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Before the Bridge - Story of the Mackinac Straits Ferries |
This is the story of the fleet of ferries and their predecessors that formed the first link between Michigan's two peninisulas. Today travelers cross the Mackinac Straits via the Mackinac Bridge without ever leaving their cars, but untill 1957 it was necessary to take a break from driving in order to cross via one of the many state-operated ferries. The carferries operated along with the famous train ferry "Cheif Wawatam". While the 'Chief' operated into the 1970's, carferry service ended on November 1, 1957 (after the Mighty Mac was opened). Take a trip with us back in time and see what straits travel was like before the bridge. Through the use of rare color footage and interviews with former ferry workers, we'll make this journey possible. | DVD | 55 minutes | grades 4-12 |
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Building the Mighty Mac |
Building the Mighty Mac is an award-winning documentary about the Mackinac Bridge. The program was produced in Hollywood by Mark Howell and includes extremely rare 16 mm color footage showing all stages of the bridge’s construction. These digitally restored archival finds are blended with interviews with those who helped build the structure, presenting a fast-moving, informative program, fun for all ages to enjoy. Recently, more rare color footage of the bridge’s construction was located, restored and added to the program. | DVD | 60 minutes | grades 4-12 | Plus: Includes Two Fully Restored Bonus Documentary Films !! - Miracle Bridge Over Mackinac (DVD - 30 Minutes) and Mackinac Bridge Diary (DVD - 30 Minutes)
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Railroads Connect Michigan |
The advent of the railroad expanded commerce and added to the growth of towns. This video looks at the negative and positive impact of this new transportation. Historical facts and a generous number of interesting sidelights keep the story interesting.
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Ballooning, Blimps and Airship |
The Producers of this program, Al and Dave Eicher, have spent 8 years researching historic events in Michigan and Ohio relating to man’s involvement in flight. Over 500 scenes were gathered from old photos, vintage movie films and artwork to build a timeline of events. The documentary covers the 19th century experiments, the Civil War, WWI and WWII. Movie footage of the Gordon Bennet Balloon Races show the WJR Radio Balloon and other Michigan Balloon entries. In 1998, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. commissioned the Eicher’s to produce a video documentary for their 100th Anniversary. Information was also found in more than 50 newspapers throughout Michigan and Ohio. This documentary also covers the history of the U.S. Navy’s Rigid Airships, the Akron, Macon, Los Angeles and the Shenandoah, plus the Hindenburg and the Graf Zeppelin, made in Germany. 42 minutes plus historic previews.
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Charles Lindberg Family |
While the emphasis of this video is on the life of the famous flyer of Little Falls and his early life in Minnesota, this program also traces the origin of his family in the state.
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