Letter dated December 15th, 1862. Lansing, Mich. Samuel S. Lacey to Emil Baur
Author: Michael Hardy
Mike Hardy is the owner of Thumbwind Publications. It started in 2009 as a fun-loving blog covering the wind industry of Michigan's Upper Thumb. Since then, he authored a vast range of content and established a loyal base of 25,000 visitors per month. Sites now include Michigan4You.com, TwoVerbs.com, Ora-Labora.org, and he collaborates with his son on OutdoorSkillz.com. Mike welcomes your feedback, which can be found on Thumbwind.com's "About" page.
Ora Labora Colony Group Photograph
Inscription on the back reads ” Member’s of the Ora et Labora Community, Wildfowl Bay Michigan. Circa 1865.
From the Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan.
Ora Labora Sketch from Researcher 1970
This is a graphic of a possible representation of the Ora Labora German Colony overlaid on a map showing roads has they existed in 1970 until today. Note that much of the colony is situated away from the shore and abuts Indian Trail (Sand Road)
Ora Labora: Lost Town in Michigan
Another compilation is that of Alan Naldrett’s 2015 Lost Towns of Eastern Michigan. Comments of various researchers on this book place its value just above a tabloid… Read more “Ora Labora: Lost Town in Michigan”
Excerpt -A Huron Community Experiment
A summary of the Ora Labora German Colony from the 1922 book “Pioneer History of Huron County”
Ora Labora Litho Detail
Select areas of the 1865 Lithograph zoomed in for interest and clarity. The German colony was located just north of Bay Port
Ora Labora Lithograph 1865
Ora Labora, Michigan, lithograph by Ehrgott, Forbriger & Co. after image by H. Roedel dated 20 January 1865. Note the wide main road going from what is today’s Sand (or Trail) Road to the shore of Wild Fowl Bay.
From the collections of Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Introducing Ora-Labora.org
ora-labora.org will be utilized to establish a research and educational site in which to discuss and offer primary source research on the German Colony established in 1862 in Michigan’s Wild Fowl Bay region.
Emil Baur Land Grant Records
Emil Baur land grant records from 1863
