Dana Kenneth Johnson

Dana Kenneth Johnson is an author, publisher, photographer, historian, lecturer and educational media producer born in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. He has lived in several places since then, including a short time in Arizona and three decades in Central Oregon. In 2014, he retired and returned to Michigan and now lives with his wife Ruth near Gowen, about 30 miles northeast of Grand Rapids. He has traveled extensively around Michigan to find - firsthand - the hidden historical treasures of sites lost to time and the elements. Mr. Johnson reports, "My quest to document nature and history through photography began in 1985 when I moved from Michigan to Central Oregon and found such spectacular scenic beauty that I felt compelled to capture with a camera. Beginning with natural settings such as rivers, lakes, mountains, falls and forests, flora and fauna, I found the architecture equally intriguing, especially in regards to the old Reid School in Bend that had been preserved as the Des Chutes Historical Museum. "When I came back to Michigan, I continued photographing old schools and other historic buildings and sites, beginning in Montcalm County where I live. "The more I discovered, the more I wanted to learn, so my explorations expanded to surrounding counties. The rest, as they say, is history!” Since March 2020, Mr. Johnson has compiled thousands of photos and extensive research into 22 books documenting Michigan's lost and forgotten towns, historic schools, and pioneers. He also offers various classes and lectures on Michigan history, and he publishes a bimonthly newsletter on the history of Montcalm County.