The History Center of Cheboygan includes different buildings that help exhibit Cheboygan’s history. Originally the location of the old jail and jailer’s residence, this location has been an important part of Cheboygan’s history since 1880. On these grounds, visitors can find the old jail and jailer’s residence building, an exhibit building and a native American log cabin from the late 1800’s.
Elias S. Flaglor was by trade a glass worker but was also an automotive tinkerer. Around 1911 he started to develop a prototype of a cyclecar which was the size of an early motorcycle but twice as wide. He started the Flagler Cycle Car Company out of his house in 1913 and quickly moved to a new temporary location. By 1914 he had moved the company to Cheboygan occupying an old pea canning factory. Trouble with design delayed the car but by April the company was incorporated and was slowly producing vehicles. A regular cyclecar and light delivery vehicle would be the beginning models and orders began to pour in. The vehicles received great reviews and were taken to Detroit to be shown and raced to prove their durability. Although the future seemed bright very few vehicles were made and by 1914 the company was in receivership. Flaglor continued to perhaps produce and sell them out of his house in Chicago where he started but by 1917 the company was officially bankrupt. Flaglor continued in the glass business and doesn't seem to have entered the automobile business in the years following. This stop on the tour is pinned at the Historical Cheboygan County Museum where one can learn more about Flaglor and auto manufacturing in this part of the state.
This location has been an important part of Cheboygan’s history since before it was first settled. Currently the site of the Great Lakes Tissue Company, this is the location where the first sawmill was built in Cheboygan. As the first business to be set up in the area and because of the important history the area has had with the lumber industry, this site has been crucial to the development of Cheboygan.
The Carnegie Library was Cheboygan’s first official free library. It was housed at this address from October 1913 until May 1966. The initial funds, $15,000, came from a grant given by Andrew Carnegie, a steel magnate who was one of the richest Americans in history. After the library closed, the Cheboygan Board of Education occupied offices in the building along with several other small businesses. The building spent some time vacant and in more recent years is being used as a community center holding concerts, art galleries and other events.
Built in 1871, the Newton-Allaire House is a private residence that holds historical significance in Cheboygan. The house was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1979 and was listed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1983. This 8-bedroom, 2 ½ bath Italianate, 2-story red brick house includes a wrap around porch, wide eaves and rounded arch windows. The house is a wonderful representation of affluent life in 19th Century Cheboygan.
As a site that has focused on the arts and entertainment since 1877, the Cheboygan Opera House has had a turbulent history. This Victorian theater has been twice rebuilt after fires razed the buildings and was renovated and rebuilt after being condemned. Overcoming many obstacles, the Cheboygan Opera House has been a historically significant site in Cheboygan for over 140 years.
Frank Kingston opened his Kingston Theatre on March 22, 1920 in downtown Cheboygan. Although there were many other theaters in the area, the Kingston stood out because of its grand size and beautiful Art Deco style architecture. The original theater played movie reels and live performances. There are no longer live performances here, but the theater has expanded to 5 screens.
The Ottawa Hotel was one of the grandest hotels in the area for it’s time. It sat at the corner of State and Main Street, the busiest intersection in the city of Cheboygan for more than 100 years. After being torn down, the lot where the hotel once sat now has a community park that is a modern-day outdoor art exhibit.
Gordon Turner Park lies on the shore of Lake Huron, at the mouth of the Cheboygan River. Named after a local journalist who held special regard in the area, the park includes a large wooden playscape and other playground equipment, a picnic area, a large swimming beach on Lake Huron, a boardwalk that leads to the Cheboygan Crib Light, and a walking trail that leads to an overview of the wetlands.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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Founded in the mid-1800s, Cheboygan has a fascinating history and is filled with landmarks. This historic walking tour will take you to some of the most important locations in Cheboygan’s history, including the Paper Mill, the Old Jail, the Opera House, and the Kingston Theatre.
