Secret Upper Peninsula: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure

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? At the end of each winter what do Yoopers—those hardy souls who call the UP home—measure with a 30-foot tall “thermometer?” 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 into this insider’s guide to learn about the fascinating quirks and curiosities of the land of Gitche Gumee.


About the author:

Bi-peninsular Kath Usitalo grew up in Detroit and is now at home in the Upper Peninsula near Naubinway, at the northernmost point of Lake Michigan. She explores, writes about, and photographs the Great Lakes State for print and online publications and her own e-zine, GreatLakesGazette.com. Secret Upper Peninsula is a natural companion to her Reedy Press books 100 Things to Do in the Upper Peninsula Before You Die and 100 Things to Do on Mackinac Island Before You Die.