Life as a Lumberjack in Michigan

What is your favorite memory of living in a small town?

"Growing up in a small town of Alpena. I was born here. I was raised here during lumbering days. I was born in 1937, I saw my Dad do many things. A lot of fishing went on. We did a lot of lumbering. He was a lumberjack. I learned the great trade from him, building all kinds of wooden material. I learned to work with woods, and go team the horses, split lumber, split logs and worked in sawmills during my lifetime. Broke from here to (?) island. It is a very small community. I live with, most of them were Indians at the time.

It's been a great life. It's been a struggle, but we made it through. My parents are gone now but they still remain. I still remember, the small towns we lived in. The fishing that went on, all of the places I ever lived. It's been quite a journey, my life. I don't think I'm through yet. It's been fun all these years. Now my children I'm trying to show them what I've done and hopefully they enjoy some of the things that I have done."

Asset ID: 7071

Museum on Main Street storytelling platforms provide an opportunity for small and rural communities and their residents to share their thoughts, opinions, and anecdotes. However, the opinions and ideas expressed by individual storytellers’ may not necessarily be those maintained by the Smithsonian. Individual storytellers’ and their collaborators are solely responsible for the content of their narratives and stories.