Looking Back
Compiled by Ryan Schlehuber

A small crowd gathers on Fort Street, in front of Fort Mackinac, to check out the latest technology in snow plowing during the winter of 1942.

115 Years Ago

December 13, 1890 to January 31, 1891

There is a great deal of talk about cars that will carry passengers at the rate of a hundred miles or more an hour. Some folks undertake to say that this can never be done with safety, as the speed is too great for any possible track to support the cars. But supposing it can be done, how is the train to be stopped? That would seem to be the most difficult problem to work out.

Michigan is now taking care of 3,200 insane people, and it is some satisfaction to know that the percent of us getting crazy is as small as any state in the Union.

Stellwagen & Kynoch are making two 80-barrel and one 20-barrel galvanized iron tanks for a Grand Rapids party for use on Mackinac Island. They will have them ready for delivery by the time the ice road to the Island is safe.

Wm. P. Preston, of the Island, makes an excellent Sergeant at Arms. So says Speaker Waehtel.

Two men crossed the ice from the Island Tuesday.

Reports from Mackinac Island state that there will be at least three more marriages in that burg before lent. Will mention names later.

The ice between St. Ignace and the Island is perfectly safe.

The steamer Charles West , of Mackinac Island, is having a new cabin put on at Duncan Robertson’s yard, Grand Haven. Johnston Brothers, of the same place, are repairing her boilers, and Bloecker & Co. are building a new cylinder for her engine.

90 Years Ago

December 13, 1915 to January 27, 1916

James Cable is home from the Howe Military Academy in Howe, Indiana. Small boys found James quite an attraction in his military attire. His father, Caulde C. Cable, who has been visiting his son Gail, in Wenatchee, Washington, met James at Howe and they returned together, arriving Sunday morning.

Michael Doud, the ever popular general passenger agent of Arnold Transit Co., will spend the winter months in the south as usual. Instead of making his headquarters at Havana, Cuba, however, he will make them at Jacksonville, Florida, as traveling passenger agent for the P&O Steamship Co. and Cuban railways.

The heirs of the late Michael Cudahy, of Chicago, turned over to the Sisters of the Holy Name, the spacious $100,000 residence of the dead millionaire in Pasadena, California.

Present at the Mackinac Island Council December 22, 1915 were Mayor Wm. P. Preston, Aldermen McIntyre, Truscott, Pfeiffelman, Cable; absent were Aldermen Bogan and McCarty.

Mr. and Mrs. McNally and the Misses Mary and Helen Donnelly attended the funeral of the late Patrick Murray at St. Ignace Friday.

50 Years Ago

December 15 to December 29, 1955

Helen Ann Wellington and Kathleen Francis, who went to Detroit Monday for their physicals for the Waves, have passed their examination and the girls will report for induction early in January.

The Mackinac Island Medical Board received a pledge this week from the Mackinac Island Carriage Tours, Inc. of $1,000 for the new medical center. Contributions have been coming in for the medical building. John Bloswick has some very interesting prints for the new building and the medical board appreciates the response that is being shown for the much needed building.

The students of Thomas Ferry School will present their Christmas play Monday, December 19, at 8 p.m. at Community Hall.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert St. Onge are receiving congratulations on the birth of twins, a daughter and a son, Thursday, December 15.

35 Years Ago

December 17, 1970 to January 28, 1971

Dr. Eugene Petersen, of Lansing, is spending the weekend at Fort Mackinac dealing with the problems of the snowmobilers.

Wesley Maurer of Ann Arbor spent Tuesday at the Island, distributing the Christmas issue of The Mackinac Island Town Crier.

The Mackinac Island Snowmobile Club had their first safari December 20 with a picnic at British Landing. Thirty machines joined the group, and toured the outside drive of the Island. The club will announce their next event soon.

The Mackinac Island Public School resumed sessions Monday noon, January 4, with Superintendent William Kreiger, who spent the vacation time at his Island home.

Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Green are the proud parents of a daughter born January 20 at the Mackinac Island Medical Center, Kathy Jean.

As one of the most traveled streets on the Island during the summers, Market Street is fast becoming the most traveled snowmobile road for the winter time.

Snow continues to fall and a moderate temperature, only two months until spring, then there will be no more worries about which road the snowmobiles can travel.

The first team and dray to cross the ice bridge for the winter of 1970-71 are Victor Beaune and Phil Caereau of Mackinac Island. The crossing was made Monday, January 25. Stephen and Joseph Visnaw of the Island were the first to make the crossing on foot this year and beat last year’s time by one day when they walked across in two hours on Monday afternoon, January 18. They had first attempted it on snowmobiles but were forced to turn back when confronted with a large crack in the ice. The first snowmobile made the crossing January 20.

10 Years Ago

December 16, 1995, to February 16, 1996

Action by the Michigan Waterways Commission to privatize Mackinac Island’s marina this year and to divert $1.1 million from the marina expansion project were halted Wednesday, December 13, by Michigan Attorney General Frank Kelly, who, by a letter to acting DNR Director Michael Moore, said the Waterways Commission never had authority to commercialize the marina on Mackinac Island, which was transferred from the Mackinac Island State Park Commission in 1960.

Once the site of Little Bob’s, construction continues on the new Yankee Rebel Tavern on Astor Street which will open in 1996, under the management of Steve and Patti Ann Moskwa.

Mackinac Island Development Company was granted tentative zoning approval to replace the Pond House at Stonecliffe with a new building that will contain a restaurant and lounge, hotel rooms, and meeting space. The application was made by company officer George Staffan.

Family and friends filled the Community Hall to celebrate the 75th birthday of Dennis Brodeur. Longtime friend, Hilt Fraser, of Sarnia, serenaded Dennis with the singing of his favorite ballads. The two-man band known as the “Beans,” from Charlevoix, played some lively dance music and soon the floor filled up with happy couples enjoying the big bash of the season.

Governor John Engler declared a state of emergency for the Sault Ste. Marie area after more than 60 inches of snow fell within a 15-mile radius of the city during a heavy storm that persisted for four days.