Charlevoix Historical Society

10/02/2026

🏆 𝗔 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗶𝘅

In July 2023, the Charlevoix Historical Society opened its Maritime History of Charlevoix exhibit at the Museum at Harsha House.

What began as an exhibit grew into something much larger.

Over the next three years, that effort became 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀: 𝗔 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗶𝘅 & 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻, the most ambitious publishing project in the Society's history.

Last Friday in Grand Rapids, 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 received a 2026 State History Award in the Books (Private Printing) category from the Historical Society of Michigan, the Society's highest recognition for excellence in Michigan history.

Co-authored by David L. Miles and Ole Lyngklip, the book grew from years of research, writing, and archival work devoted to documenting the history of the Charlevoix region and the waterways that shaped it.

Along the way, the project attracted the interest, knowledge, expertise, and support of an extraordinary range of individuals and organizations. Their contributions helped transform an exhibit into a book that broadened both the scope and ambition of how Charlevoix history could be told.

Mary Pedley and Sierra Laddusaw of the University of Michigan's William L. Clements Library, Eric Hemenway, the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council, Charles Eisendrath, photographer John Doskoch, publisher Mission Point Press, and many others all played important roles in bringing this project together.

Congratulations to everyone who joined us on this wonderful journey.

Some of the best projects flourish through the generosity, curiosity, and energy of many individuals. We are grateful for all who supported us on this one.



Photos from the State History Awards ceremony courtesy of Mission Point Press and the Historical Society of Michigan.

10/01/2026

09/22/2026

A Historic Afternoon on the Waters of Lake Charlevoix with David Miles, Curator of the Museum at Harsha House

Award‑winning author David Miles, curator of the Charlevoix Historical Society’s Museum at Harsha House, will be aboard the Harbor Princess on the afternoon of Sunday, October 4th to guide guests through the waters that shaped Charlevoix’s history.

For decades, David has been the leading voice interpreting Round Lake and Lake Charlevoix — the person who can look across a shoreline and explain the stories, industries, and families that defined it.

This special two‑hour narrated cruise will travel the south shore of Round Lake, enter Lake Charlevoix, and continue down the South Arm as far as Holy Island beyond Ironton before returning through Oyster Bay and along the north shore.

Guests will hear David’s insights into the people, places, and turning points that built Charlevoix’s maritime identity from the 19th century through the resort era.

This event is also a fundraiser supporting the Charlevoix Historical Society’s programs, events, and award-winning preservation work, including the South Pier Lighthouse, the 1892 train depot, and the Museum at Harsha House.

Details and ticketing information are available on the event page.

David Miles brings decades of research and curatorial expertise to this narrated cruise, offering guests a clear, well‑documented look at the history of Charlevoix’s inland waterways.

09/20/2026

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝟭𝟵𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆, 𝗜𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗶𝘅’𝘀 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗿𝗺, 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮’𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗿 𝗲𝗿𝗮, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻.

In the Charlevoix Historical Society’s final program of the season, we follow Ironton from the collapse of its iron industry into the community that rose in its place, as three determined women reclaimed the grounds of a former smelting facility to establish Sweet Brier Farm, reshaping a scarred industrial landscape into a peaceful lakeside retreat. Their work came just as summer tourism began to reach the South Arm, bringing a new generation of visitors who led the creation of nearby private enclaves like the Sequanota Club.

As the 20th century unfolded, Ironton’s story took a series of unexpected turns — a property sale that redirected Sweet Brier’s future, a famous boys’ camp that left almost as quickly as it came, a fire that forced a dramatic reinvention, and a brief moment when the community found itself at the center of regional theater — before the post war years transformed the landscape yet again. Our program traces the unlikely path that led to the quiet residential community of today, and how each of these shifts serially revived and reformed Ironton across the span of a half-century.

𝗜𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗜𝗜: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗘𝗿𝗮, at the Charlevoix Public Library, Tuesday September 22, 6PM.

09/14/2026

𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 — 𝗮 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗶𝘅’𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆.

The community celebration at Ironton’s The Landing Restaurant on September 12th brought a strong turnout, with plenty of speeches, conversation, and familiar faces, including past and present captains and crew. The 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗶𝘅, as today’s vessel is known, came ashore at the Ironton landing for a brief formal rechristening before continuing its steady circuit across the lake. The unveiling of the new Michigan State Historical Marker on the hillside approach capped the day.

A year's long commitment by Captain Bob Goodenough, who led the day's events, made the marker and the celebration possible. We’re grateful for his dedication and for The Landing’s generous support of the day.

We lead our images with a recently discovered classic — a Bob Miles Kodachrome of the “ferry made famous by Ripley’s,” a postcard favorite from his Color by Bob Miles series of the late 1960s.

09/12/2026

𝗕𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟭𝟵𝟮𝟬𝘀, 𝗠𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗼𝘆 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹‑𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝘁𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘀—𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀, 𝘀𝗮𝘄𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

His boats were built for speed—streamlined hulls and outboard power that put Charlevoix on the map of America’s early power‑boat racing.

This coming Tuesday at the Charlevoix Depot, Geoffrey Reynolds takes us inside that era—and the builder at the leading edge of modern‑era speed, engineering and design.

09/11/2026

𝗠𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗼𝘆 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘆: 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗶𝘅 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻

𝗠𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗼𝘆 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮’𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿‑𝗯𝗼𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗲, 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱, 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵‑𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

Join the Charlevoix Historical Society on Tuesday, September 15 at 7 PM for an illustrated program on Melvin Roy Brady, whose racing career unfolded during the interwar speed era (1919–1939) — a period when American small‑craft engineering accelerated dramatically and regional regattas fed into a national competitive speed-racing circuit.

Historian, author and Society President Geoffrey Reynolds, former archivist at Hope College, will examine Brady’s progression from early runabouts to the Hispano‑Suiza aircraft‑engine conversions that defined his racing designs.

Brady competed not only on the Great Lakes but in events organized by groups such as the Ohio–Mississippi Valley Power Boat Association, whose races linked Midwestern builders and drivers into a wider network of speed trials and invitational regattas.

His boats appeared at Detroit, St. Clair, Chicago, Sandusky, and other venues that shaped American power‑boat racing between the wars.

Brady’s work offers a clear view into how a Charlevoix builder helped advance the engineering culture of American small‑craft racing.

Shown is Brady’s Miss Charlevoix, which set a national speed record on Lake Charlevoix in 1927.

𝗠𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗼𝘆 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘆: 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻
Charlevoix Train Depot, 305 Chicago Avenue, opposite Depot Beach.
Free and open to the public.

09/06/2026

𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗽𝗶𝗴𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟭𝟴𝟴𝟬𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗹‑𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗜𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻, 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗻 — 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗶𝗴‑𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘀, 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗱, 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗳. 𝗔 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗜𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆’𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗻.

"Champion" brand pig iron ingots were the everyday product of Ironton’s boom‑town years, when Robert M. Cherrie's Pine Lake Iron Company stood as the most significant industrial operation on Lake Charlevoix. A few survive today, reminders of the industry that shaped the community before the company's collapse, and summer resorts and vacation homes came to redefine the landscape.

Also pictured are Ironton workers moving ingots from the furnace area to the docks and loading them onto a waiting schooner. Pine Lake Iron Company cargo was delivered on owned and commissioned vessels to ports along Great Lakes routes, principally Chicago. Raw iron ore used to produce the ingots was sourced from the mining ranges of the Upper Peninsula, and arrived by ship from Escanaba.

09/05/2026

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗣𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗙𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗺‑𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗟𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁: 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗲, 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗟𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗶𝘅 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 — 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀.

Join the Charlevoix Historical Society for an exciting month spotlighting the history of today’s lakeside community of Ironton, in a two‑part program hosted with the Charlevoix Public Library. Both are free and open to the public.

The month opens this Tuesday, September 8, with 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻, 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗜: 𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗘𝗿𝗮.

Reprised from last summer’s popular event, the presentation traces Ironton’s beginnings, from the pioneer homesteaders of the 1860s through the creation of the town, which quickly became the site of the most significant industrial operation along Lake Charlevoix. The session highlights Ironton’s pig‑iron industry of the 1880s and the ambitious vision of Chicago entrepreneur Robert M. Cherrie, whose Pine Lake Iron Company defined the region for more than a decade.

The program continues at the Library on September 22 at 6PM with 𝗜𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗜𝗜: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗘𝗿𝗮.

Also 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝘀 for a historic community event celebrating the 𝟭𝟬𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 of Ironton’s present‑day ferry vessel on September 12, from 6–8 PM, taking place at the Ironton‑side ferry landing.

The Ironton Ferry, whose history dates back even further to a private nickel‑a‑ride rowboat in the 1870s, is today Michigan’s only inland‑lake auto ferry — a one‑of‑a‑kind crossing shaped by the unusual geography of Lake Charlevoix’s South Arm.

Organized by Ironton Ferry Captain Bob Goodenough and hosted by Ironton's The Landing Restaurant, the informal gathering will feature the unveiling of a new Michigan State Historical Marker and a rechristening of the ferry vessel. All are welcome, with cash bar and snacks.