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Arenac County
June 3, 1915 – Standish businessmen called for a road-building bee. Communities along the Lake Huron Shore Line roads were expected to take part. The same historical timeline noted that W.A. Forsyth and R.J. Burr were offering new Overland automobiles for $750, a reminder of how quickly roads and automobiles were changing Arenac County.
June 5, 1929 – A longtime railroad landmark at Alger began disappearing. The Michigan Central Railroad water tank and pumping station, which had stood at Alger since 1883, were being torn down. The tank dated back to the steam railroad era, when water stops were essential to moving freight, lumber and passengers through northern Michigan.
June 7, 1927 – Voters in Twining, Turner and Whittemore considered electric service for their communities. The proposal carried, and construction was expected to begin at once.
June 4, 2025 – Standish Township announced it had secured an agreement with the Bay County Water Department for the Whites Beach Water Project. Officials said the new route would connect at Shore and Lapan roads and reduce the total project cost by about $1.33 million.
Crawford County
June 2, 1922 – A 1.49-mile extension of M-93 at Camp Grayling, then part of the Hanson Military Reservation southwest of Grayling, was officially established as a state trunkline highway.
June 3, 2023 – The Wilderness Trail Fire began near Staley Lake in Grayling Township, southeast of Grayling. The fire burned about 2,400 acres, closed I-75 for much of the day and forced evacuations. Firefighters from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and local agencies later brought the fire under control. Officials said the fire was caused by a campfire on private property. It was declared fully contained June 6.
Iosco County
June 3-5, 2023 – The Oats Fire burned near River Road and Oates Road in Oscoda Township. Officials with the Huron-Manistee National Forests reported the fire at about 98 to 100 acres.
June 7, 2018 – PFAS foam was photographed at the Van Etten Creek dam in Oscoda Township near the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base. The image later became one of the recognizable examples of the long-running PFAS contamination issue in Iosco County.
Ogemaw County
June 1, 1888 – The Goodar Township board accepted Anna B. Frickleton’s petition to open a saloon in South Branch. Early deeds in the town had tried to prevent liquor sales on some lots, but township action later led to a liquor license being issued to Maurice McCasey. The move effectively ended early prohibition efforts in Goodar Township.
June 2, 2017 – An Ogemaw County couple won $4 million on a Michigan Lottery Max Money instant ticket. The Michigan Lottery reported that the win followed a ticket-buying mix-up after the man began buying tickets for his wife while she recovered from a broken leg.
Oscoda County
June 6, 1877 – The village of West Thompson, near the headwaters of the Au Gres River, was threatened by fire. Reports said pineries and farms along the Rifle River also suffered damage, and valuable pine land was destroyed.
June 7-9, 2024 – The Nor-East’r Music & Art Festival marked its 20th anniversary at the Oscoda County Fairgrounds, located at 1889 Caldwell Road, Mio. The festival has grown into one of Oscoda County’s best-known arts and music events, drawing musicians, families, campers and workshop leaders to the area.
Roscommon County
June 1, 1894 – Michigan’s Veterans Census listed Civil War-era veterans living in Roscommon County communities, including Denton, Gerrish, Higgins, Markey, Richfield, Roscommon and St. Helen-area townships. The Civil War generation remained part of local civic life nearly 30 years after the war ended.
June 1, 1909 – The Michelson post office opened in Lake Township. Michelson had begun as a railway station along the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad and later grew around the Michelson Lumber Co., which operated a shingle mill and sawmill near what is now the Dead Stream Flooding area.
June 1, 2019 – Roscommon County officials declared a local state of emergency because of flooding.
Editor’s Note:
Resources for This Week in Northeast Michigan History include: Arenac County Historical Society, Standish Depot history; Michigan DNR, WCMU; Huron-Manistee National Forests; AP, Michigan PFAS Response; Goodar Township history; Michigan Lottery; Genealogy Trails; The Cincinnati Daily Star; Nor-East’r/Local Spins; Genealogy Trails; 1894 Michigan Veterans Census; and the Roscommon County Sheriff’s office.
