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EnjoyerMichigan Enjoyer

O.W. Root

O.W. Root is a writer based in Northern Michigan, with a focus on nature, food, style, and culture.

Black bear sits in grassy enclosure behind chain-link fence at Oswald's Bear Ranch sanctuary in Michigan's Upper Peninsula

America's Largest Bear Sanctuary Is in the U.P.

O.W. Root·Jun 20
Rustic log cabin coffee shop with green trim and outdoor seating nestled among tall trees in northern Michigan

The Only Great Coffee North of Harbor Springs

O.W. Root·Jun 12
Ferry boat cruises calm blue waters near Mackinac Island's historic harbor with Victorian hotels and buildings lining the shore

How Private Equity Lost the Mackinac Island Ferry Wars

O.W. Root·Jun 5
kirk center

This Little Village Is Home to a Conservative Icon's Estate

O.W. Root·May 27
Skier in shorts and t-shirt descends artificial snow pile at Boyne Mountain's spring skiing event with chairlift in background

Spring Skiers Are Still Carving Up Boyne

O.W. Root·May 22
Stone cottage with distinctive mushroom-shaped roof sits among bare trees in Charlevoix's whimsical architectural landscape

The Tragedy of the Gnome Homes

O.W. Root·May 15
Multi-story apartment buildings under construction with exposed dirt, construction equipment, and safety markers scattered around the development site

Is Petoskey Becoming Traverse City 2.0?

O.W. Root·May 8
Memorial headstone for Franklin Devereux in wooded cemetery, decorated with colorful flowers and surrounded by blue border stones

When a Frontiersman Fought a Bear to the Death

O.W. Root·May 1
Wide five-lane Ludington Avenue cuts through downtown with historic buildings and small businesses lining both sides

This Michigan Beach Town Needs Ozempic

O.W. Root·Apr 24
Blue-spotted salamander with distinctive blue speckles crosses wet asphalt during nighttime migration to breeding pools

What I Saw at the Blue-Spotted Salamander Migration

O.W. Root·Apr 17
Washed-out section of Tunnel of Trees road shows cracked pavement and exposed foundation amid bare winter trees

The Tunnel of Trees Collapse Must Be Fixed by Summer

O.W. Root·Apr 15
Giant clam shell display with coral specimens at Sea Shell City roadside attraction near Mackinac Bridge

The Man-Killing Clam Is Michigan's Best Tourist Trap

O.W. Root·Apr 10