Eight hundred thousand people live in this 383 year old city. Founded in 1620 by Etienne Brulé and called Brulé's Landing, this trading post and dock saw the rise and fall of American Colonialism. By the early 1800s, it became known as Midway City, although it was little more than a town. It was not until the late 1840s that Midway truly became a city. Spurred on by the Industrial Revolution, Midway grew vast and populous as immigrants filled the need for factory workers.

Today Midway City is a busy and vital industrial center. From automobiles to household appliances to ships bound for the Great Lakes and beyond, fourteen percent of all "Made in America" products are assembled in Midway factories. Only in the last fifteen years has Midway been surpassed by Keystone City, Kansas as America's most productive city in terms of manufactured goods. Midway is also the home of the Bi-State Tunnel. The Bi-State is the longest sub-aquatic tunnel in the United States. It connects the US to Ontario, Canada, making Midway City an important shipping center, not only for sea craft, but for land freight as well. This easily explains the presence of two of the country's most respected jewelry firms, The House of Jewels and Charters, Inc.

Despite the heavy industry of the city, Midway remains one of the cleanest and most pleasant locales in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It is home to the exclusive and high brow Viking Woods, which boasts the famous Midway City Country Club and serves as home to such luminaries as poet and novelist Edward Powe, wealthy marine archeologist Harvey Ellison, and billionaire Steve Dayton and his late wife, actress Rita Farr. Although not directly in the Viking Woods district, the brownstone mansion of the late Dr. Niles Caulder is located nearby.

Midway City is home to three excellent museums: the Midway City Art Museum, the Midway City Art Center, which also houses theatrical facilities and partakes in many community programs; and the Midway City Museum. The Midway City Museum is the most notable of the three, a fact largely due to the efforts, both in the field and at home, of former curator and archeologist Carter Hall. Hall took over the role of curator in the early 1960s upon the retirement his predecessor and friend Ed Emmett, whose brother served as Police Commissioner. Hall made a pointed effort to establish solid relationships with field archeologists of the highest caliber, including Adam Strange. In less than four years, Hall turned Midway City Museum into what it is today, one of America's finest historical museums, housing the largest single collection of medieval weaponry and artifacts in the world.

In addition to its many avenues for archeology and art, Midway City houses both the respected Mount Tobar Observatory and State University, whose pioneering science department draws many of the greatest laboratory scientists in every imaginable field.

Much for the student and the businessman, but for the tourist? Midway City is set in the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Some of the country's best hunting and fishing is found in "the UP", as well as some of the most picturesque landscape in the Great Lakes region. Due west of Midway is the city of Sault Sainte Marie, MI, which serves as a wonderful outpost to Michigan's gorgeous wilderness. A short ferry ride east will take you to Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario, Canada, a traveler's haven with a warm, welcome hand.

The Continental is the most expensive hotel in town. It is easily the best hotel I have ever stayed in, six out of five stars good, but it will cost you.

Cardinal Stadium hosts the NFL's Cardinals and the MLB's Chiefs. Built in 1972, Cardinal stadium sits in the middle of downtown Midway.

About six blocks from the stadium is Merlin's Lair. A unique, enjoyable establishment, this magic-themed bar is a very popular night spot whose singular drinks are second to none.

If you are looking for the best way to visit Michigan, come to Midway City. Its pleasant environment makes for wonderful stays, and its location gives easy access to not only the UP, but to our Northern neighbor as well. But if you need to get someplace further away than Canada, let me close with this. Zelazny Aircraft is a charter service whose slogan says it all: "We'll fly you... anywhere!"

With great thanks to John Wells and Tenzel Kim.

Note: Some components of this article are based on John Wells' proposed Hawkman Timeline, which was previously published in Fanzing. Events concerning Golden Age Hawkman Carter Hall as Midway City Museum curator are not officially canon, but are viable as John has previously indicated.

The highly odd Mathew D Rhys is an obsessive storyteller and family man whose wife graciously allows him to prattle aimlessly, and gives him no end of joy in life. He hopes to one day write comics his son can read. You can read his original character fiction at dreamerpress.cjb.net.

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This piece is © 2003 by Mathew D. Rhys
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DCU Travel Guide:

Midway City

Passport to the Peninsula

by Mathew D. Rhys

Fanzing site version 7.1