On May 12, 1781, the Ojibwe tribe sold Mackinac Island to the British for five-thousand pounds…
The transaction was completed with the commander of Fort Michilimackinac, Lt. Patrick Sinclair, and the chiefs of several bands of Ojibwe.
The Ojibwe were given a dozen canoes filled with gifts worth 5,000 English pounds, which when converted to current U.S. dollars is the equivalent of more than $15 million.
John Lindstrom, “Before You Head To The Island, Mark Today For The Island’s Sale“, Gongwer Blog, May 12, 2014.
Deed to Mackinac Island; Chippewa Chief to George III [Mackinac Island], May 12, 1781, Native American History at the Clements Library, University of Michigan.
The Quarto, 1st Series, No. 37, February 1957, contains an article “Mackinac Island Deed is returned to Michigan” telling an interesting tale of how one of two copies of the original deed was purchased from a book dealer in Scotland for the Bentley Library. The other copy is available in the Dominion Archives in Ottawa, Canada.
In April of 1891, local transit workers struck the Detroit Street Railway and the smaller independent Grand River Railway companies, resulting in a bloody and violent 3-day riot. A move by the transit workers to fight for a 10-hour work day, as opposed to a 12-hour day, sparked the move to unionize among a number of the workers between the two companies. Shortly afterward, a number of veteran employees were discharged—it was assumed—for affiliating themselves with a new street railway employee’s union that was being organized in the city. This in turn touched off a strike on April 21, which erupted into a riot after sympathizers joined in support of the striking streetcar workers. Non-striking employees, who pulled-out their cars, were attacked by mobs and a number of streetcars were overturned and burned. Finally, after Mayor Hazen Pingree had intervened, an arbitration committee was formed to resolve the issue. On May 12, 1891, an agreement was reached and the new union would be recognized by the city’s street railway companies. After an agreement to recognize the union; a wage increase, a 10-hour work day, and the granting of one guaranteed day off duty each fortnight (every fourteen days) soon followed. The following year the new union would send delegates to the founding convention of the Amalgamated Association of Street Railway Employees of America—founded on September 15, 1892. The new local would return to Detroit as AASREA Local #3, today known as Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local #26.
Source : The Streetcar Companies vs. Mayor Pingree (1890—1900), Detroit Transit History, Part Two.
Also see Barbara and Keith Hines, “The Great Trolley Riot of 1891 : The First Detroit Uprising Against Privatization”, Voice of Detroit : The City’s Independent Newspaper, Unbossed and Unbought, October 27, 2011.
Also see pages 14 and 15 of Working Detroit, the Making of a Union Town / Steve Babson. New York : Adama Books, c1984.
On May 12, 1891, Detroit barbers raised the price for a shave from 10 to 15 cents.
Source : Detroit Historical Society Facebook page
I can only imagine the discussions that went on around the kitchen table as my grandparents William and Emilie Zehnder were pondering the possibility of entering the restaurant business. They were in the farming and slaughterhouse business and William was also a local politician. Maybe, by those standards, the restaurant business seemed pretty attractive.
So in they jumped at ages 47 and 45, with absolutely no restaurant experience, and bought the New Exchange Hotel in December of 1928. The New Exchange Hotel needed some repairs and upgrading which they set out to do. William took inspiration for the remodel from George Washington’s home Mount Vernon. With the remodel complete, the opening of Zehnder’s happened on Sunday May 12, Mother’s Day of 1929.
The Fischer Hotel, right across the street, had a booming business (or so it seemed) serving a “family style” chicken dinner. So Zehnder’s decided to give it a go as well. On that day, opening day, Zehnder’s served 312 guests at $1.00 per person.
Since then, hundreds of thousands of patrons have celebrated the holiday at Zehnder’s, 730 S. Main, in Frankenmuth.
Mother’s Day now is one of Zehnder’s busiest days of the year. In normal years, Zehnder’s Chief Executive Officer Albert Zehnder expects to serve around 5,000 family-style meals to mothers and their families. Of course, this year (2020) COVID-19 had disrupted almost everyone’s plans, including restaurants.
More about Zehnder’s and the Zehnders
Prohibition and the Federal Raid on Zehnder’s
William and Emilie purchased the New Exchange Hotel just eight years after Prohibition was enacted. Prohibition was a conflict for William in that alcohol, primarily beer, was part of the culture of Frankenmuth. Many businesses, including Zehnder’s and Fischer’s (now the Bavarian Inn) sold alcohol to the “right customers”. Zehnder’s and Fischer’s were raided by Federal agents on July 30, 1930. William and Emilie, along with Herman and Lydia Fischer, were arrested and spent the evening in the Saginaw County Jail. Bond for the Zehnder’s was set at $5,000 and $8,000 for the Fischer’s.
The November 12, 1930 issue of the Bay City Times reported that the $8,000 forfeited by the Fischer’s was “the largest ever imposed and collected for a violation of the prohibition law….”
Surviving the Great Depression
The Great Depression, in addition to the fine levied during Prohibition, nearly brought the dream of the family business to an end. On one day during the Depression receipts at Zehnder’s totaled only seven cents; a Speckled Sport cigar was purchased by Fred Goetzinger.
Zehnder’s Neon Sign
The first mention of the neon sign in front of Zehnder’s appears in the October 1936 edition of the Frankenmuth News. It is believed to be one of the longest continually used neon signs in existence.
Building the Business
After WWII the business grew rapidly. America was on wheels and tourism began to flourish in Michigan. On March 10, 1947 William turned over the business, debts and all, to his two daughters and five sons.
The Purchase of Fischer’s Hotel
There is little doubt that the Fischer family originated the Family Style Chicken dinner in Frankenmuth. The Zehnder family had the opportunity to buy the competition, Fischer’s Hotel, and did so in January of 1950. William “Tiny” Zehnder, Jr., was named manager.
The Bavarian Inn and the Bavarian Festival
In May of 1955, Tiny Zehnder discussed the idea of “adding atmosphere” to Fischer’s Hotel by adding Bavarian architecture. By 1958 the Zehnder brothers and sisters had agreed on a new Bavarian themed addition to the south of Fischer’s Hotel. The family agreed to change the name to the Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn.
The June 1959 grand opening of the Bavarian Inn was a huge success and continues to this day as Frankenmuth’s Bavarian Festival.
The Era of Eddie and Tiny Zehnder
In 1965, Eddie and Tiny purchased the business from their remaining brothers and sisters. The partnership of Eddie and Tiny was a match made in business heaven. Much of what Tiny and Eddie built and envisioned (together with Wally Bronner, originator of Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland), formed the tourism industry in Frankenmuth.
The Legacy Continues – The Next Generations
Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth is driven by their vision, “…..to be the #1 choice in one of Michigan’s premier tourist destinations, Frankenmuth,”. … In order to make good on that vision the company has focused our four core areas of business (dining, lodging, retail and golf) toward becoming the “Zehnder’s Experience” a four-season, service-oriented, family destination.
The Third and Fourth Generation
Third generation family members involved in the business include Albert F. Zehnder, Chairman and CEO; Linda Susan Zehnder, V.P. of Human Resources; Martha Zehnder Shelton, CFO; and John Zehnder (son of Herman Zehnder), Certified Executive Chef and Food and Beverage Director.
William A. Parlberg was named the first non-family President in the history of Zehnder’s in 2001.
Many fourth generation family members are currently working in the family business.
The Restaurant
The Heritage Room was redecorated and doubled in size between 1995 and 1996. The increased seating capacity at Zehnder’s to 1,500 made it “America’s Largest Family Restaurant
Golf
In 1984, Zehnder’s purchased the then 9-hole Frankenmuth Golf and Country Club. After a complete re-design and expansion to 18 holes a “new” championship course, The Fortress, was opened in 1992. In 1998 Golf Digest named The Fortress one of the top 450 public courses to play in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
Retail
In 1984, Zehnder’s invested over $1 million in bakery equipment and expanded the retail baked good line and retail sales area. In 1986, Bakery magazine recognized Zehnder’s bakery as the nations top retail bakery.
Lodging
In 1988, Zehnder’s purchased the 114-room Bavarian Haus Motel. A remodel in 1992 added additional rooms, four suites and an indoor pool.
In 2004, Zehnder’s decided to take the Bavarian Haus Motel to the next level of “lodging as family entertainment”. A section of the original building was demolished to make room for 30,000 square feet of indoor water park, arcade, dining and 63 new family suites.
The new 152-room indoor water park hotel, Zehnder’s Splash Village, opened June 2005. Nearly ten years later, Zehnder’s Splash Village expanded to 50,000 square feet including an additional waterpark – Atrium Park, 32 new guest rooms featuring panoramic views of the waterpark, Mushroom Grille concession area, and many new thrill slides and amenities.
Zehnder’s SnowFest
In the fall of 1991 the concept of a snow and ice carving festival was presented to John Shelton, Zehnder’s V.P. of Marketing and Sales. To the amazement of everyone, the first Zehnder’s SnowFest held in 1992, attracted over 90,000 people. Zehnder’s SnowFest has grown into one of the premier winter events in the nation attracting more than 200,000 visitors each year in addition to the best snow and ice carvers in the world.
Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth – A Tradition of Good Taste
Eddie Zehnder remarked that he was very proud of the many accomplishments his family made in Frankenmuth, but there was no time to rest on their laurels. “What would hurt me the most if someday people came to Frankenmuth and said, I remember when they had a good restaurant”, said Eddie Zehnder. “I don’t ever want to look back and see that happen. We’ve worked too hard to make this happen”.
Source : Albert Zehnder, CEO, Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth.
On May 12, 1936, a young unemployed autoworker — Charley Poole — was taken into the countryside west of Detroit and shot five times at point-blank range, an honor killing that was the latest in a long string of atrocities committed by the black-robed vigilantes called the Black Legion. As unremarkable as Poole’s life had been up to that point, in death he wound up extracting an extraordinary price from his killers. His murder caused the previously unknown Black Legion to explode into the headlines, resulting in most of its leaders being sent to prison and exposing the clandestine brotherhood of bullies to ridicule.
For more information, see Richard Bak, “The Dark Days of the Black Legion”, Hour Detroit, March 2009.
The black legion rides / George Morris. New York : Workers Library Publishers, 1936 available in the MSU Main Library Special Collections American Radicalism Collection (Basement). Also available online.
Black legion / [presented by] Warner Bros. ; directed by Archie L. Mayo ; screenplay by Abem Finkel and William Wister Haines ; story by Robert Lord. Burbank, CA : Distributed by Warner Home Video, [2008] Originally broadcast as a motion picture in 1936. Frank Taylor and people like him have a vision for America. It is a vision shaped by terror and fueled by fear, ignorance and hate – a nation of ‘free, white, 100-percent Americans!’
On this day Judy Garland entertained her fans in Detroit to glowing reviews in the local newspapers. She performed classics such as “Almost Like Falling in Love”, “Chicago”, “Clang! Clang! Clang! Went the Trolley”, and of course, “Somewhere, Over the Rainbow”.
Sources :
Josef Mossman, “Judy Performance Lifts Her Listeners Over the Rainbow”, Detroit News, May 12, 1961.
Louis Cook, “Detroit Wowed Judy Came And Conquered”, Detroit Free Press, May 12, 1961.
The QLine streetcars will formally roll up and down Woodward beginning May 12, officials announced Thursday.
After more than a decade of discussions and delays, construction on the tracks began in July 2014 and QLine made its first test on the tracks in December. On May 12, there will be a news conference and then an inaugural ride down Woodward from the Penske Technical Center in the New Center area. Rides for the public will begin that evening.
“QLine’s grand opening will be a historic day in Detroit,” said Matt Cullen, CEO of the M-1 Rail company, which operates the streetcar system. “We’re bringing rail transit back to the heart of the city and connecting the Woodward Corridor in a way that’s already begun to transform the entire district.”
For the full article, see Leonard N. Fleming, “QLine to begin offering rides on May 12“, Detroit News, May 9, 2017
More than 1000 Fox Indians from southwestern Michigan besige Ft. Pontchartrain and battle for several days before fleeing northeast. The French pursue with Indian allies and attack the Fox Indians again on May 20, 1712, killing hundreds.
Source : The Detroit Almanac.
Saints’ Rest (1856—1876)
Saints’ Rest, c. 1857, with College Hall in the right background.
Note the tree stumps remaining to be dug out.
1857 Photograph of Saint’s Rest Dormitory, showing stumps waiting to be dug out.
On Wednesday, May 13, 1857 the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan was dedicated with proper ceremony, and on the next morning, 63 young men filed from their dormitory, Saints Rest, and reported for classes in College Hall. During that era, students were expected to combine 15 hours a week in class with 15 to 20 hours a week of manual labor, which often consisted of clearing land and planting fields. Students were paid 5 cents an hour at first; in 1874 the rated went up to 7 and a half cents per hour; followed by 10 cents per hour in 1875. The scientific agriculture program would remain in place until 1896. The school also featured a unique calendar during this period, featuring three terms running from the final week of February until late November. This calendar would remain intact as well until 1896 when the school switched over to the more traditional September through June calendar.
The Legislature passed legislation creating the Michigan Agricultural College in 1855, so the university claims 1855 as it starting date..
For more information see Spartan sports encyclopedia : a history of the Michigan State men’s athletic program / Jack Seibold. Champaign, IL : SportsPublishing, c2003.
Saints’ Rest (1856—1876)
Another early picture of Saints’ Rest, courtesy of the MSU Archives.
Note the tree stumps remaining to be dug out.
MAC Opening Day Map still indicates where Native American used to camp.along the Red Cedar River:
According to this university map, on the first day of class at MSU in 1857, the prior presence of the Anishinaabeg was noted by ‘Indian Encampment’. Remember that Native students, faculty, staff, and community members still maintain a vibrant presence on campus. Visit the Native American Studies Library Research Guide for more resources.