Okay, I know I’m going to get hate for this. After all, I’m not a “gamer girl” — not by a long shot. When someone like me voices an opinion on video games, we all know how it tends to end: poorly. I don’t spend hours grinding away at Valorant or CS:GO, and I don’t religiously follow Twitch streamers. I can barely hold my own against greasy middle schoolers in Fortnite, and I refuse to diversify my skills in Super Smash Bros. by playing any character but Princess Peach. Nonetheless, I have an opinion on video games, and I believe one game takes the cake as being the Best One Ever. What game is this, you ask? Stardew Valley, of course!

For those of you unfamiliar with this elite role-playing simulation game, I’ll give you a brief overview. Your character, bored with their unfulfilling life in the dull world of a fictional corporation, quits their job and takes ownership of a farm left to them by their late grandfather. The farm, located in the quiet community of Pelican Town, which sits in the heart of beautiful Stardew Valley, is yours to fix from the ground up. As you rotate through the four seasons, you can grow a variety of crops, raise livestock, forage for natural resources, go fishing for different freshwater and saltwater species, explore the deep layers of a mineral-rich mine, and form important connections with the local NPC (non-playable character) townsfolk. An entirely new world truly awaits you in Stardew Valley.

While this game doesn’t offer the competitive aspect that many people enjoy in video games, it does offer hours of endless fun. I quite like the fact that it doesn’t showcase violence or competition. It provides a relaxing atmosphere that can sweep me away from the stressors of life as a college student. The game also rotates through a daily schedule, so you have to manage your time wisely to complete everything you want to, and while the game is mostly open-ended, there are many different tasks and a general plot that leads you through the game. Stardew Valley provides just enough structure to keep the game interesting and progressing forward, yet is open enough to allow the player to create their own paths as well. That is my favorite thing about the game, and why I truly believe it to be superior. Everything, from the peaceful music to the cheery graphics, will engulf you into the fictional setting of Pelican Town, and you’ll soon find yourself engrossed in the drama of the local townspeople and the world around them. 

Oftentimes role-playing games like Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing are looked down upon as being basic and overrated. I think this is because the games were popularized by people that don’t typically play a lot of video games, and I don’t think the hate is deserved at all. Both of these games are incredibly detailed and provide the players with a plethora of opportunities and pathways. They have great storylines and provide an alternative to the mainstream violent video games that are popular among hardcore players. 

That isn’t to say that “hardcore gamers” don’t enjoy Stardew Valley either. Plenty of my “gamer” friends, who actively enjoy competitive games like Overwatch, also find themselves intrigued by the creative world of Stardew Valley. People don’t value Stardew Valley as much as these competitive games because you aren’t really winning anything, and you don’t receive ratings or points. While you don’t get this sort of instantaneous gratification in Stardew Valley, I would argue that just because a game isn’t competitive doesn’t mean it’s a lesser game. The progress and gratification are still there — it’s just more gradual. When you take a look back at your farm after a while of playing, you’ll see how far you’ve come. The game also offers progress monitoring through tracking your skills (such as farming, mining or fishing) and your relationships with the NPCs. Besides, I don’t want to say competitive games are a battle of the egos, but they kind of are. While I’m immensely proud of Lilac Haven (my beautiful Stardew Valley farm) I wouldn’t curse out a middle schooler if they had a better farm than me, catch my drift?

The communities of competitive games like League of Legends or Rainbow Six: Siege tend to be a bit toxic, as told to me by individuals familiar with the games, but you won’t find that in Stardew Valley. Instead, you’ll just find a group of individuals that enjoy the game’s relaxing atmosphere and are willing to offer tips and tricks to mastering the game.

To sum it up, why is Stardew Valley the best game out there? It’s relaxing, it’s non-toxic, it’s cute, it’s creative, and it’s fun. While I admit that’s a bit of a silly summary, it’s the simplest way to put it. I believe in Stardew Valley superiority, and that’s that.

Last year, a group of students from Michigan Tech’s Sustainability Demonstration House (SDH) started a new tradition meant to reduce waste and encourage reusing and recycling in the Keweenaw. The first-ever Waste Reduction Drive was a hit in 2020, and this year, the SDH is bringing the drive back, bigger and better than ever. According to Rose Turner, coordinator of the Sustainability Demonstration House, “The main goal of this drive is to reduce the amount of waste sent to the landfill in the Keweenaw.” 

The SDH team has selected a number of items that are not able to be recycled curbside and has found them other homes beyond the landfill. Items like styrofoam egg cartons are especially difficult to recycle, as there are only a handful of recycling centers that can process styrofoam across the United States. “I think one of the most important ones to mention is the egg cartons,” Turner says. “We give all of the egg cartons back to local chicken farmers in our community. We’re essentially trying to close the loop with egg cartons.” Egg cartons are hard to properly recycle, and often take many years to decompose in landfills. By saving egg cartons and providing them to local chicken farmers, those farmers don’t have to spend money on them, and they stay out of the landfill. Egg cartons of all varieties (styrofoam, plastic, cardboard, etc.) will be collected by the SDH in the Waste Reduction Drive this year. 

Another item typically difficult to recycle is plastic film. This includes ziplock bags, bubble wrap, plastic wrap, and other forms of plastic that do not contain a recycling number. Trex, a company that manufactures composite decking boards, uses a unique blend of wood and plastic to make their boards. This creates a strong formula that holds up better in rough weather conditions (like the conditions we’re familiar with here in the Keweenaw) while also reducing plastic waste sent to the landfill. “How often do we use plastic wrap? How often do we get grocery bags at the store, or bubble wrap in the mail?” Turner adds. “Let’s collect this and send it off to be turned into decking board.” 

Plastic bottle caps are commonly believed to be recyclable. While the plastic they are made out of technically is recyclable, their small size makes them too difficult to be properly recycled. When they arrive at recycling facilities, they are sent back to a landfill. To avoid this waste, the SDH has partnered with a company called Preserve. Through their Gimme 5 program, these #5 polypropylene plastics are collected by Preserve and made into new materials, such as plastic plates, toothbrushes, razors and more. “It’s really important that we keep those out of our recycling bins and we send them off to Preserve to actually be recycled into a usable product,” says Turner. In addition to their recycled plasticware, Preserve also sells a number of compostable, plant-based products. 

Beyond the environmental benefits that the Waste Reduction Drive holds, Turner says there are other benefits the drive holds to the community. “The underlying goal is we need to educate the community on the many recycling and reuse opportunities available to us,” she says. Taking the time to stop before throwing something away is a key step into reducing waste. If the item can be recycled or reused in any way, it should be. “Just because something can’t be recycled in the blue curbside bin, doesn’t mean it can’t be recycled at all,” Turner says. The SDH also hopes this will help people really take a look at all the items they throw away every day and consider budget-friendly and environmentally conscious alternatives. Items such as toothpaste tabs, beeswax wrap or reusable plastic bags are just some ways one can reduce waste, and reduce their purchasing of said items. 

Last year, the drive was extremely successful, with over 46,000 items collected by the SDH. That’s 46,000 items diverted from landfills, and 46,000 items reused and recycled into different products. “We were not expecting that many,” Turner says. “But it was crazy how many items we got.” The support from the local community was extremely positive, and Turner says many people at the drop-off were extremely appreciative of what the SDH was doing, and were excited to participate again in 2021. 

The Waste Reduction Drive is available to everyone in the Keweenaw community that would like to participate. Currently, there are a number of drop-off boxes in the local community for a select number of items. For Michigan Tech students, razors, dental products and plastic film products can be dropped off in collection boxes in the McNair Hall lobby, outside the dining hall in Wadsworth Hall, and near the mailboxes in Douglass Houghton Hall. For community members or off-campus students, these items can be brought to the collection box in Houghton’s City Center, located downtown, near the UPS drop-off location that is open 24/7. According to Turner, a Hancock location is potentially in the works as well.

The rest of the items (plastic bottle caps and rings, foil-lined wrappers and egg cartons) should be saved up and dropped off on the official collection date, April 17. A location has yet to be determined, but the SDH is planning for this to be central to MTU campus, and they will be announcing more information soon. Last year, the drop-off day functioned as a drive-through, and Turner says this was extremely successful. This year, they plan to continue the drive-through process while also having a walk-up option for the many students that will be on-campus. 

For a full list of items that the SDH is collecting for the Second Annual Waste Reduction Drive, click here. If you are interested in volunteering for the drive, please contact the SDH by email at sdh@mtu.edu. Local chicken farmers that are interested in receiving reused egg cartons should also reach out at that email address. To see more of what the Sustainability Demonstration House is up to, you can check them out on Instagram @mtu.sdh or visit their website.

Each semester at Michigan Tech is as stressful as the next — exams, lab reports, essays and other assignments pile up as we hunker down to endure difficult MTU classes. Online classes, the COVID-19 pandemic, and politics added to the chaos of 2020. Now, this academic year is proving more difficult than those of the past. Now more than ever is a time where we need to step back, take a deep breath, and realign ourselves to make sure that we are healthy, both in body and mind. 

Michigan Tech’s Center for Student Mental Health and Well-Being is offering various programs throughout the semester to help students that are feeling overwhelmed or just altogether uneasy with their mental health. These include workshops, support and self-improvement groups, free and informal counseling sessions, and more. 

A variety of workshops will take place throughout the semester. The goal of these workshops is to guide students in a specific area in their academic or personal life that they may need help with. The varying topics include Mindful Living, Creating Career Confidence, and Motivation 101, among others. To see the full list of workshops, including dates, times and how to sign up, click here. For additional information or questions, you can also reach out to well-being@mtu.edu.

The self-improvement and support groups, who meet virtually via Zoom, are a way for students to connect and support each other when going through the same things. There are groups that handle a wide range of scenarios that Michigan Tech students go through. Some are focused on dealing with different mental struggles, while others range from covering anxiety and stress to grief and loss. For the full list of self-improvement and support groups, and to see meeting times and group contacts, click here. 

For those wanting more professional support, the Center for Student Mental Health and Well-Being also offers free, confidential, and informal counseling consultations. Currently, all consultations are held through Zoom and will continue to be until further notice. The counselors understand that scheduling and attending a counseling session can be awkward and uncomfortable, so their goal is to put students’ minds at ease with counseling services. For information on how to schedule your first appointment, click here. To schedule an appointment, click here, call 906-487-2538, or email counseling@mtu.edu. 

More information on additional programs and events will be published soon in the Student Scoop, a weekly newsletter from MTU’s Student Leadership and Involvement. It’s time to move past the stigma surrounding mental health and wellness. Instead, we should focus on how we can improve awareness for the issues that Michigan Tech students struggle with internally, and help them through it.

If you are in need of mental health services, please reach out to the Center for Student Mental Health and Well-Being by phone at 906-487-2538 or by email at counseling@mtu.edu. For more information on their counseling services, click here. To report a concern regarding mental health or other situations, click here. You can also reach out to Copper Country Community Mental Health Services during their normal operating hours at (906) 482-9404 or by their 24-hour hotline at 1-800-526-5059. To reach Michigan Tech Public Safety’s non-emergency line, call 906-487-2216. For emergencies, please call 911.

Most Michigan Tech students are familiar with K-Day — a beloved Tech tradition that includes an early weekend (no classes after 12 p.m.), an afternoon in the beautiful outdoors of the Keweenaw, and a campus-wide activity fair. K-Day is hosted every September, which is great for organizations that want to recruit new members during the fall semester. This is also great for students who wish to join new groups — but what about those that wish to join or recruit during the spring semester? 

Well, fear not, as Michigan Tech has started a great new tradition: the Fireside Fair! This new spring involvement fair will take place for the first time this Thursday, Jan. 14 from 1 to 3 p.m. virtually on Involvement Link. The Fireside Fair is a great opportunity for students to connect with different groups on campus that they might have not otherwise known existed. While most events are not happening in-person this semester, many groups have adapted to our virtual reality by hosting events and meetings online, just as this spring semester involvement link will be.

Joining a student organization is a great way to make the most of your time at Michigan Tech. Make new friends, get involved in the MTU community, forge important connections and have a great time while doing all of these things. Not to mention, having a well-rounded college experience through participation in different groups, events and extracurriculars looks great to potential employers and on a resume! 

To attend this virtual event, head on over to Involvement Link and find the Fireside Involvement Fair event listing. In addition to maybe finding the student org of your dreams, you can sign up through this link to enter to win a great prize from Student Leadership and Involvement. Student organizations set to make a virtual appearance at the Fireside Fair include MUB Board, many Greek life groups, the Society of Women Engineers, and the Lode itself — yes, we are looking for new members! 

Once again, the first-ever Fireside Fair will take place Thursday, Jan. 14 from 1 to 3 p.m. on Involvement Link. For those of you that are considering stopping by, we hope to see you there!

As the semester drags slowly forward in the limbo that is the period between Thanksgiving Break and exam week, it can be hard to stop and smell the roses as a stressed-out college student. By “stop and smell the roses,” I mean taking a break from school to enjoy oneself. What better way to have some fun than by immersing yourself in the arts? While Michigan Tech is predominantly a STEM school, we also happen to have an incredible group of artists, musicians and other creative individuals at our disposal. If you’re looking to enjoy some live music, a virtual concert, titled “Reparations 2,” will be presented this Saturday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. by Michigan Tech’s Superior Wind Symphony, under the direction of Mike Chirstianson, Director of Bands.

“Reparations 2” will showcase the work of African American composers from the 1700s onwards. Traditionally underrepresented in their fields, this concert will feature artists that have not received the attention or recognition that popular white composers have. The concert is the second of four in the Reparations series, which showcases works from minority composers of all backgrounds. 

Take some time away from your busy schedule to support local musicians and recognize underrepresented composers with this virtual concert. Immerse yourself in the calming atmosphere of the symphony, and the wondrous harmony of symphony music. 

The Superior Wind Symphony will perform “Reparations 2” virtually on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. free to the public. You can view it on the Rozsa Center’s website here, or on their Facebook page. For more information, or to add it to your calendar, check out the Michigan Tech Events Page.

While you may not know what a medical laboratory scientist does, you’ve probably been impacted by their work at one point in your life. Whether it’s a routine blood or urine test or something more serious, before any decision is made regarding treatment or diagnosis, your doctor consults tests run by hospital lab staff, which, you guessed it–is made up of medical laboratory scientists! 

Medical Laboratory Scientists are in high demand, and graduates from Michigan Tech’s Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) program are “often at the front of the line,” according to the program’s website. This “front of the line” mentality is especially evident in the MLS students that work in Michigan Tech’s own COVID-19 laboratory. Not only does this provide students with hands-on, real-world experience, but it also greatly helps the local community in its own battle against the coronavirus. 

The Society of Medical Laboratory Scientists (SMLS) is a student organization on Michigan Tech’s campus that is made up of MLS students. According to Public Relations Officer Kailee Kovach, the mission of the group is, “to connect future and current professionals in the medical laboratory science community while fostering a sense of success, academic excellence, and community involvement.” 

This mission is clearly seen in the group’s work, both on and off campus. In addition to the COVID-19 lab, SMLS members also participate in study groups and various volunteer activities, such as Make a Difference Day. Typically the group will host HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) students from local high schools in the main MLS lab, where students will be introduced to MLS and participate in different lab-related demonstrations. These events have been postponed due to COVID, but SMLS looks forward to hosting them again in the future. 

Spreading word of what Medical Laboratory Scientists do is also a big mission of the group. “A lot of people don’t even know that medical lab science is an area of study, and if we can educate more people on our field, we see it as a huge benefit,” Kovach says. “Approximately 70% of medical decisions are made with laboratory testing information in mind and there is a national shortage of scientists. In a pandemic, it’s important more than ever that people know what we do.”

Beyond helping each other succeed academically and professionally, SMLS is also a close group of friends. Because they are part of a small department, most students take all of their major-related classes together. They get to know each other, as well as their instructors, on a more personal level, something that is unique at a university with some very large departments.

SMLS members pride themselves on having a “super inclusive, welcoming, fun, and crazy (smart) environment to study and talk to others in,” Kovach says. “It’s been harder with the pandemic, but I think when people come to one of our meetings or join us for a case study review, it’s always a lot of fun.”

To learn more about the Society of Medical Laboratory Scientists at Michigan Tech, you can contact Public Relations Officers Kailee Kovach at kmkovach@mtu.edu and Lilly Van Loon at ljvanloon@mtu.edu or SMLS president Bee Kellogg at bakellog@mtu.edu. You can also check out the group on Involvement Link or Facebook. To see what an MLS degree at Michigan Tech can do for you, check out the program here. 

Though broomball will face some changes this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the university and the Inter-Residence Housing Council (IRHC) Broomball committee have worked hard to ensure that one of the most popular traditions among Michigan Tech students remains intact this year. 

Broomball originally started back in the 1950s as a Winter Carnival event, though the setup was a little different. Instead of the three courts we typically see on Walker Lawn, games were played at the famous Dee Stadium, once home to all Michigan Tech hockey games. The game quickly caught on and moved beyond just a Winter Carnival event. In the 1980s, residence halls began to form leagues like we see today. While more rules have been added, Michigan Tech maintains some original traditions, such as the type of footwear worn by players and duct tape covered brooms. 

IRHC took over broomball in the 1990s, and it became more reminiscent of the fun we know today. The first broomball rink was built where the Rozsa Center is today, and after the addition of more rinks and the construction of the Rozsa Center, broomball games were moved to Walker Lawn. 

Now, broomball is a vital part of Michigan Tech’s campus culture. With three rinks, a cocoa shack (though it won’t be appearing this season), leagues that include each residence hall, off-campus students and a women-only group, broomball is beloved by students, faculty, alumni and community members. 

For more information on broomball this season, and Michigan Tech’s history with broomball, visit IRHC’s broomball website. 

You’ve seen their liquid nitrogen explosions at K-Day, heard the roar of the Whoosh Bottle at many of their events and observed the wonder of non-Newtonian fluids at their Oobleck displays. Which Michigan Tech organization is this? If you guessed Mind Trekkers, you’re correct! 

Mind Trekkers is a flagship program of Michigan Technological University’s Center for Educational Outreach. Michigan Tech students volunteer their time as Mind Trekkers guides who travel the country with the group to showcase a traveling STEM show with high energy demonstrations and crazy smart dedication to the K-12 students they’re serving. The group’s main goal, according to Vice President of Membership Maria Huber, is to inspire these kids to one day pursue careers in STEM, just as most Trekkers themselves have. 

“We primarily seek to achieve this goal with the implementation of a road show composed of short, 5 minute or less, engaging hands-on science experiments,” Huber says. These demonstrations are short enough to captivate the attention spans of the K-12 students, but also impactful enough for them to learn and have fun. In addition to their traveling road shows, they also typically host events in the local community and on-campus. Finally, some Trekkers also take the things they’ve learned through Mind Trekkers to inspire kids in their communities back home. Their largest local event is the Copper Country Science and Engineering Festival, which is targeted at local students in the Keweenaw.

Like most student organizations, Mind Trekkers has faced many challenges associated with COVID-19. As safety regulations prohibit large gatherings and many students aren’t having in-person classes, many of their roadshow events have had to be cancelled and postponed. To keep MTU students involved, the group has made many plans to keep on Trekking. “We are launching a video series through social media to bring science demonstrations right to the homes of students,” Huber says. “We are also planning on hosting interactive virtual events for students in the classroom.”

Mind Trekkers also offers incredible opportunities for the Tech students involved. It offers them real-world connections with representatives from the group’s impressive list of sponsors and gives them hand-on experience with K-12 students, if they’re looking for a future career in education.

The impression left on each student that comes to the Mind Trekkers events is immeasurable. For many students, Mind Trekkers may be their first or only introduction to real STEM experiments. With smaller schools not having the access or funds to provide such experiences in the classroom, Mind Trekkers offers a great alternative. As Mind Trekkers is made up of students from all types of backgrounds, K-12 students can see themselves in these older peers, and it helps them to realize that they too can become a scientist, engineer, mathematician, or whatever they put their minds to! 

 If you’re a Michigan Tech student who is interested in volunteering with Mind Trekkers, feel free to contact Maria Huber at mmhuber@mtu.edu or join the group on Involvement Link. Here’s a full list of their demonstrations, which you can recreate at home, and for more information on their road shows, click here. For any additional questions, visit their website or contact group President Drew Hull at adhull@mtu.edu.

If you’re a Michigan Tech student, then chances are you know a mechanical engineering student. Maybe it’s a close friend, your neighbor, or a classmate, either way, we all know one. Mechanical Engineering is the most common major at Michigan Tech, according to a report by the university from 2019. Oddly enough, many students may not be aware that there is a student organization dedicated to mechanical engineering students here at Tech! According to ASME at MTU’s president, Valerie Lynch, the group is “a chapter of a global professional society specifically for mechanical engineers.”

The global organization’s goal is to serve diverse communities with the applications of engineering in every aspect of life. Made up of professional engineers, academics and students alike, ASME as a whole is a professional organization for those in the mechanical engineering field. Michigan Tech’s version of the organization is dedicated to the advancement and success of Tech students.

Beyond an experience for mechanical engineering students to network and make friends with similar interests, ASME also offers unique opportunities relevant to the Michigan Tech experience. The group offers a chance for students to network with companies interested in hiring mechanical engineers, in a variety of business types. Past activities include a tour of the Keweenaw Brewing Company, resume reviews with representatives from Ford, presentations from Georgia Pacific and Marathon and more! They also participate in fun design challenges as a group, such as Lego competitions and a Sharpie Launcher Challenge, where they used limited supplies to create a design to launch a Sharpie. 

ASME is open to all Michigan Tech students with an interest in mechanical engineering. If you’re interested in joining, reach out to President Valerie Lynch at vrlynch@mtu.edu or Secretary Abby Bevilacqua at aabevila@mtu.edu. You can also join them on Involvement Link to stay up to date on meeting and event times. They are also available on Instagram @asme.mtu.  

The Upper Peninsula is home to so much rich history, and with it, plenty of legends and tall tales. From maritime anecdotes to wilderness stories, there’s no shortage of strangeness in the UP’s historical accounts. Just in time for Halloween, Here are five of the best unexplained and spooky UP stories. These are just some of my personal favorites, as there are so many more tales around the peninsula! 

The Paulding Light – Paulding

Perhaps the most infamous of Upper Peninsula legends, the Paulding Light is a mysterious glowing orb that appears in a clearing near the road. Legend says that the light is the ghost of a railroad employee who met his demise at the location, while others say it’s just a result of swamp gas or reflective car lights. Michigan Tech students even did a research project on it in 2010, promptly declaring the orb to be a result of headlights. Either way, it’s appeared almost nightly since the 1960s and remains a favorite mystery of Copper Country residents and tourists alike. 

Calumet Theatre – Calumet

The Calumet Theatre is well-known in the local area for its favorite ghostly actress, Madame Helena Modjeska. Modjeska was a famous Shakespearean actress, born in Poland, who performed at the theatre a few times in its early years. In 1958, actress Addyse Lane claimed Modjeska’s ghost helped her with forgotten lines during a performance of “Taming of the Shrew,” and the theatre has had this spooky reputation ever since. Modjeska is not believed to be alone, however, as theatre staff report many unusual occurrences, such as unexplained music, cold drafts, and randomly locked doors. 

Marquette Harbor Lighthouse – Marquette

As if the thought of being a lighthouse keeper isn’t eerie enough (Imagine lone, dark nights during a stormy winter, right on Lake Superior’s edge? No thanks!), most lighthouses have their own ghost stories, too. The Marquette Harbor Lighthouse, which overlooks the rocky shore of Lake Superior, is said to be haunted by the spirit of a little girl. The ghost is said to be seen peering out a window on the top floor, typically during times when Superior is at its calmest. Having toured this lighthouse myself when I was younger, I remember our tour guide saying that a child visiting the house on a past tour reported playing ball with a mysterious young girl that no one else had seen.

The Landmark Inn – Marquette

This historic and scenic hotel has been a favorite sight in Marquette for decades, and while the inn offers some incredible wonders in terms of architecture and history, it also offers plenty of spooky stories. The Landmark Inn’s most popular haunted story centers around the luxurious Lilac Room on its sixth floor, a common meeting place. Called the “Lilac Lady,” this supposed spirit haunts the room and makes unexplained phone calls from the Lilac Room when no one else is around. Her ghost is also said to roam the halls after these random calls are received by the front desk. 

Le Griffon – Lake Michigan

A summary of spooky Upper Peninsula events wouldn’t be complete without a shipwreck, as the UP’s history is so heavily reliant on the surrounding Great Lakes. Le Griffon is perhaps one of the most famous Great Lakes shipwrecks as its wreckage has never been recovered. Having vanished in 1679, Le Griffon is one of the region’s earliest shipwrecks, and individuals have been hunting for its remains for years. The ship was last seen after a stop on Washington Island (a Wisconsin island in the Green Bay portion of Lake Michigan) as it headed east for the Straits of Mackinac, and then onward to Niagara. Researchers believe that the remnants of Le Griffon probably lie in waters off Poverty Island, on the southern border between the UP and Lake Michigan. While this tale isn’t particularly attached solely to the Upper Peninsula, it definitely has some historical significance here.