Mikel B. Classen – Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan
Author, Photographer, and Historian
Recipient of the Historical Society of Michigan’s, 2020 George Follo Award for Upper Peninsula History
News From Mikel: 12/14/2025 – Update: Still moving forward with new projects and getting very close to finishing a True Tales Volume 2. Volume 1 was very successful and the stories I’ve included in the new book will amaze and astound. They certainly did for me. The Upper Peninsula is full of stories that reflect the adage that truth is stranger than fiction. Those are the tales I like to find. I’ve always worked with the idea that if I find something interesting, others might be interested in it too. That’s what you will find on this website and in my books. There are things on the website that are not in the books while there are things in the books that aren’t on the website. I try to keep the website with new material, but since a lot of this is historical, it takes a lot of research to put together a finished page or blog. Consequently sometimes it takes a while before something is finished. I appreciate your patience and keep checking back. I’m a one-person show and I do all of the content myself. It’s fun.
Finally, I need to mention that the website with my bookstore has been malfunctioning. I believe it is working correctly but if there are any problems using it, please let me know at the email address below. Thank-you.
If anyone is interested in having me sell and sign books at an event or give a talk on U.P. history, send an email to mikelclassen@mikelbclassen.com
Latest Posts
Life of the S.S. Zenith City
This article contains never before seen photos of the Zenith City taken at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. They are part of the Mikel B. Classen Collection of Historical Pictures. The Zenith City was a classic freighter ship of its day. It sailed throughout the Great Lakes for many years, and was the longest ship of…
Historical Photos – Ironwood, Michigan
I received a few historical pictures from Ironwood. I wanted to pass them along as it has been difficult for me to find pictures from the west end of the Upper Peninsula. Above is the Norrie Mine. It was the first mine in Ironwood. Named after A. Lanfear Norrie, an explorer leading an expedition…
Legendary Lifesaving Captain Trudell’s Premonitions
Dreams of the Dead Author’s Note: From the files of the odd, strange, and curious, this is a story that first appeared in Bloodstoppers and Bearwalkers by Richard M. Dorson. I thought it would be an ideal tale to repeat for the month of October. Captain Trudell and his crew of life savers built a…
Interview on Mathieu Project about Great Lakes Pirates
Want to know more about Piracy on the Great Lakes? This is a podcast I participated in recently for the Mathieu Project with Mathieu Itoney where we spend time digging into the background of Great Lakes Pirates. From the era of the fur trade through prohibition, pirates roamed the Great Lakes. They took advantage of…
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