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Learn about Lake Orion, the city coined "Where Living is a Vacation". Lake Orion was considered a vacation city in the past. An Up North escape from Detroit. Enjoy these bits of LOcal history. Everything from notable pioneers, celebrities, vintage ads, and much much more!
Videos
1959 Orio Centennial
Gallery
Mickey Lolich
Famous Detroit Tigers pitcher Mickey Lolich ('62-'79), owned "Mickey Lolich Donuts & Pastry Shop" next to the Lake Orion post office.
His unbroken records are 2,679 strikeouts, 39 shutouts, 459 games started, 329 home runs allowed, and 10,000 doughnuts made!
His unbroken records are 2,679 strikeouts, 39 shutouts, 459 games started, 329 home runs allowed, and 10,000 doughnuts made!
Assembly Island
During the resort era 1897-1900's, Assembly Island (formerly Spencer Island and now Bellevue Island) was the main stage for traveling acts. Theatrical performances, medicinal, musical, religious and other acts.
Shows included risque "girlie acts" with ladies who exposed their KNEES!
Shows included risque "girlie acts" with ladies who exposed their KNEES!
Hopewell Indians
Some archaeologists believe there are ancient Hopewell Indian Burial Mounds near Bald Mountain. They buried many artifacts with the dead.
W.J. Bill Scripps
News radio WWJ was a birthday gift from Detroit News Publisher W.E. Scripps to his son , W.J. "Bill" Scripps who asked for a radio set to experiment with. Photo circa 1922 courtesy of DetroitNews.com
Blanche Sims
Ms. Blanche Sims, graduate of LO High School in 1895 and a teacher for 50 years. Now that is how you get a school named after you!
1819 Hemingway 1st Settlers
In 1819 first settlers moved here from NY State where Potowatami and Ojibwe already lived.
1st settlers: Judah Church, John Wetmore, Jesse Decker, Needham Hemingway, Moses Munson and David Shadbolt.
1st settlers: Judah Church, John Wetmore, Jesse Decker, Needham Hemingway, Moses Munson and David Shadbolt.
Cynthia Watros
Meet actress Cynthia Watros born in 1968 from Lake Orion. She has starred in many series such as LOST, Drew Carey Show, Spin City, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, and most notably from the soap opera Guiding Light where she won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in 1998.
Gus' Steak House
If these walls could speak. The building at 801 S. Lapeer Road started out as a farm house in the 1860s then converted into a restaurant in the 1930s (Buckhorn Inn).
1935 Otto Benaway and his wife purchased and renamed it Cedarhurst.
Late 1930s was then purchased and ran by Gus Kalohn and his 2 sons Pete & Paul (Gus' Steakhouse) into the '80s.
2003 Kruse and Muer.
Has anyone ate at these prior establishments?
1935 Otto Benaway and his wife purchased and renamed it Cedarhurst.
Late 1930s was then purchased and ran by Gus Kalohn and his 2 sons Pete & Paul (Gus' Steakhouse) into the '80s.
2003 Kruse and Muer.
Has anyone ate at these prior establishments?
Jeff Heath
With the NFL regular season quickly approaching lets cheer on our 2009 Lake Orion High School graduate and current Safety for the Dallas Cowboys JEFF HEATH!
Jeff started 30 of 35 games making 219 tackles, 7 interceptions and 4 fumble recoveries at Saginaw Valley State. He was All-GLIAC his senior season.
He went undrafted in the 2013 NFL Draft but was picked up as a free agent by the Cowboys. Jeff is still the starting Safety for the Cowboys.
Jeff started 30 of 35 games making 219 tackles, 7 interceptions and 4 fumble recoveries at Saginaw Valley State. He was All-GLIAC his senior season.
He went undrafted in the 2013 NFL Draft but was picked up as a free agent by the Cowboys. Jeff is still the starting Safety for the Cowboys.
Canandaigua Park
Cy McCaughna built this private resort on M24 near Heights Road in the late 1930s.
It was sold in the late 1940s to George Kirn and renamed Kirn's Rustic Cabins. The cabins are still there but what will these turn into next?
It was sold in the late 1940s to George Kirn and renamed Kirn's Rustic Cabins. The cabins are still there but what will these turn into next?
Benaway's Boat Delivery
Benaway's Boat Delivery delivered groceries to cottages around the lake. There were many different boats delivering and giving tours around early 20th century.
Even a STINK BARGE collected waste from outhouses. Have to maintain "A Clean Resort for Clean People" LO reputation.
Even a STINK BARGE collected waste from outhouses. Have to maintain "A Clean Resort for Clean People" LO reputation.
Andrew Feustel
With the success of the SpaceX Crew Dragon launch did you know NASA had a Lake Orion graduate as one of their astronauts? Read about Andrew Feustel LOHS Class of 1983.
Pittman & Dean Ice Company
1906 Pittman & Dean Ice Company. They cut blocks of ice from the lake, hauling the cakes to storage houses where they were stored in sawdust until summer, & selling the blocks for people to use in their iceboxes. They were in business until 1926 when the electric refrigerator gained in popularity.
-Courtesy of the Lake Orion Library
-Courtesy of the Lake Orion Library
Thriller Roller Coaster
In the early 1900's, Park Island Amusement Park offered roller skating, dancing, picnic areas, a penny arcade, Thriller roller coaster, swimming, and power boat tours of the seventeen hundred acres of beautiful Lake Orion.
The roller coaster lived up to its name because at one point, the coaster tracks extended out over the lake making it an exciting ride. Rumor had it that a car left the tracks on one occasion and dropped out of site.
Several double-decker boats offered lake excursions replete with bands and a dance floor on the upper deck. At night, Park Island was illuminated by strings of thousands of lights.
-Courtesy Michigan History Leader
The roller coaster lived up to its name because at one point, the coaster tracks extended out over the lake making it an exciting ride. Rumor had it that a car left the tracks on one occasion and dropped out of site.
Several double-decker boats offered lake excursions replete with bands and a dance floor on the upper deck. At night, Park Island was illuminated by strings of thousands of lights.
-Courtesy Michigan History Leader
Della Woods
Meet former NHRA funny car driver Della Woods and her brother, crew chief Bernie Woods both from Lake Orion. Della raced in the 1960s-early '70s.
Nicknamed "Bernella's Funny Honey" (Bernie and Della's together), she was the 1st female driver to go to the semifinals in an NHRA event amongst a list of other accomplishments.
1999: Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame
2015: East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame
2016: Mopar Hall of Fame
Nicknamed "Bernella's Funny Honey" (Bernie and Della's together), she was the 1st female driver to go to the semifinals in an NHRA event amongst a list of other accomplishments.
1999: Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame
2015: East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame
2016: Mopar Hall of Fame
Predmore House
Joshua C. Predmore and family moved from New York to Orion in 1849 to establish a farming business. He contributed largely to Orion's position as a farming center. Predmore also owned a general store.
Did you know?
-He served nearly every public office in Orion?
-He fought in the Civil War, wounded, then received a commission from President Abraham Lincoln. While serving Provost duty in Washington he arrived a few minutes after Lincoln was assassinated. After the shooting he served guard duty at the White House.
Did you know?
-He served nearly every public office in Orion?
-He fought in the Civil War, wounded, then received a commission from President Abraham Lincoln. While serving Provost duty in Washington he arrived a few minutes after Lincoln was assassinated. After the shooting he served guard duty at the White House.
Proper School
Did you now the school in Gingellville was first named Coolidge School after then U.S. President Calvin Coolidge? Story was Coolidge (Republican) did something that irritated the mostly Democratic community in Orion.
School was renamed to Proper School after John and Charlotte Proper who were the first to homestead land on Baldwin. A bronze sign was used to cover up the original limestone etching underneath.
-Courtesy of the Orion Library.
School was renamed to Proper School after John and Charlotte Proper who were the first to homestead land on Baldwin. A bronze sign was used to cover up the original limestone etching underneath.
-Courtesy of the Orion Library.
The Purple Gang
The Purple Gang were a mob of bootleggers from Detroit in the 1920's. They ran alcohol from Canada thru Detroit during the Prohibition era. Rumor is they worked with Capone. This was one of their cottages located on 24 Highland in Lake Orion.
Bellevue Hotel
The Bellevue Hotel on Bellevue Island was built in 1899. Considered a high end hotel with fine linen, crystal and China. $5 per night was considered expensive.
Polly Ann Trailway
Did you know?
•It was the former Pontiac, Oxford & Northern Railroad corridor (P.O. & N) 1889-1984. aka "Poor, Old & Neglected"
•Trains along this route picked up tonnage of wheat, beans, and sugar beets.
•The Polly Ann Trailway in Oakland County is 14.2 miles from Orion Twp. to the Village of Leonard
•There is a shortcut to the LO Library!
•It was the former Pontiac, Oxford & Northern Railroad corridor (P.O. & N) 1889-1984. aka "Poor, Old & Neglected"
•Trains along this route picked up tonnage of wheat, beans, and sugar beets.
•The Polly Ann Trailway in Oakland County is 14.2 miles from Orion Twp. to the Village of Leonard
•There is a shortcut to the LO Library!
DeCou Cancer Center
Created by two brothers Dr. Jacob DeCou & Dr. Charles DeCou in 1889. Located at M24 near Flint St.
Jacob developed a method that seemed highly effective in treating cancer. They moved from Detroit to Orion..
Medical History of Michigan cited that patients from all over the USA came for treatment.
-Courtesy of Images of America
Jacob developed a method that seemed highly effective in treating cancer. They moved from Detroit to Orion..
Medical History of Michigan cited that patients from all over the USA came for treatment.
-Courtesy of Images of America
Earl Milliman's Ford
Earl Milliman's Ford was located on the southwest corner of North Broadway and Shadbolt. Floyd operated the gas station on that corner.
The building behind them to the left was the Orion Review building.
-Courtesy Images of America.
The building behind them to the left was the Orion Review building.
-Courtesy Images of America.
The Pastime"
Park Island Queen, Silver Spray, and the Pastime were a few of the passenger boat launches back in the '20s.
They had designated routes & in order to be picked up you had to signal by raising a flag.
When popularity declined these boats were sunk and used as fill on the west shore of Oak Lane in the '30s.
-Images of America
They had designated routes & in order to be picked up you had to signal by raising a flag.
When popularity declined these boats were sunk and used as fill on the west shore of Oak Lane in the '30s.
-Images of America
Tom Gillis: Golfer
Meet Lake Orion graduate & PGA golfer Tom Gillis.
•He has played in several PGA and Nationwide Tour events in the 1990s.
•2009 won the Nationwide Tour Players Cup
•He has played in over 26 different countries
•He will be participating in the PGA Champions Tour
•He has played in several PGA and Nationwide Tour events in the 1990s.
•2009 won the Nationwide Tour Players Cup
•He has played in over 26 different countries
•He will be participating in the PGA Champions Tour
Kit Cottages
These kit cottages were sold by Lake Orion Lumber. Precut pieces were pulled by horses across the ice in the winter and were built in the spring.
Sears at one time sold these kits!
Sears at one time sold these kits!
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