Bear Cave in Buchanan

If you are a spelunker and love exploring caves, then you must head for Buchanan where the only naturally formed cavern in Michigan is found. Located at Bear Cave Resort along the St Joseph River, it is formed from tufa rock and is very small, but worth a visit, as tufa caves are pretty rare. It has some history as being used as a stop in the Underground Railroad and some infamous bank robbers stored loot here in 1875 and thus the cave was featured in the famous 1903 silent movie The Great Train Robbery. Entering through the gift shop, the resort gives out flashlights when exploring the cave, so that you might see better the stalactites, petrified leaves, fossils, etc. It is located within a pretty campground that is shaded and has sites for tents and rvs.

First Congregational Church in Detroit

This striking red sandstone church on Woodward, dating back to 1891, is called First Congregational. Albert Kahn designed the Angel Wing in 1921 which is represented by the 8 foot copper archangel Uriel. Filled with carved wood and rose windows, this is one of the beautiful historical churches of Detroit and has been designated as a National Historic Place. Self-guided tours are encouraged as well as a visit to the Underground Railroad Living Museum

Second Baptist Church Detroit

The Second Baptist Church on Monroe in Detroit's Greektown is just filled with history, 175 years of it! Thirteen black freedmen and women organized the church in 1836 making it the oldest black congregation in the state. It became a stop for the Underground Railroad, hiding over 5000 escaping slaves in the basement before sending them on to Canada. You can visit the hiding place today. Nobel Peace Prize winner Ralph Bunche was baptized here in 1927. The painting of Christ overlooking Detroit is really moving!

Underground Railroad

This montage stands at the foot of Hart Plaza downtown on the Detroit River, a creation of the artist Ed Dwight. It serves as a reminder that Michigan had an intricate underground or clandestine system for ferrying escaping slaves across to Canada. Dwight was also at one time, a US Air Force test pilot, computer systems engineer, real estate developer and building contractor--a pretty awesome resumé.