Burgess Corners Grocery Store and Filling Station
When I do photography workshops in Northern Michigan, this quaint, early 1920s grocery store and filling station is one of the stops on our field trips.
Burgess Corners Michigan
Burgess Corners is almost 150 years old. Early settlers were farmers and loggers and a large lumber mill stood at this intersection until the early 1900s. A large general store at this intersection burned in the early 1940s. According to Wikipedia, Burgess Corners “began as a sawmill settlement in 1877 and was named after mill owner E. H. Burgess. A post office operated in Burgess from February 28, 1877 until July 14, 1904.”
Filling Station, 1920.
Despite the 1920 date on this sign on the front door, an information sign inside the store says this building was built in 1922.
On past trips to this store the front door was locked and taking pictures through the windows was the only way to get images of the inside. On this trip the front door was unlocked with a sign on the counter asking visitors not to take the historic objects inside. It’s called trust. I hope visitors are worthy of that trust.
Anoush at the counter.
I tried to imagine a sales clerk behind the counter.
Wire Recording Machine.
A variety of historic items are in the store, including this wire recording device. Magnetic recordings were made on stainless steel wire or thin pieces of steel.
Pig iron “bloom”.
Other historic artifacts are on display, like this low grade pig iron “bloom” which is the product of a primitive form of smelting.
Burgess Corners, October 14, 2023. Click the image to see a larger version.
This collage of six photos is from a workshop field trip in October 2023. In the 6th photo note the glass reflection from shooting through a window.
Burgess Corners, October 14, 2013. Click the image to see a larger version.
When we were there last fall the remains of an old vehicle were in the yard. It is no longer there.
If cute, 100 year old stores and historic objects are your thing, this place is worth a stop. It is not far from Charlevoix and Petoskey in northern Michigan.
Burgess Corners. Click to see a larger version
From Charlevoix Michigan go east on U.S. 31. From Petoskey Michigan go west on U.S. 31. Turn south on Burgess Road and go one mile to Old U.S. 31. The store is on the southeast corner of the intersection, marked on this map with a yellow pin.
FYI, Lake Michigan Shores Roadside Park on U.S. 31, also marked by a yellow pin on this satellite map, is one of my favorite sunset locations.
All of the images in this article (except for the satellite map) are iPhone photos.
Links
The history of Hayes Township and Burgess Corners
Hayes Township and Burgess Corners at Wikipedia