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The history of Mackinac Island and the War of 1812 in the Northern part of what is now Michigan and Ontario is actually a trilogy of events that lead to the eventual British Victory in the North. In the 19th Century communication was a slow and dangerous journey for the couriers that carried messages from the larger posts in the south. This was both a help and a hindrance to the theatre in the north. Fort Mackinac was built by the British 1780 near the end of the American Revolution as the island fort better defended than the old French fort, Fort Michilimackinac, on theRead More →

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There’s nothing left of this fort which is a real shame, but if you consider where it was located, it really would make no sense to maintain a historic fort right in the middle of downtown Detroit, Michigan. But if you care to visit the former site, don’t let the name of the city scare you. Detroit as it stands today, shot from Windsor, Ontario For the most part, Fort Detroit has been known over its short life by three names. And while there’s nothing left the fortification was site to the first major engagement during the War of 1812. Initially established to hold theRead More →

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Remember the Tree from back from Week 5? Well, I said it would be back, and here it is! It’s not as dead as I first thought. While I originally planned on shooting it later that evening to get the same shot as I did before, but as I drove past it in the morning, the sun was casting through the branches; having the camera with me, I pulled over and got the shot made up just right. Sure many would frown upon shooting with the sun in front, but it gave me what I was looking for. Modified Anniversary Speed Graphic – Kodak EktarRead More →

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One of the first sights you see if you visit the picturesque Mackinac Island is white stone walls sitting high above the ferry docks. Fort Mackinac has a long history that covers much of the early days of French, British, and American history in the region. The island, set in the major trade route of the Straights of Mackinac that divide “The Mitt” from the “Upper Penisula” of Michigan traces it’s importance back well before the colonial history of the early 18th-Century. And while the military history of the island ended five years before the turn of the 20th-Century, today the fort remains one ofRead More →

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I never realized exactly how isolated Fort St. Joseph is, even from the main highway you’re still looking at around 30-45 minutes drive down to the south western corner of St. Joseph Island. And to make things all the better it was pouring rain the day I visited these distant ruins, at least the wonderful staff at the site were welcoming and very friendly, and probably happy that they even saw one other person. It’s no wonder that the 10th Royal Vets that were stationed here in the early 19th century turned to drink. The path from the visitors centre to the ruins of theRead More →

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Despite the title, this is not the famous Flanders Field. But instead, the iconic cemetery at St. Ignatius is a well-known spot for anyone who attends the Photostock event held nearby at the Birchwood Inn (Harbor Springs, MI). The Church, a Jesuit mission, was first built in 1741; a fire burned it down in the 1820s, but it was rebuilt in 1823; if you look close enough, you can see the steeple from the M-119 as you drive along it. Before taking this shot, I had visited the cemetery the night before to get a feel for the location, even going as far as toRead More →

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From 1645 to 1885, the red coat of the British Army was both feared and respected, this army of as General Sir Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, put it, the scum of the Earth, drilled and disciplined into one of the most effective fighting forces the world had seen, and helped Britain build an empire that spanned the globe. Week 25 is for my friend Col. Anne whom I met through Tumblr, and our mutual interest in Military history. Specifically the late 18th to early 19th century. The gentleman portrayed here is dressed in the 8th (King’s) Regiment of Foot uniform as they would’veRead More →

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Not a setback for me, oh no, the project keeps on trucking! The title comes from the subject, this beautiful Italianate farmhouse is set fairly fair back from the road and a house that I drive past every day going to and from work. Although the land around it has been slowly parcelled off over the years since it was built, thankfully this one, unlike many others in the area, was maintained and owned. Modified Anniversary Speed Graphic – Fuji Fujinon-W 1:5.6/125 – Kodak Tri-X Pan (320TXP) Meter: Pentax Spotmeter V 1/8″ – f/64 – ASA-320 Kodak HC-110 Dil. B 5:30 @ 20CRead More →

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I seem to have found yet another home away from home. Emmet county is up in the northern part of Michigan. I was first introduced to this beautiful part of the United States in 2012 at Photostock. Photostock, the brainchild of world-renowned photographer Bill Schwab is a gathering of photographers in his backyard. And in its early years, it was literally in his backyard, but by the time I started going, it had moved to the Birchwood Inn; this throw-back backwoods hotel would make you think you had stepped back into the 1960s. I have written about Photostock before, but this time it’s different. PhotostockRead More →

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Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon a great crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. – Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower D-Day: 6th of June, 1944 H-Hour: 06:30 Yes, you read that right; this year marks the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings, Operation Neptune. As I type this, I can feel the tears stinging my eyes. Operation Neptune was the code name given to the Normandy landings on the coast of France to push back the Nazis, dislodge them from the Atlantic wall, and take FortressRead More →