Kath Usitalo

Secret Upper Peninsula Kath Usitalo

How did a sparsely populated landmass surrounded by Great Lakes and completely separated from the rest of the state become the Upper Peninsula of Michigan? What do Yoopers—those hardy souls who call the UP home—race through town to break up the long winters? And should you put ketchup or gravy on a pasty? You’ll find the answers to these questions and many more in Secret Upper Peninsula: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. You may know that the UP inspired Longfellow’s “The Song of Hiawatha,” but what about works by Ernest Hemingway and Da Yoopers? Find out where a popular Chicago cartoonist summered in a cottage shaped like a giant pickle barrel, and where a ghost town comes alive once a year for a gathering of the descendants of copper mining families. Discover why believers say the mysterious Paulding Light is the lantern of a railroad man who perished on the tracks, or where to find the world’s longest porch and one of the least-visited National Parks. Local author Kath Usitalo takes you deep into the densely forested peninsula that might seem like one big, isolated secret to an outsider. Delve in to this insider’s guide to learn about the fascinating quirks and curiosities of the land of Gitche Gumee.