Jan. 19, 2007

They are secretive, solitary, fast and once roamed Michigan. They are cougars.

The little-known tale of the elusive cougar is the cover story of the January/February 2007 issue of Michigan History. Author Aaron Veselenak has spent the past several years digging into all available sources tracing "big cat" sightings back to the pioneer period. Cougars became increasingly scarce, possibly extinct, as more settlers arrived in Michigan. Bringing the story up to date, Veselenak contends some experts believe cougars have returned to Michigan.

Other articles in this issue chronicle Michigan's connections to one of America's most famous gangland slayings; how the state's liberal marriage laws once made Michigan the Las Vegas of the Midwest; the 2005 discovery of a Lake Michigan steamer that was crushed in the ice and sank 120 years earlier; and what inspired Henry Longfellow to write his epic poem, "The Song of Hiawatha."

For more information or to order a subscription to Michigan History, call (800) 366-3703 or visit www.michiganhistorymagazine.com. Individual copies can be purchased at Barnes & Noble, B. Dalton and Borders bookstores throughout the state.

Michigan History is published by the Michigan Historical Center. The Michigan Historical Center is an agency of the Department of History, Arts and Libraries. Dedicated to enriching quality of life and strengthening the economy by providing access to information, preserving and promoting Michigan's heritage and fostering cultural creativity, the department also includes the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, the Michigan Film Office and the Library of Michigan.

Read more press releases from the Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL).