Stroll - Discover Traverse City, Spring & Summer 2009

BUSINESSES CALENDAR OF EVENTS DOWNTOWN and OTHER POINTS OF INTEREST LIBRARY OF ARTICLES AREA MAPS JUST FOR FUN COUPONS CONTACT US

Traverse City Weather Forecast, MI

FEATURED BUSINESSES

Historical Photos of Downtown Traverse City

Perry Holdsworth, Founder of Traverse City's First Foundry

Sheffields

Stroll Downtown Discount Card

Wooden Gallery

Up North at Up North Kids

CLICK HERE to see books by Sonja Richards, publisher of Stroll. The Comet Kid My Maize and Blue day (New in 2008!)

Welcome to the Stroll Magazine® Website!

Thank you for visiting Stroll! Enjoy as you explore some of the things we have to offer in downtown TC, and we hope to see you soon!

In the meantime, here's some fun Michigan Trivia to keep you occupied as you wait for spring to come knocking on your door...

Pine Mountain Ski-Jumping Complex in Iron Mountain is the largest artificial ski jump in the world.

The PGA's Buick Open is held in Grand Blanc every July.

Michigan is first internationally in the production of dogsleds.

In the little U.P. town if Ishpeming you will find the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame.

There is a bonafide ghost town located in the U.P. called the Historic Fayette Townsite.

In 1858 the very first official billiards championship was held in Detroit.

If you pick a peach in Michigan, it's most likely going to be Redhaven - it's the most popular variety grown.

The wolverine is in the weasel family and early fur trappers called wolverines "skunk-bears."

The deepest point of Lake Michigan is 923 feet and the lake covers 22,300 square miles.

The Kalamazoo area is credited with being the "Birthplace of the Celery Industry."

Michigan produces enough ice cream in a year to produce 805,000,000 single dip cones.

Almost 80% of the red tart cherries produced in the United States come form

Michigan.

Jiffy brand muffins started in and is still based in Chelsea, Michigan.

There are over 46,000,000 pounds of cabbage harvested in Michigan each year.

*These facts were taken from Michigan Trivia, Revised Edition. 1995. Compiled by Ernie & Jill Couch.

Downtown Traverse City is a wonderful place to visit because of the varied things it has to offer. Of course, you will find T-shirt and fudge shops, but even those are distinctive because of their history in the area. You can find beautiful artwork throughout our galleries, fine furnishings and design services, fabulous food, and great opportunities for memorable experiences, as well as much more.

Since 1620, people have explored the beauty of this region and enjoyed all it has to offer. At that time, of course, it was mostly Ottowa and Ojibwa Indians, and then a bit later, the French, all who prospered from furs and trading.

It was not until the early 1840s that settlers began coming to the Traverse City area. Ten years later, a large mill was built by Perry Hannah and Albert Lay, allowing for lumbering to become a great business here. By 1862, the population of Traverse City was 300, and within not quite 25 years, that population had grown by more than ten times to 4,000. Traverse City’s current population is around 15,000.

In 1852, well-known missionary Father Dougherty planted the first cherry trees on Old Mission Peninsula; it took nearly 75 years to discover that fruit trees could thrive in this area, and once discovered, fruit became a main industry. The first “Blessing of the Blossoms” (which eventually became known as the National Cherry Festival of Traverse City) was celebrated in 1924. It has been growing ever since, and now Traverse City welcomes thousands of visitors every year to enjoy the many events the Festival has to offer.

There are numerous other wonderful things to do in Traverse City besides go to parades and eat cherries, though! Shopping downtown is one of those things. Some of the businesses in Downtown Traverse City have been here for over 100 years, and you can expect the same friendly service you would have received when the stores first opened.

I invite you to take a stroll through Downtown and Old Town Traverse City, notice some of the architecture, enjoy some unique shopping, and get a bite to eat. Downtown Traverse City is an experience you’ll not soon forget.

About Olde Towne Publishing and Stroll Magazine®

Stroll Magazine® is dedicated to both promoting Traverse City's beautiful downtown and to helping to preserve its history...

I started Olde Towne Publishing and Stroll Magazine® for several reasons. My husband and I own two small businesses and I wanted to help fellow businesses and the downtown I grew up with grow. Second, I noticed there is not a lot of information specific to Downtown Traverse City for visitors, or even locals. Our area is filled with a unique, rich history I want to explore and share. Stroll Magazine® is an avenue to do all of these things.

I welcome feedback, ideas, and information, so if you have any, please contact me! I appreciate you patronizing both my publication, and the businesses of Downtown and Old Town Traverse City. - Sonja Richards