TRAVEL IN MICHIGAN

NOVEMBER 2026
www.travelinmichigan.com

This a tale of skullduggery that didn't begin in Michigan but part of it ends here.

On October 16, 1869, workers in Cardiff, New York, unearthed what appeared to be the body of an ancient 10-foot-tall petrified man. Over the next several months, people flocked to catch a glimpse of the so-called “Cardiff Giant,” and many hailed it as one of the most significant archeological discoveries of the 19th century. Believe it or not, there was some fakery involved.

CARDIFF GIANT

I am told that the original is in upstate New York. I haven't seen that one, but I have seen the fake. It was on display at Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum in the old Farmington Hills location. Marvin's has moved to West Bloomfield Township. I plan to check it out on my next visit to that area. You can get the full story in my book Oddities & Rarities - Michigan Back Roads available in shops all over Michigan and on my website.

Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum
www.marvin3m.com
Museum in West Bloomfield Township, MI
6421 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield Township, MI 48322

All of the destinations featured in this newsletter can be found on www.michiganbackroads.com and www.upnorthmichigan.com with more pictures, information and directions.

You can check road conditions ahead of time by using the MDOT Live Road Cams link.