In this episode I intervew Author Amberrose Hammond on the subject of prostitution and madams of the Gilded Age in Grand Rapids, and also cover a few stories of Kalamazoo and Grand Haven.  The Gilded Age refers to the period of time between the end of the Civil War, and the turn of the century where there was an economic boom, but it implies that underneath the glitter and gilded surface of the era, there were still a lot of troublesome issues that marked the time, such as poverty, unemployment and corruption.  

In the city of Grand Rapids, between 1885 to 1900, there was a rise in houses of prostitution in the city run by madams, and funded by a network of Johns and silent partners, creating a lot of intrique.  Many of the stories Amberrose reveals come from her research into her book: Wicked Grand Rapids, which is available online.

For more information on Amberrose Hammond, visit: https://mysteriousmichigan.com/

To purchase her book: Wicked Grand Rapids: click here

For more information on Michael Delaware, visit: https://michaeldelaware.com/

The year 1917 in Battle Creek, Michigan was a time of great change.  President Wilson had signed a declaration of War passed by Congress in April, and a military base which would become Camp Custer was under construction west of the city by June.  Thousand of new people were in town, and arriving on trains, and from August to September, arrests by the police had increased by 900%.  

It was in late September of 1917 when one of the most brutal murders of an Italian immigrant named Guiseppi Aiello, who was known locally as Joseph Ellen, occurred on the southern end of town.  The coroner's inquiry would later declare it to be an assassination, and the police believed at one point that it may have been terrorists who committed the crime.  The murder was never solved.

For more information on Michael Delaware, visit: https://michaeldelaware.com

Hillsdale is the name of a County, a town and a college in Southwest Michigan.  The County received its name from the topography of the region, being land with hills and dales.  The college was founded in in 1844 originally in Spring Arbor, and it moved to Hillsdale nine years later.  The college was the first American college to prohibit in its charter any discrimination based on race, religion or sex, and became an early force for the abolition of slavery.  The college and the town have a fascinating history.

For more information Hillsdale College, visit: https://www.hillsdale.edu

For more information on Michael Delaware, visit: https://michaeldelaware.com

Charles Westover, better known by his stage name Del Shannon was a music legend who shot to number one with the single 'Runaway' in 1961.  He was also well known for other hits such as 'Hats Off to Larry', 'Little Town Flirt' and 'Handyman'.  

Brian Young is working on a biography on Del Shannon, and also manages the Del Shannon fan website and the Del Shannon Appreciation Society.  He joins me on a special interview to talk about the music legend, his hits, his experiences with other music legends, the upcoming documentary, and much more.

For more information on Del Shannon or to contact Brian Young, visit: https://www.delshannon.com

For more information Michael Delaware, visit: https://michaeldelaware.com

During World War II there were German POW camps in Michigan that were all directed by Fort Custer in Battle Creek.  The main camp was at Fort Custer, and between 1943 to 1946, there were approximately 19 different branch camps set up across the state to alleviate critical labor shortages in agriculture during the war.  A tragedy happened at one of the branch camps where 16 of the prisoners were killed in an accident.  The history is one that is still remembered at Fort Custer National Cemetery.

For more information on Michael Delaware, visit: https://michaeldelaware.com/

To see the video on Fort Custer National Cemetery: https://youtu.be/rs1hVuhYYRc

Have you ever wanted to know the story of the origins of Tony the Tiger?  That famous character that has become a household name in cereal for decades?  The back story behind the changes in the advertising industry which ultimately led up to the creation of the cartoon character adorning cereal boxes is a very interesting one.  In this episode I rely on the book 'Cerealizing America' which was published in 1995 by Scott Bruce and Bill Crawford covering the entire cereal industry and its formation.

To get a copy of the book Cerealizing America, follow this link: https://amzn.to/3zHciWl

For more information on Michael Delaware, visit: https://michaeldelaware.com/

Casey Winningham is a professional headstone carver who uses traditional techniques in his craft.  He also has done a lot of headstone and monument restoration.  He joins me in this interview to talk about some of the history of memorial stones, symbology found on stones and his experiences as a stone carver. 

For more information on Casey Winningham, visit: https://caseywinningham.com

For more information on Michael Delaware, visit: https://michaeldelaware.com

Alonzo Noble was one of the early pioneers of the village of Battle Creek, arriving in 1836 with his wife.  He established the second store in the village history, on the central corner of downtown.  He built the first home with a chimney in the history of the area, and he would go onto become a stable and successful dry goods store in the community.  He later became the second Mayor of the City of Battle Creek, and also served as postmaster for seven years.  His story is an interesting one from the pioneer history of the region.

For more information on Michael Delaware, visit: https://michaeldelaware.com

The village of Paw Paw is located in Van Buren County, and is has some interesting history.  I was able to uncover a collection of stories from the early days of the founding of the village that are great tales from yesterday.  One story of a man who named nine pairs of oxen, and cleared wooded acreage for many new pioneer settlers.  Another of a man who visited the home of an Indian trading partner, and ate his meal with dogs.  Another of a the first great Paw Paw bank robbery, where the famous Pinkerton Detective agency from Chicago was brought in undercover to solve the crime.  These and many other peculiar and tantilizing stories from early Michigan history are in this episode.

For more information on Michael Delaware, visit: https://michaeldelaware.com

The Greenfield House in Athens, Michigan is a historic home on the north side of the Athens village which was built by Sylvester Ware sometime between 1963-1965.  He was established a window and blind milling factory adjacent to the home, and was very involved in the milling industry in Athens.  After his death, the home was sold to El Dorado Greenfield in approximately 1883, who was another prominent business man in the village, who would eventually come to own the Athens Flour Mill years later.  

The house stayed in the Greenfield family until 1972, when is sold to another investor who turned it into a duplex.  Over the years the property declined into a poor condition, until new owners (the Ramirez family) acquired it in 2017 and restored it.  Keith Dara is a craftsman and an active member of the Athens Area Historical Society, and directed a lot of the renovation of this historic landmark.  He joins me for an interview to talk about the history of the home, and the renovation that took four years.

The Greenfield House is now a museum in Athens.  For more information, visit: 

https://athens-mi-historicalsociety.org/the-greenfield-house

To see the video on the Greenfield House, click here: 

For more information Michael Delaware, visit: https://youtu.be/2dKd7DHkURg

https://michaeldelaware.com/