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More than a century ago, Mason County was a much different, harsher place. Arriving by foot and boat to find a dense wilderness, hardy pioneers carved out tiny settlements stretching right to the coast of Lake Michigan. When the lumber industry arrived in Michigan, the settlements grew to boomtowns and new towns formed. To serve the lumber industry, the railroad spread across the county, and immigrants and settlers flooded in to have their chance at the American Dream. But when the lumber ran out, the mills closed down. Jobs disappeared, and so did these towns. Out of the thirty-nine settlements, only two cities and six fading villages remain today. Join local author Sandi Lewis-Malburg as she uncovers the towns that time forgot.

From a swampy forest, Hancock County grew to a hub of agriculture, industry and culture. The promise of free fuel and land brought numerous factories to Findlay. One, the Dalzell, Gilmore & Leighton Glass Company, left a lasting legacy of collectible glassware. The need to drain fields and presence of a ready supply of clay encouraged the growth of brick and tile factories in Rawson, Arlington, McComb and Findlay. Entertainment and culture arrived in many forms. Sam Reeves Park in Arcadia featured vaudeville shows, baseball games and amusement rides. At Findlay's Riverside Park, the Green Mills Dance Hall hosted everyone from the Glenn Miller and Count Basie bands to Naked Onion and Mixed Emotions. Join Teresa Straley Lambert as she presents the vanished heritage of mills, milking, masks, medicine and more.