Charlevoix Historical Society

05/27/2026

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐇𝐒 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟎 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐢𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 — 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝 .

By this time of year, seniors everywhere feel the clock speeding up.

Fifty‑six years ago in late April, the Charlevoix High School Class of 1970 was already out the door on their whirlwind Senior Trip to Lansing — a story vividly captured in pages of the Courier newspaper.

Two days, a lot of miles, and a full itinerary: the Capitol steps with Senator Schweigert and Representative Davis, an overnight in Battle Creek, and factory floors at Kellogg’s and Oldsmobile — the kind of stops that made Michigan feel big when you were 18 and seeing it with the friends and classmates who filled your world.

A classic rite of passage captured in one indelible frame — on a day when bigger things were starting to enter the picture.

Remember this or another CHS Senior Trip? We’d love to hear it.

The photo: CHS Class of 1970, April 1970, with co-hosts Senator and acting Lt. Gov Thomas F. Schweigert ( R-Petoskey) and Rep. Robert Davis (R-St. Ignace) on the Michigan Capitol steps. The group was lead by class sponsor Max Novak and his wife; Harold DeYoung; Ted Heeres; and Mr. & Mrs. Dale Boss. Charlevoix Historical Society/Courier Archive.

05/25/2026

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗶𝘅'𝘀 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 – 𝟭𝟯𝟴 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀
𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗱 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘀.

If you’ve driven down Bridge Street these last few weeks, you’ve seen the banners celebrating the Class of 2026. They are the 139th graduating class since Charlevoix’s first in 1888. As these seniors look ahead, we’re looking back at the names and landmarks that shaped the generations of Rayders past.

𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 “𝗡𝗲𝘄” 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲

While Charlevoix’s school history stretches back to the 19th century, the era many older folks remember began with the building seen in a classic Ektachrome aerial view, taken by Bob Miles in 1965. It captures the "new" Junior-Senior High School along East Garfield Street and May Street in its early prime. When this campus opened its doors in September 1961, it represented more than a million-dollar investment in the future of our community. It was a symbol of a growing, modern Charlevoix.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗘𝗿𝗮: 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗻

Before the move south to E. Garfield Street and May Street, the heart of Charlevoix education was firmly downtown. For nearly sixty years, high schoolers hit the books and kept things lively at the McKinley Building, along W. Mason Street, near Grant Street. A landmark red-brick structure built in 1902, it stood immediately next to the Union School, which was home to the elementary grades.

By the late 1950s, the community had outgrown the McKinley site. The need for modern labs and expanded sports facilities for a growing student body became a necessity. Classes were held at the McKinley Building through the spring of 1961, with the new Garfield Street campus opening later that fall. The 1902 landmark was demolished soon after, marking the end of a nearly sixty-year chapter.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 "𝗥𝗮𝘆𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀"

While the buildings changed, the spirit of Charlevoix’s high schools were forged by the people inside them - students and educators alike. From 1928 to 1950, athletic coach Ray Kipke was a defining presence. His steady leadership and expectations for hard work and fair play shaped generations of students, and Charlevoix High School and its teams eventually took on the “Rayders” name in recognition of his influence. The dedication of Kipke Field in 1950 made the coach’s legacy a permanent part of the Charlevoix’s landscape, reminding us that a school's history is written as much by its people as its buildings.

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗼𝘄

Though Charlevoix's high school eventually moved to the Marion Center campus in 2002, the legacy of earlier buildings — from McKinley to the 1961 campus — remains central to the story of the Charlevoix Public Schools. Each generation of Rayders has added its own chapter, building on more than a century of shared halls, inspiring educators, and school spirit.

05/22/2026

Thank you to Michigan Activity Pass - MAP and MLive.com for the great spotlight on our Train Depot. We’re excited that a new exhibit is now in development for installation in 2026, funded by our recent America250MI grant. The exhibit will explore the Depot’s rise and how the arrival of the railroad opened the floodgates to a new era of tourism, replacing the earlier travel boom once driven by Great Lakes steamers. It will also incorporate the voices of Indigenous peoples of the area and their role in the railroad as well as its impact on them.

You can read more in our latest newsletter — and follow us on Facebook for ongoing updates.

https://chxhistory.com/newsletter/
Summer 2026

https://www.mlive.com/life/2026/05/this-treasured-train-depot-helped-transform-an-up-north-settlement-into-a-premier-resort-town.html

A new exhibit funded by an America250MI grant will tell the story.

05/21/2026

𝗔 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆

As Memorial Day weekend arrives and summer finally settles in over Charlevoix, it feels like the perfect time to celebrate one of our town’s most enduring traditions — ice cream.

Sure, today we each have our own local favorites. But this weekend, we’re taking a big step back in time to honor Charlevoix’s original ice‑cream culture — the one that started it all, and made downtown the place to be on warm summer nights.

Before modern shops came onto the scene, Charlevoix summers were powered by cones, sodas, and sundaes served up at old fashioned soda fountains. By the 1920s, Bridge Street was so packed on summer evenings that people spilled off the sidewalks and into the street — all waiting for something cold and delicious. Sound familiar?

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗹 𝗗𝗿𝘂𝗴𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 — 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗽 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽
Built in 1897 at the corner of Clinton and Bridge Streets, the Chapel Drugstore was one of Charlevoix’s earliest soda fountains. For more than 60 years, it was a beloved gathering place where locals and visitors cooled off, caught up, and enjoyed the simple pleasure of a summer treat. It remained in operation until 1958. Today, the site is home to Rexall Drugs — but the memories of those early scoops still linger.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝘄𝗹 — 𝗔 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗶𝘅 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗰
One of the brightest stars of that same era was George and John Glados’s shop, known as The Sugar Bowl, established in 1907 in the Buttars building (later Round Lake Books). Inside stood a breathtaking 14 foot Art Nouveau soda fountain — marble, mahogany, brass, colored glass — installed in 1910. George’s warm humor and thick accent made him a local legend, and for over 50 years, families lined up for his confections and his charm.

𝗕𝗲𝗿𝘁 & 𝗔𝗺𝘆 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻’𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘆 𝗞𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗻
Just down the street, Bert and Amy Beaudoin ran a candy kitchen and soda fountain so popular that people jammed the sidewalks waiting to get in. Their iconic popcorn machine out front became a local landmark — and Bert himself became one of the most recognized and respected faces in town. The shop thrived from the early 1900s until fire destroyed the building in 1925 —ending one of Charlevoix’s most beloved businesses of the era.

𝗔 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Saying goodbye to this last winter was the easiest thing we did all year. Getting back to daily frozen desserts (dairy or not) might be the first genuinely fun thing we’ve had to look forward to since the thaw.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend, Charlevoix. Here’s to summer, community, and some icy cold nostalgia.

Like this topic? Explore more in our Looking Back series:https://chxhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/21-Ice-Cream-parlors.pdf

05/16/2026

Our Summer 2026 Newsletter is here!

This issue looks ahead to a season filled with maritime‑themed programs and celebrations surrounding the launch of The City on Three Lakes.

Not yet part of our community? Read the full issue on our website and sign up to receive the newsletter right from our newsletter page. https://chxhistory.com/newsletter/

Highlights in This Issue:

Maritime events calendar — dates and details for this summer’s public programs and member‑exclusive events celebrating The City on Three Lakes

A publisher’s perspective — Mission Point Press President Jen Wahl on the collaboration behind our new book

America250MI grant awarded — funding secured for a new railroad exhibit at the Train Depot

New to the Collection — including a major acquisition of Bob Miles’s historic photography



Cover photo by John Doskoch

05/15/2026

Inside Look
The City on Three Lakes Goes to PressI

It’s been a whirlwind of activity these last few weeks, and we’re excited to finally share a first look from our recent press check in Boston — a major milestone for The City on Three Lakes. We’re now one step closer to bringing this landmark volume to life.
After years of work, seeing the first pages of our new book come to life on press was unforgettable.

A huge thank‑you to the Mission Point Press team for sharing the day with us and pulling this fantastic reel together.
More updates soon. Follow along and visit cityon3lakes.com to stay connected.

Pages from our Great Lakes cartography chapter — created in collaboration with the University of Michigan’s William L. Clements Library —are now palletized, wrapped, and headed to binding.

05/15/2026

An exclusive behind-the-scenes look!

We had an incredible time in Boston for the press check of The City on Three Lakes: A Maritime History of Charlevoix & the Surrounding Region, created in partnership with the Charlevoix Historical Society!

Seeing this stunning, luxe edition come to life on press was an unforgettable experience. This landmark 650+ page volume features more than 875 museum-quality images and represents one of the most ambitious regional history projects the Society has ever undertaken.

Together with the Charlevoix Historical Society, we are proud to help bring this extraordinary visual and historical record of Charlevoix’s maritime legacy to readers everywhere July 2026.

05/09/2026

𝐕𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐀 𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐋: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐍 𝐄𝐑𝐀

The last traces of a Charlevoix landmark have sadly slipped into memory. The iconic mid-20th century neon sign of the Villa Moderne Motel, a familiar presence along South Bridge Street/U.S. 31 near the junction of M-66 for over sixty years, has recently disappeared from the landscape.

A beacon to generations of weary travelers, this classic signage was a novelty and attraction in its own right. While the building still stands, the contemporary remodeling of its façade has now been completed for the new century, leaving its original character in the rear-view mirror of history.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 "𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐝𝐠𝐞" 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭

The Villa Moderne was a true product of the "motor lodge" era—a time when travel was defined by the family car. This view by Bob Miles, taken around 1965, as part of his classic Charlevoix color postcard series, captures that spirit spot on. It features a sleek four-door Pontiac Catalina hardtop parked out front. The Pontiac’s "Wide-Track" design was a symbol of the age; to the traveler, it was the essence of exploring Northern Michigan in the height of automotive style.

𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭

Under early proprietors Mr. and Mrs. Al Smith, the Villa Moderne was the face of northern hospitality on a budget, beginning around 1960. It was more than a roadside stop; it was a year-round sanctuary providing up-to-date amenities like wall-to-wall carpeting and "Free TV" to passing tourists, and a safe haven to stranded motorists and residents alike. During the height of the tourist season, the glowing "No Vacancy" lamp served as the steady symbol of summertime Charlevoix. By the the 21st century, it had become an enduring classic.

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲
Though the sign no longer greets drivers on the motorway, its legacy is preserved in the archives of the Charlevoix Historical Society. Just a month ago, we acquired Bob Miles' original 4x5 color master of the classic Villa Modern postcard, along with a substantial archive of his work long feared lost. Captured on Kodak Ektachrome film, the image's saturated hues offer a vivid window into Charlevoix’s visual and cultural landscape of a now-distant era.

Villa Moderne... Charlevoix roadside icon... you are gone but not forgotten...

Photo Credit: Villa Moderne Motel, Charlevoix, Michigan, by Bob Miles, ca. 1965. Postcard Series No. 23770
Charlevoix Historical Society

04/02/2026

Photographs Past & Present

Historic storytelling is always a conversation between where we’ve been and where we are now. Working with Charlevoix photographer John Doskoch on our forthcoming book The City on Three Lakes has shown us just how powerfully today’s photography can illuminate the past.

John contributed many of the contemporary color images that bring this story to life — drawing from both his stunning portfolio and new photographs created specifically for the project. We joined him for several early‑morning drone shoots and came away with a deep appreciation for the skill it takes to transform an ordinary scene into something extraordinary.

Our collaboration with John bridges more than a century of visual tradition. Today’s advanced digital and aerial photography meets the tools of Charlevoix’s earliest image‑makers — from the field cameras used by pioneers like D. S. Way during his 1887 photo shoot at the lighthouse, to the hand‑engraved illustrations created before modern reproduction existed.

Together, images old and new bring the Charlevoix region’s past into the present — a tribute to the remarkable landscape of Michigan’s great “Up North.”

Photo credit: John Doskoch

03/30/2026

Recreating D. S. Way’s landmark 1887 storm photograph of Charlevoix’s lighthouse.

On September 7, 1887, as gale winds swept across Lake Michigan, local photographer Daniel S. Way carried his wooden box camera and 5×8 dry‑plate negatives to the beach south of the lighthouse pier. Fighting rising wind and breaking waves, he made four extraordinary exposures — among the earliest known photographs of Charlevoix’s original 1885 lighthouse during a storm.

Way was the first local photographer to capture storm scenes at the lighthouse, a demanding feat with 1880s field equipment and the beginning of a pictorial tradition that continues today.

A former ship’s captain, Way opened Charlevoix’s first long‑standing photography studio around 1882. His “instantaneous” outdoor views documented the harbor, vessel traffic, Round Lake’s growth, and the town’s emergence as a commercial center and resort. His work shaped how Charlevoix was seen far beyond the region.

In November 1899, Way, his wife Lizzie, and a young deckhand were lost in a sudden gale while sailing the schooner Chiquita. The wreck was identified in part by Way’s photographic outfit, found washed ashore in Indiana.

More than 125 years later, his photographs remain essential to understanding Charlevoix’s early history and mark him as one of the area’s first pioneers of artistic photography.

Original exposure: September 7, 1887
Camera: Portable wooden box camera with fixed‑focus lens
Medium: 5×8 dry‑plate glass negatives
Prints: Albumen cabinet cards (5×7) for commercial sale
Preservation: Original prints and negatives held at the Museum at Harsha

Credit: Charlevoix Historical Society

03/30/2026

𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐃. 𝐒. 𝐖𝐚𝐲’𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐱’𝐬
𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟕, 𝟏𝟖𝟖𝟕

On September 7, 1887, as a heavy gale rolled in over Lake Michigan, Daniel S. Way carried his wood‑box camera and a kit of 5×8 dry‑plate glass negatives to the beach south of Charlevoix’s lighthouse pier. Working against the rising wind, he made four remarkable exposures — among the earliest, if not the first, known local photographs of Charlevoix’s original regulation lighthouse, pictured during a rising storm as heavy waves were breaking against the twin piers. Erected on the north pier in August 1885, the structure was then only two years old.

Way was the first local photographer to produce storm photographs at the lighthouse, a technically demanding and artistically groundbreaking effort with 1880s dry plate equipment used in the field — and the beginning of a pictorial tradition that continues today.

Way (1843–1899), a former ship’s captain, opened Charlevoix’s first long‑standing photography business on Bridge Street around 1882. His “instantaneous” outdoor views chronicled the harbor, vessel traffic, Round Lake’s development into a major port, and the town’s emergence as a regional commercial center and lively resort destination.

Local newspapers followed his fieldwork closely, noting that his views showed Charlevoix as a place of striking scenery and growing appeal — a message that was carried wherever and as far as his photographs traveled.

Way's professional work, including fine studio portraiture, continued into the 1890s.

In early November 1899, Way and his wife, Lizzie, along with a young deckhand, perished in a sudden gale on Lake Michigan while sailing the schooner 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘢 from Charlevoix toward Chicago and the Mississippi River on their way to winter in Florida. The shipwreck and its three victims were identified by Way’s photographic outfit, found among the debris that washed ashore on the other side of the lake near Miller's Station, Indiana. The news made syndicated headlines as far away as New York.

More than 125 years later, Way’s photographs remain essential to understanding Charlevoix’s early history and establish him as one of the town’s first pioneers of artistic, pictorial photography.

𝐃. 𝐒. 𝐖𝐚𝐲’𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐱’𝐬
𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬

Date of original exposure: September 7, 1887
Shot with a portable, tripod-mounted wooden box camera
with a fixed focus lens and an instantaneous field shutter
Exposed on 5 × 8 inch dry plate glass negatives in the field
Contact printed in the studio on photographic paper
Finished albumen prints mounted as 5 × 7 inch cabinet cards for widespread commercial sale
Original prints and related glass plate negatives preserved at the Museum at Harsha

Credit: Charlevoix Historical Society