History

52 years ago today: Tornado ripped through Riverton, Eden townships

April 12, 2024

Today’s winds are reported to be gusting about 39 mph. But, 52 years ago today, about 10:30 p.m., on Wednesday, April 12, 1972, the winds were much stronger as a tornado ripped through Riverton and Eden townships. The Mason County Press was a weekly newspaper that published on Wednesdays, so it was an entire week before the next edition came…

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Exploring the old Manistee & Grand Rapids Railroad

April 3, 2024

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief Editor’s Note: On Saturday, June 1, the Mason County Historical Society will host Ghost Tour ’24: Trains, Towns, and Lumber Camps. This bus tour will explore the former Manistee & Grand Rapids Railroad along with ghost towns and former lumber camps that existed along the route. Click here to learn more. A special thanks to Mike…

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Historical Society to present Ghost Tour ’24: Trains, Towns, and Lumber Camps

April 3, 2024

On Saturday, June 1, the Mason County Historical Society will present a special bus tour exploring an abandoned railroad along with ghost towns and abandoned lumber camps of northeastern Mason County. In 1899, a group of lumber barons from Manistee and Ludington formed the Manistee & Grand Rapids Railroad. The standard gauge railroad ran from the City of Manistee, through…

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Scanning through history

January 12, 2024

Scanning through history By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief LUDINGTON — The Mason County Historical Society held its premiere Scanner Night event Thursday evening at its Mason County Research Center in downtown Ludington. The event was one of two evenings scheduled to give local residents a chance to digitize their historical documents and photographs. Participation was light, only one person showed up.…

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VIDEO: History: Scottville Clown Band Harvest Festival 1988

January 1, 2024

VIDEO: Scottville Clown Band Harvest Festival 1988 This History Spotlight is presented by the Mason County Historical Society in partnership with Mason County Press. Mason County Historical Society was founded in 1937. It operates three facilities/museums including the Mason County Research Center in downtown Ludington, the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum in Ludington and Historic White Pine Village in Pere…

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