Fayette Historic State Park, Garden MI

Walk the overlook hike to view this historic town from above that existed from 1867-1891 as a large iron smelting operation owned by the Jackson Iron Company. With this location close to the mining in the Upper Peninsula, the ore could be smelted into pig iron before being shipped further south to the steel producing cities.

When the area hardwoods were used up as fuel and the iron market declined, the company was closed and the up to 500 people moved away. In 1959, the State of Michigan acquired the site and turned it into a State Park.

Laborer's Alley houses were all destroyed and a replica was built to represent the worker's homes. They had a great view but under terrible conditions.

The State has been restoring this great hotel.

The furnace complex.

The limestone cliffs.

Take a look back at some upper peninsula history by walking through this well preserved ghost town.

Anatomy of a Murder, Big Bay MI ~ October 2023

Visiting historic sites is always a treat and Big Bay, Michigan, has a lot to offer for movie buffs. The Lumberjack Tavern was the site of a murder in 1952. The Defense Attorney, John D. Voelker (pen name Robert Traver), later wrote a book about it that became a bestseller and in 1959, Otto Preminger directed the now classic movie. It was filmed in Marquette County and starred Jimmy Stewart, Ben Gazzara, George C. Scott, and Lee Remick with music by Duke Ellington.  On our recent trip to the Upper Peninsula, we visited several of the movie sites for "Anatomy of a Murder."

The tavern was closed and appears to be for sale. And it's been murder free since 1952 😉

Steve Rybizki kindly shared these five interior photos he had taken:

Most of the tavern filming, however, took place in nearby Thunder Bay Inn.

The structure was built in 1909 as a company store but Henry Ford bought the building in 1944 and converted it into an inn. The restaurant on the side of the inn was built for the movie and it continues to operate today.

Besides being filled with movie memorabilia the restaurant plays the movie continuously on a TV.

The historic Thunder Bay Inn is a great stop for any fans of the movie but also has its own charm, along with good food and service.

The last scene of the movie takes place in Perkins Park and this is also the trailer park where the defendant and his wife lived.

Back in Marquette, we found the Marquette County Courthouse where all of the courtroom scenes were filmed.

If you haven't seen the movie, it comes highly recommended, as does visiting the U.P.!