David Votta

Historian, writer and research consultant David Votta has worked as History Librarian & Archivist for the Capital Area District Library since 2004. Previous to CADL he was employed at the Detroit Institute of Arts Research Library/Archives and as a freelance reporter for NPR affiliate WDET in Detroit. He has studied at the Rare Book School at the University of Virginia and currently serves on more boards and commissions than he would like to think about.

Lost Lansing: Spiritualist Camp in Haslett

Lost Lansing: Spiritualist Camp in Haslett

By David Votta on August 16, 2010

Time to get out the Ouija board?

Posted in Community & Opinion, Lost Lansing, News | Tagged david votta, Haslett, lost lansing, mead family, sarah hegge, spiritualist camp | 1 Response

Lost Lansing: Grand Trunk train wreck of 1941

Lost Lansing: Grand Trunk train wreck of 1941

By David Votta on August 2, 2010

A train plowed into the Washington Street train station, killing a young boy.

Posted in Community & Opinion, Lost Lansing | Tagged grand trunk, lost lansing, train wreck, washington street train station | 4 Responses

Lost Lansing: Remembering “The Sheik”

Lost Lansing: Remembering “The Sheik”

By David Votta on July 27, 2010

Do you remember The Sheik from Williamston? He helped make wrestling what it is today.

Posted in Community & Opinion, Lost Lansing, News | Tagged Edward Farhat, lost lansing, The Sheik, Williamston | 5 Responses

Lost Lansing: Going ape on the 4th of July

Lost Lansing: Going ape on the 4th of July

By David Votta on June 26, 2010

An ape escaped from a traveling zoo, wandering through town for 10 hours.

Posted in Community & Opinion, Lost Lansing, News | Tagged aoe, circus, escape, lambrigger' zoo, lost lansing, ossified man | 2 Responses

Lost Lansing: How Ingham County got its name

Lost Lansing: How Ingham County got its name

By David Votta on June 18, 2010

Scandal and rumors surrounding our area’s founding fathers and mothers.

Posted in Community & Opinion, Lost Lansing, News | Tagged cabinet counties, eaton, ingham, lost alsning | Leave a response

Lost Lansing: Presidential candidate preached nudity

Lost Lansing: Presidential candidate preached nudity

By David Votta on June 12, 2010

Merlin Valleau invented his own “natural religion” and some Lansing folks were apparently willing to follow him.

Posted in Community & Opinion, Lost Lansing, News | Tagged Lansing, lost lansing, Merlin Valleau, presidential candidate | 2 Responses

Lost Lansing: When Lansing was dry!

Lost Lansing: When Lansing was dry!

By David Votta on June 9, 2010

Ingham County voted to go dry almost a decade before Prohibition became the law of the land.

Posted in Community & Opinion, Lost Lansing, News | Tagged bob garrett, dry, inghm county, Lansing, lost lansing, prohibition | 2 Responses

Lansing’s first European settler Jacob Cooley met with disaster at every turn

Lansing’s first European settler Jacob Cooley met with disaster at every turn

By David Votta on May 30, 2010

Cooley and his family faced hardships ranging from harsh weather to failing crops to bears and wolves.

Posted in Community & Opinion, Lost Lansing | Tagged jacob cooley, Lansing Online News, lost lansing, lucy barnes, samuel durant | 1 Response

Lost Lansing: The year that Tillie the black bear and an alligator escaped from Waverly Park

Lost Lansing: The year that Tillie the black bear and an alligator escaped from Waverly Park

By David Votta on May 20, 2010

Introducing our new Lost Lansing series by David Votta of the Capital Area District Library on historical gems from Lansing’s past.

Posted in Lost Lansing, News | Tagged alligator, black bear, history, Lansing, lost lansing, Michigan, Tillie, Waverly Park | Leave a response