If you’re looking for a breathtaking side trip on your journey through the Central Upper Peninsula, you can’t skip over Kitch-iti-kipi or the “Big Spring” in Palms Book State Park. Nicknamed the “Mirror of Heaven'' by the Ojibwe, this must-see, year-round site reflects its surroundings on crystal-clear waters.
Quin, everchanginghorizon. Upper Peninsular of Michigan, Kitch-iti-kipi. https://www.instagram.com/p/B_JexVgAtNi/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Podcasts
eBooks
A Field Guide to the Natural Communities of Michigan by Publication Date: 2014The culmination of three decades of work by Michigan Natural Features Inventory ecologists, this essential guidebook to the natural communities of Michigan introduces the diverse terrain of a unique state. Small enough to carry in a backpack, this field guide provides a system for dividing the complex natural landscape of Michigan into easily understood and describable components called natural communities.
Imagining the Forest by Publication Date: 2011Forests have always been more than just their trees. The forests in Michigan played a role in the American cultural imagination from the beginnings of European settlement in the early nineteenth century to the present. Our relationships with those forests have been shaped by the cultural attitudes of the times, and people have invested in them, both moral and spiritual meanings. Author John Knott draws upon such works as Simon Schama's Landscape and Memory and Robert Pogue Harrison's Forests: The Shadow of Civilization in exploring ways in which our relationships with forests have been shaped, using Michigan---its history of settlement, popular literature, and forest management controversies---as an exemplary case.
Lighthouses of Eastern Michigan by Publication Date: 2013From the Straits of Mackinac to the Detroit River, Images of America: Lighthouses of Eastern Michigan reveals intriguing stories of lighthouses and the people who depended on them. Readers will enjoy discovering what happened when a large ship fell 20 feet over one of the Soo Locks and the captain commented, "Good-bye Old World," as well as of a persistent ghost that caused havoc with the Coast Guard. Which lighthouse was a construction miracle in 1874? And whatever happened to the lost lighthouses of the Detroit River? A collection of the mysteries, storms, fires, and heroics surrounding the lighthouses of eastern Michigan are waiting within.
Minong by Publication Date: 2012Minong (the Ojibwe name for Isle Royale) is the search for the history of the Ojibwe people's relationship with this unique island in the midst of Lake Superior. Cochrane has assembled a narrative of a people, an island, and a way of life that transcends borders, governments, documentation, and tidy categories. His account reveals an authentic 'history': the missing details, contradictions, deviations from the conventions of historical narrative--the living entity at the intersection of documentation by those long dead and the narratives of those still living in the area. Significantly, it also documents how non-natives symbolically and legally appropriated Isle Royale by presenting it to fellow non-natives as an island that was uninhabited and unused.
Natural Wonders of Michigan by Publication Date: 1999Learn about nature throughout the state of Michigan, with tips on hiking, camping, fishing, and more.
Wright Sites by Publication Date: 2017A comprehensive guide to Frank Lloyd Wright-designed buildings open to the public--revised and updated. Features 74 sites you can visit of America's best-known architect of the 20th century -- Frank Lloyd Wright's groundbreaking designs, innovative construction techniques, and inviting interiors continue to astound and inspire generations of architects and nonarchitects alike. Wright Sites describes the design ideas and history behind each of Wright's buildings that are open to the public in the United States and four sites in Japan. Includes suggested destination itineraries for Wright road trips, a list of archives, and a selected bibliography.
Videos
Lower Peninsula Destinations
- Sleeping Bear Dunes
Miles of sand beach, bluffs that tower 450’ above Lake Michigan, lush forests, clear inland lakes, unique flora and fauna make up the natural world of Sleeping Bear Dunes. Sand Dunes: Michigan, Sleeping Bear, At sleeping bear point on the west shore of lake MI near Traverse city.
Walter P. Reuther Library, Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, Wayne State University. https://wayne.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/vmc/id/19724/rec/8. - Frank Lloyd Wright Sites
Michigan boasts a unique collection of architectural gems designed by the renowned Frank Lloyd Wright. From the sprawling summer retreat of the Gale Summer Cottage to the Prairie masterpiece of the Meyer May House in Grand Rapids, Wright’s imprint on the state’s landscape is undeniable.
Smith House by James Haefner. Provided by the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy. https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2024/08/06/how-to-see-8-frank-lloyd-wright-designed-homes-in-michigan/74658609007/. - Tunnel of TreesA 20-mile drive through numerous cities, highlighting the beauty of the fall colors in Michigan.
- Air ZooKalamazoo Air Zoo features more than 100 rare and historic air and space artifacts, amusement park-style rides, Full-Motion Flight Simulators, newly renovated Quonset hut-style Missions Theater, as well as historical exhibits and educational activities.
- Detroit Zoo
Operated by the nonprofit Detroit Zoological Society, the Detroit Zoo is one of Michigan’s largest paid family attractions, hosting 1.3 million guests annually. More than 2,000 animals of more than 200 species call the Zoo’s 125 acres home.
Parks: Detroit Zoo, aviary (old), exterior & interior views of bird house. Walter P. Reuther Library, Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, Wayne State University. https://wayne.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/vmc/id/39764/rec/12. - Michigan Central StationWelcome to Michigan Central, a first-of-its-kind ecosystem combining Detroit’s rich history and its commitment to shaping the future of transportation worldwide to form a global hub for mobility innovation.
- Frankenmuth Oktoberfest FestivalSeptember 19-22 Come and join us for our 34th traditional Oktoberfest
- Detroit Harvestfest - Food Truck RallyFeaturing 50+ food trucks, four music stages and fun Harvest Fest Activities for the whole family. Taking place on October 5th & 6th on the Dequindre Cut Greenway from 11am-8pm.
- Meijer GardensImmerse yourself in one of the world’s finest horticultural display gardens and sculpture parks in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Proudly ranked among the most-visited art museums worldwide and named the Best Sculpture Park in the United States by readers of USA Today in 2023 & 2024, our collection showcases over 200 captivating sculptures, inviting you to experience the perfect blend of art and nature.