More About Fred Rydholm & the Upper Peninsula

Fred Rydholm is the undisputed master of Upper Michigan. storytelling. He has spent a lifetime learning the history of the U.P. from those around him; as a child he often listened to tales told by old-timers while he tagged along with his father, a wholesale grocer who visited general stores, logging camps, and the retreats of the wealthy throughout the Upper Peninsula. In addition, Fred as a youth spent time working in the kitchens of Bay Cliff Health Camp in Big Bay, and in the nearby woods as a guide at the Huron Mountain Club. He knows the neighborhood, inside and out.

Fred formally trained as a teacher at Albion College, then served in the U.S. Navy in World War II. His public school teaching career began in Republic, Michigan, and lasted more than 30 years. Through years of dedicated service to his community, Fred has demonstrated his willingness and ability to make a positive difference. He has served as a three-term mayor and city commissioner in Marquette, as well as on numerous county and state Boards and Commissions. Because of his public service, Fred was awarded the Distinguish Citizens Award from Northern Michigan University in 2002.

His most popular literary effort to date is Superior Heartland, A Backwoods History, a two-volume, four book set in which he chronicles his knowledge of the area's founding fathers and the history and development of Marquette County in a conversational narrative style.

Fred's new book, Michigan Copper the Untold Story has been well received. It has been called the most complete collection of evidence that the Upper Great Lakes Region was visited by ancient mariners. Please spend some time reading excerpts from Fred's books, enjoying the historic photos and listening to Fred's stories.