Stanley "Big Sam" Graczyk was driving a team hauling a big wheel of timber logs on this steep Michigan hillside on May 20,1910, when tragedy struck. He was crushed to death when he stumbled and was overrun by the big wheel loaded with saw logs.
Big Sam was not the first tragic death of a lumberjack in Northern Michigan, or but he may be the final and the best known,perhaps partially because he was soon to be married. Ever since he perished, this scenic overlook has been known as Deadman’s Hill.
The historic sign at the site mistakenly indicates Big Sam was 21 when he died, and though his death certificate indicates he was 23. There is also some confusion on why the sign refers to him as Stanley,when his given name was Samuel. He is buried in St. Thomas Cemetery in the nearby town of Elmira.
Today, the 1329-foot elevation overlook provides locals and tourists with a panoramic view of the 18000-acre Mackinaw State Forest and the gorgeous Jordan River Valley situated some 400 feet below.
Source: atlasobscura.com