A Special Delivery: Fort Custer Books Have Arrived!

There is nothing quite like the feeling of holding your book in your hands for the first time. Now imagine that times 200. That was my experience when my shipment of Fort Custer in the World Wars arrived ahead of schedule.

I expected the books to arrive in mid-July, but instead, I was greeted with boxes stacked high, filled with copies of a project I have poured my heart into. It felt a little like Christmas morning. Seeing the final printed version was both exciting and humbling.

This book represents more than just words and photographs. It is a tribute to the people who served, trained, worked, and lived at Fort Custer during both World War I and World War II. The process of researching and writing it has deepened my respect for the men and women whose stories fill its pages.

As soon as the books arrived, I began packing up copies for the friends and family members who ordered or supported me from the beginning. Some were mailed to those with a personal connection to Fort Custer. Others went to fellow history lovers. Each envelope felt like a small gift of remembrance, and I was honored to share it.

I am thrilled to share that several library presentations have already been scheduled. These events give me a chance to speak with readers, answer questions, and share even more stories that did not make it into the book. In addition, a local TV interview(July 14th) is in the works, offering a wonderful opportunity to highlight Fort Custer’s rich history to a broader audience. I will be sharing dates and times soon, so stay tuned.

A book launch is in the works and I will annouce that when I have confirmation of all the details. The Fort Custer Historical Society board is planning it.

I am so proud of how the book turned out and deeply thankful to everyone who encouraged me along the way. Whether you supported the Fort Custer Historical Society, followed the blog, shared a story, or simply cheered me on, I appreciate you.

Books are available for purchase at the Fort Custer Museum (by appointment), Custer's Last Stand at the fort, or by contacting me. If you are interested in a signed copy, feel free to reach out. The book cost is $25, plus shipping which is running between $6-$10. All proceeds go to the Fort Custer Historical Society.

This has been an unforgettable moment in my journey as a writer and historian. I cannot wait to see where the stories of Fort Custer travel next.

Note: I tried contacting my publisher to find out when it will be shipped to vendors, but have not been given a date.

Images of America: Manistee County

Source:  McRae, Shannon, Images of America Manistee County, Arcadia Publishing, 2006.

Last month, I wrote about my excitement in finding my grandmother pictured in the Marquette Images of America book.  Would I be so lucky in the Manistee County one? 

My Manistee County  ancestry goes back to the early days of Manistee, Michigan.  My Great Grandfather, Johann August Fredrick, immigrated to Manistee in the early 1870's.  His work centered around the logging and sawmill industry.  The first chapter of this book has pictures of that work.  Is my great grandfather in it?  Not that I know.  I only have pictures of him as an older man, so I wouldn't recognize him if he was.

Logging on the Manistee River

In addition to the Fredrick family, I have Graf family who came around 1900 to Brethren, Michigan.  An unconfirmed family story is that Valentine Graf brought his family by wagon train, from Indiana, with a group of German Baptist Brethren members to settle in Brethren.  This is something I would like to explore further.  One of the pictures in the book is of members of this church before 1901.  Is Valentine Graf in this picture?  Again I don't know. 



Early picture of Brethren Michigan, which was almost named Lone Pine for the single pine visible in this picture.



Brethren Historical Association maintains a little museum that I have visited.  I need to visit again.  I would like to learn more about the early days of Brethren and the role the German Baptist Brethren played. 

The Manistee County Images of America book has given me new avenues to explore.  Their pictures are a wonderful, historical representation of the early days of Manistee County.  A time when my mother's grandparents settled there.  I have so much more to explore now thanks to this book.

Images of America: Marquette

Downs, Gabriel N. and Downs, Michael C., Images of America Marquette, Arcadia Publishing, 1999.

I am fascinated by the Images of America book series.  Images of America series by Arcadia Publishing showcases towns and historical place in their books.  These books cover the history of towns, cities, counties and more across the United States.  Their books are filled with historical images that gives you a snapshot of what it was like in earlier days.

One of the first places I look when I go to a bookstore is at the Images of America section.  Our local Barnes and Noble has a nice selection of their books, but it doesn't go much beyond our county.  You might find one or two from Kalamazoo County.

My husband and I were in Grand Rapids, Michigan for a genealogy research trip and ended up at the Barnes and Noble in Woodlawn Mall.  Of course, I had to check out their Images of America selection.  Some of the local titles they had were:  Dutch Heritage in Kent and Ottawa County, Grand Rapids:  Furniture City, Grand Rapids in Vintage Postcards 1890-1940, Lowell, and others. 

They had others from around the state of Michigan, too.  I was excited to see Marquette and Manistee County.  Two areas that my ancestors were early settlers of.  I took a handful of books and found a comfy seat to look at them.  My hubby was off looking at his genre, probably science fiction.

DSS and A Depot, Marquette, Michigan

Eventually, I started looking at the Marquette book and boy was I excited.  My great grandfather, David Watt, was an engineer for the Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic (DSS and A) railroad in Marquette.  I found a picture of the DSS and A depot, circa 1900, on page 60.  I imagine my great grandfather pulled up to that depot numerous times.

Engine No. 4 DSS and A, 1887, Marquette, Michigan

A picture of a DSS and A engine number 4 was found on page 106.   Could my great-grandfather be one of the people in the picture?  I looked hard but decided he wasn't.  I still found the picture interesting.  It added 'flesh to the bones' for me.



1880's picture of trestle works of DSS and A ore dock.

A third picture, on page 124, showed some of the trestle works of the Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic near the ore docks in Marquette.  Did my great grandfather travel on this?  By this time I had decided I was going to buy the book.  It had too many great pictures in it not to.

But, this wasn't the most exciting part of the book.  It was when I got to page 94, that I am sure, had the customers at Barnes and Noble wondering who the crazy lady was on the second floor.  I got so excited by one of the pictures on that page, I couldn't help smiling.  There may have been a whoop or two, I'm not sure.  This was the picture:

It was in Chapter 9:  People and Pastimes.  There in the front row, first person on the left, is my grandmother, Sarah Lilla Watt.  I am still smiling about this.  I had seen this picture in a Marquette High School Yearbook, but to see it in the Marquette book was a pleasant surprise.

I purchased the book and am still enjoying looking at the pictures that brings to life the people and places of Marquette.  Pictures that are entwined in my family history.  It doesn't get much better than that.