The Heart of La Branche, a stone about the size of a six-pack discovered in a gravel pit near the Upper Peninsula City of Escanaba.
“The stone is in the shape of a heart, smooth and weighs about 100 pounds,” said Michigan Author Ron Rademacher. “There are some magnetic properties and when hit by a hammer it sounds like a bell. The best explanation of the object, an ancient meteor.”
The Heart of La Branche is just one of several Michigan items and destinations that adventurers detailed from 6-7 p.m., Jan. 29, when the Brandon Township Library, 304 South St., will host Author Ron Rademacher who will discuss his book Oddities & Rarities-Mysteries & Legends in small Michigan towns. Registration is required.
“It’s out on the back roads of Michigan where visitors just drive right by,” said Rademacher.
Rademacher has three criteria about his work: it must be not so famous and always overlooked; he had to see it with my own eyes and it has to be fun.
“Everything has to be real and I describe how to get there,” he said. “Each of these road trips leads to a destination with an unusual feature. Some are unexplained or extremely rare artifacts.”
Often the locals don’t know it’s there, said Rademacher.
“I love suggestions too,” he said.
Rademacher has seven books in print, a podcast and more than 7,000 subscribe to his newsletter.
“I love Michigan and I love Michigan history,” he said. “What I write about will have an element of history too.”