Murder at the Lumberjack Tavern: The Trial That Shocked Michigan

Explore the true story of a famous crime that inspired Anatomy of a Murder

Just after midnight on July 31, 1952, U.S. Army Lieutenant Coleman A. Peterson walked into the Lumberjack Tavern in Big Bay, Michigan, and shot Mike Chenoweth in retaliation for an assault on his wife. This revenge killing rocked the small lumber town in the Upper Peninsula, and the trial that followed inspired a best-selling novel and an Academy Award-nominated motion picture, Anatomy of a Murder.

Using the testimony taken from trial transcripts, the police investigator, and the killer, author Patrick J. Baker shares the real story of a sensational murder trial that captivated the Midwest and the aftermath that drew the eyes of the nation.

Author: Patrick J. Baker
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: History Press
Published: 10/20/2026
Series: True Crime
Pages: 160
Weight: 0.6lbs
Size: 8.90h x 6.00w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9781467171021