Before the Fireside – The Loud & Wild History of the Cartwheel Inn Port Austin

The Fireside Inn near Port Austin, MI, is our go-to place for large groups of people. Its fantastic pizza and ample open space make it perfect for a family party. I came across these two black-and-white shots for the Cartwheel Inn outside Port Austin a couple of years ago. It’s the same building. While the establishment has expanded, I find it amazing that much of the interior has remained unchanged.

The Cartwheel Inn was a Social Spot

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The Cart Wheel Inn Near Port Austin

In the 1940s, the Cartwheel hosted graduation, social, and wedding parties. In addition, the Port Austin Rotary used the establishment to host events.  After World War II, the Rotarians hosted a party during the 1946-47 year at the Cartwheel Restaurant with NBC radio personality Edgar A. Guest, the featured speaker. 

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A postcard from 1962 shows the Cartwheel Inn almost has its looks today. In the 1970s, local lore tells that the Cartwheel was a gathering spot during the Upper Thumb’s biker days. Top bands from the Detroit area would play at the venue. Some stories are as rough as the infamous Farmers Daughter at Oak Beach. But, they still spoke of a wild time.

Cartwheel Inn Postcard 1962
Postcard 1962

We found this ad in the back of a booklet for the Centennial Jubilee Book of St. Michael’s Parish in Port Austin, dated from 1969. It indicates Rich Knoblock as the owner.

Cartwheel Inn Ad
Cartwheel Inn Ad – 1969

The Wild 1970s At the Cartwheel Inn

<img src="https://thumbwind.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/ryan-de-hamer-Hy8A1dqXfdU-unsplash-1024×683.jpg" alt="Photo by Ryan De Hamer on Unsplash
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The Cartwheel Inn made a bit of a splash in the news in 1973. In April, “fireworks” erupted at a Port Austin township meeting when the board was asked to reissue a bar’s dance permit. The sheriff had yanked the bar’s permit the prior November. Then, in August, the tavern was sued by 19 nearby landowners, claiming the establishment was a nuisance. The group cited blaring bands and public nudity as the primary reason.

The bar played host to many emerging bands in the 1970s. These include The Fadeaways,

Today, the establishment still thrives as the Fireside Inn. It’s known for its pizzas and has a massive carry-out operation. Please let us know if you have a memory or story of the Cartwheel Inn.

1960s Postcard of Lightship Huron

The Lightship Huron on the St. Clair River – At the extreme southern end of Michigan’s Thumb lies Port Huron’s town. This lakeside town has close ties to the boating and shipping industry. It’s the starting point of the famous Port Huron to Mackinac sailboat race and was the first large-scale boatyards in the Great Lakes. One interesting little site, located in a county park, is the Lightship Huron.

Port Austin Farmers Market

How the Farm Market Brought Kayaking and Art to Port Austin – Drive from any point south of the Thumb north toward Port Austin, Michigan to its tip, and you will encounter small towns and villages hanging on by a thread. Vacant storefronts, abandoned shops, and roadside stands abound in the formerly robust four corner rural villages typical in Michigan at the turn of the last century.

BAY PORT HAUNTED BED AND BREAKFAST

Experience a Haunted House in Bay Port – If there is one area in Michigan’s Upper Thumb where the paranormal might reside, it would have to be Bay Port. The area was the site of the vanished Ora Labora German Colony from 1861-1867, the spooky and unattended Old Bay Port Cemetery, the famous but now vanished and presumed haunted Bay Port Hotel.

Garfield Inn Port Austin Cover

Garfield Inn, Pioneer Elegance in the North – President James Garfield’s close association with the Learned family and his devotion to Maria were documented in his diary. Garfield and Maria died within months of each other, she in January 1881 of tuberculosis and he from an assassin’s bullet in September 1881 after only six months as president. As Garfield lay mortally ill, he asked to travel to Port Austin and recover in the Learned home. That same month the devastation of the Great Fire of 1881 occurred in Huron County.

Ice Fishing Feature Image

Why You Should Eat Wild Caught American Fish – We have been following the plight of commercial fishing on the Great Lakes for several years. As a result, we have been contacted by folks around the country to let us know that the assault on commercial fishing for wild-caught fish is not only happening in Michigan but every fishing area in North America.

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Paul Austin

Paul is a writer living in the Great Lakes Region. He dabbles in research of historical events, places, and people on his website at Michigan4You.When he isn't under a deadline, you can find him on the beach with a good book and a cold beer.

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