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I stg Danganronpa has the best soundtrack for a video game. I’m just sitting here jamming out during the class trial.

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Cleaned up an old friend today (sans stem) 💨

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“Stop thinking so much. You’re breaking your own heart.”

— Unknown

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“Be brave enough to be bad at something new.”

— Unknown

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Sitting in the middle of nowhere in rural Michigan is this hidden gem. The owner was a pilot for the Navy during the Korean War and received several medals for his service.

Unfortunately, most of his valuables have long been forgotten and collecting dust since. Among the belongings were letters, magazines, vintage Michigan State football programs, VCR tapes, pictures, souvenirs from the Navy, and a lot more.

One thing of note, and it’s the strangest thing I’ve found exploring, is a Nazi propaganda book from 1933. The book is titled “Deutschland Erwacht” (Germany Awaken) and features a small preface from Hitler himself that loosely translates to:

My name, That I have made for myself Through force Is (It’s) my Title

It’s definitely a chilling look into Germany during that time.I did take pictures of the book, however I decided against posting them.

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Step back in time with us as we explore Rosie’s Diner.

Built in 1946 and originally named the Silver Dollar Diner, it’s first home was in Little Ferry, New Jersey. The restaurant gained national fame in the early 70s when Bounty began using the location to film commercials and created the character Rosie the Waitress. It was this fictional character that sparked the idea to rename the Silver Dollar to Rosie’s.

In 1990, a ceramics artist from Michigan bought Rosie’s for $10,000 and moved the diner to its current location in Cedar Springs. Within a few years of its reopening, the owner had added two more dining cars to the property (one from New York that became a bar, and the other that was built on site served as an ice cream parlor) and even opened a mini golf course behind the diner.

Rosie’s Diner appeared on TV again in 2006 when it was featured on Food Network’s ���Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” as well as Travel Channel’s “Diner Paradise”. 5 years after filming for the shows, the famous diner served its last customer.

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I cannot find a shred of info about this place. At first I thought it was a motel, but it’s purpose became more unclear the more I explored.

All of the 20 rooms were cold and dreary with concrete walls, and the only form of a lock were padlocks on the outside of each door. Even more bizarre was that the only bathroom facilities were in a separate building. Not a single room had its own toilet.

I don’t want to give out the exact location, but it’s just north of Manistee, MI.

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Neato roadside find.

Unfortunately I couldn’t find any info on the property, but it’s easy to assume that it hasn’t been used in decades with one pump reading 30¢ a gallon!

There was a side door that was wide open, however the road it’s on had heavy traffic and is in the middle of a residential area, so I didn’t risk going inside. Not matter how much I wanted to.

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Opened in 1947, this location began as a quaint ski resort with an intimidating black diamond slope. In the 60s it grew to include an airstrip, condos, a golf course designed by Arnold Palmer, tennis courts, and added 5 more ski lifts and more hotel rooms. By the mid-late 70s, this was the most popular ski resort in the Midwest with 3,000-4,000 visitors a day, and the only resort to offer night skiing. Guests could choose from multiple dining experiences on site, from fine dining to a quick bite at the deli. After dinner you could kick back with cocktails and fondue at the resort’s “saloon” or dance the night away in the nightclub. Other amenities included 3 pools, a whirlpool spa, saunas, a weight room, gift shop, hiking trails, laundry facilities, a daycare, and a golfer’s club.

The resort changed ownership a few times before ultimately closing in 2000 due to mild winters causing revenue to nose dive. Deciding what to do after it closed was a big mess because of the fact that no one knew who owned the resort! Several people came forward claiming that they were indeed the owner, but it wasn’t until 2016 when the property was legally purchased by a lawyer from Los Angeles. He plans on leveling the existing lodge and opening a 4 star resort complete with its own vineyard by 2022.

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I found no info on the house, except for the acreage (176 acres!), but there was some info I found on the ‘93 Chevy Cavalier. It was involved in a horrible wreck and the passenger later succumbed to his injuries.

The property consisted of the fire damaged main house, several storage sheds, and a trailer home that was locked up tight. I’m guessing the trailer was brought in after the house fire. As for the main house, the floors were starting to cave into the basement so it was unfortunately off limits.

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Welcome to Idlewild!

Back when resorts, restaurants, nightclubs, etc., were “Whites Only”, Idlewild was an oasis for African-Americans. With over 300 businesses and beaches galore, about 30,000 people enjoyed their summers in the resort town. Then after desegregation laws took effect, the town began to suffer.

Today the stores are empty and the mazes of dirt roads have countless vacant houses.