Today, I want to focus on a local man who lived a noble life of service to the Cheboygan area; a giant of a man who had a great passion for Cheboygan County history: teacher, civic leader, and historian Ellis Olson.

During his lifetime, Ellis, who passed in 2017, had a large impact on the area. His lifetime achievements place him among those of the greatest citizens of Cheboygan. I thank him for the information in today’s column. It contains parts of our history that are not so well-known.

Ellis was first a historian. He taught for 40 years, mostly teaching middle school history in area schools. He had the soul of an explorer, tirelessly working to uncover our history and the stories and people who make it interesting.

He also authored many books on local history, including “Wood Butchers of the North” and “Duncan City: Cheboygan’s Ghost Town.”

I recently talked to one of his former students. She remembers him as a superb history teacher. Ellis is most known for his discovery of the 200-years-old lumber and grist mill on Mill Creek, near Mackinaw City. It was to be a lifelong passion. The mill had been constructed around the time of the Revolutionary War by Richard Campbell, an immigrant from Scotland. It supplied lumber for buildings on Mackinac Island, including Fort Mackinac, Mission House and Mission Church. The mill operated for about 50 years before closing.

From 1865 to 1920, limestone was mined on the site. In 1968, a huge grist mill stone was discovered on the old Myers mill property south of Cheboygan, which closed in the 1880s. The site was miles from Mill Creek, but Olson’s research revealed that the stone was originally used there.

Using old maps, Olson narrowed down possible locations between Cheboygan and Mackinaw. In 1972, he discovered a site on Mill Creek that had evidence of two building foundations and a possible stone quarry. An amateur archeologist, he started digging. Soon, he had collected 20 boxes of artifacts from the Revolutionary War era. He invited archeologists from the Mackinac State Park to join him and the next year, official archeological digs began.

In 1975, the property was transferred from the state Department of Natural Resources to the Mackinac Island State Park Commission. In 1984, Mill Creek Historic State Park was opened.

Ellis also founded the Cheboygan History Center and the historical society. I recently talked to one of his former students. She remembers him as a superb history teacher. In 2016, Ellis received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Historical Society of Michigan.

Ellis also worked as a cook/caterer and licensed builder, and he owned and operated a convalescent home for eight years. He also helped organize and chair the first Cheboygan County Ambulance Service.

It may be hard to believe, but in addition to being all those things and more, Ellis also found time to serve in public office. He was on the Cheboygan city council for 16 years and served as mayor for 10.

During his tenure on the council, the city accomplished many great feats, including restoration of the City Hall/Opera House building and Cheboygan City Beach; improvements to the city water system, waste treatment plant, installation of new streetlights; and rebuilding the city recreation and public safety departments. The city also constructed a new city garage, five new city parks, and three ball diamonds. (Source: Ellis Olson obituary, Cheboygan Daily Tribune, www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/cheboygannews/ name/ellis-olson-obituary?id=11100597)

We are blessed to have records of his discoveries, for he endlessly shared and taught his discoveries to all who would listen.

There was so much history in our Cheboygan County long before we got here, and Ellis Olson found much of it! Learn more at: www.mackinacparks.com/more-info/history/individual-site-histories/historic-mill-creek-discovery-park-history/ www.mackinacparks.com/the-untold-story-of-the-mill-creek-quarry/

NOTE FROM A READER I recently received a letter from Ms. Madeleine Naylor, of Mullett Lake and North Carolina. She reacted to my column on the “Mighty Mackinac Bridge.” She shared that her late husband, Anthony, who worked for B.J. Vanlingen Company in New York, played a role in arranging the bond sales that made the bridge a reality. She said that he was always very proud that he was involved. Thank you for reading, Mrs. Naylor!