LAKE GUIDE The Tecumseh Herald’s
May 2018
MUSIC • DINING • FESTIVALS • GOLF COURSES • ART • REAL ESTATE Now at the New LaFontaine Clinton Location
Familiar Face NEW Place
Beverly Camp
517-701-1803 • 1111 W. Michigan Ave. • Clinton
PAGE 2 | LAKE GUIDE
THE TECUMSEH HERALD | MAY 24, 2018
LAKE GUIDE | PAGE 3
MAY 24, 2018 | THE TECUMSEH HERALD
ADVERTISERS
COMMUNITY NEWS • LOCAL EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
The Marriage of BRILLIANT IDEAS and stunning Design
LaFontaine Chrysler Dodge
Lightning Quick Gas-N-Go.....................11
Jeep Ram of Clinton.............................1
Michigan International Speedway..........11
Irish Hills Realty, llc..................................2
Devils Lake Festival of the Arts...............12
Lucero's Mexican Bar & Grill....................5
The Buoy at the Lake.............................12
Chateau Aeronautique Winery..................5
Hills Heart of the Lakes Golf Course.......15
Hidden Lake Gardens...............................7
Union Block Suites.................................15
ProMedica Bixby Hospital.........................9
ERA Realty.............................................15
Rob's Rentals........................................11
Manitou Beach Marina...........................16
S TO R I E S
4
Lake things to do — list of events for 2018
6
Hidden Lake Gardens from then to now
Subscribe today
10
Michigan International Speedway celebrates 50 years
FOR THE LATEST AND GREATEST
THE TECUMSEH
HERALD 110 E. LOGAN ST.,
TECUMSEH, MI 49286
P.O. BOX 218
TECUMSEH, MI 49286
517-423-2174 800-832-6443
TECUMSEHHERALD.COM
AREA SPORTS • INFORMATION ABOUT PEOPLE YOU KNOW
13
Devils Lake Festival of the Arts set for June 16
14
Irish Hills history
PAGE 4 | LAKE GUIDE
THE TECUMSEH HERALD | MAY 24, 2018
LAKE THINGS TO DO list of events for 2018 The communities surrounding Devils and Round lakes and the Irish Hills area are rich with summer activities, including festivals, art, music, vintage baseball games and more. Here are some of the many events going on during Summer 2018 around the lakes.
ACTIVITIES Boot Jack Tavern, 735 Manitou Rd., Manitou Beach, hosts a DJ Live Trivia night each Wednesday with games starting at 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. Info: 517.252.5475 or Boot Jack Tavern on Facebook. The TED Ranch Campground, 12985 Monroe Pike Rd., Brooklyn, will host an outdoor flea market from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, May 26 and 27, featuring crafts and various other vendors. Info: 517.581.7033. A Memorial Day parade will take place at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 28 in downtown Brooklyn at Brooklyn Square. Info: 517.592.8907. The Michigan International Speedway ARCA Racing Series will take place on Friday, June 15, presented by Menards Corrigan Oil 200 and Spring Cup Qualifying. On Saturday, June 16, the NASCAR XFINITY Series Menards 250 will take place, presented by Valvoline. The final race of the weekend will be the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 held on Sunday, June 17. The racetrack is located at 12626 U.S. 12, Brooklyn. Info: 800.354.1010 or visit http://MISpeedway.com.
A Quilt Workshop will take place at Walker Tavern, 11710 U.S. 12, Brooklyn, on July 26–27, Thursday (2 p.m.–8 p.m.) and Friday (10 a.m. – noon.) The basic skills workshop is free and open to ages 15 and older, and participants should bring a lunch. Pre-registration is required. Info: 517.241.0731. The Irish Hills Lake & Home Tour will be held Saturday, June 23 from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m., viewing Irish Hills lakes from the lakeside on a pontoon. Tickets can be purchased for $15 the day of the event at any one of the lakes. The last boat leaves at 5:30 p.m. from the Clark Lake location. Info: 517.592.8907. The Devils Lake Fourth of July fireworks will be held at Devils Lake in Manitou Beach, Wednesday, July 4. Spectators will be able to view the fireworks at various locations around the lake.
prepared and served overlooking the vineyard. Info: 517.592.4663 or cherrycreekwine.com. Jerry’s Pub & Restaurant, 650 Egan Hwy. Brooklyn, will be the site of the 8th Annual Row, Row, Row Your Cardboard Boat Race starting Sunday, July 22 at noon. Boats must be constructed using only cardboard and duct tape, and there will be cash prizes for most creative boat and best dressed crew, as well as for youth, adult and gold cup races. Info: 517.403.5358. The Walker Wheels will play vintage baseball at the Walker Tavern Historic Site. On July 14, from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. the Wheels host an Invitational Baseball Tournament. The event is free, but a recreation passport is required. Info: 241.0731.3220.
The Irish Hills Fireworks Show will take place at the Columbia Upper Elementary football field in Brooklyn on Wednesday, July 4 from 6-11 p.m. Entertainment and concessions begin at 6 p.m. and fireworks begin at dusk. Info: 517.592.2591.
A Nautical Flea Market will take place Sunday, Aug. 5 at 290 Devils Lake Hwy., Manitou Beach from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Vendors will be selling items with a lake-related theme, including boats and equipment, décor, apparel, fishing equipment and more. To be a vendor or for information, call 513.509.3182.
Cherry Creek Winery holds the 5th Annual Feast in the Field on July 19th, 6:30–9:30 p.m., a gourmet feast
The 4th Annual Devils Lake Classic Car Show will take over the Village of Manitou Beach on Saturday,
Aug. 11 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Info: Jim Neill at 517.547.5574. The Walker Wheels will play the Royal Oak Wahoos and the Canton Cornshuckers in a vintage baseball game at the Walker Tavern Historic Site, 13220 M-50, Brooklyn, on Sunday, Aug. 27 at 2 p.m. The event is free. Info: 517.241.0731.
FESTIVALS The Art, Beer and Wine Festival at Ella Sharp Museum, 3225 4th St., Jackson, will feature more than 50 Michiganbased wineries, breweries, cider mills, distilleries, and food vendors, as well as more than 40 artists representing a range of media from jewelry to watercolor works, with artist demos and roaming musicians. The event runs from 1-7 p.m. on Saturday, June 2, and many of the beverages and all of the art will be available for purchase. Info: artbeerwinefestival@gmail.com. The 4th Annual Devils Lake Festival of the Arts, 110 Walnut St., Manitou Beach will be held Saturday, June 16 from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. and will include art booths with over 50 artists, live entertainment, dance, shopping, kids activities, a barbeque, a beer tent, silent auction and local cuisine. There will be
LAKE GUIDE | PAGE 5
MAY 24, 2018 | THE TECUMSEH HERALD a free concert at 7 p.m. Info: Devils Lake Festival of the Arts on Facebook. Saturday, July 14 is the date of the 4th Annual Rockin’ the Hills Craft Beer Festival at Devils Lake in the Irish Hills, featuring more than 30 Michigan breweries, as well as wine and cider. The event will run from 4-9 p.m. and will take place at 110 Devils Lake Hwy., Manitou Beach. Tickets are $25 until July 12, $30 at the door. VIP tickets are $75 and include early entry from 3-4 p.m., a goodie bag, a Rockin’ the Hills t-shirt, Rockin’ the Hills pub glass, two extra pour tickets, a meet and greet with special breweries and entry into a drawing. Register at irishhills.com. The Faster Horses Festival will take place Friday through Sunday, July 20-22 at Michigan International Speedway, 12626 U.S. 12, Brooklyn. The festival includes country music with Brooks & Dunn, Florida Georgia Line, Blake Shelton, Brantley Gilbert, and many more, plus camping and many activities throughout the weekend. Info: fasterhorsesfestival.com. Downtown Brooklyn’s Art Fair and Craft Show will be held Saturday, Aug. 12 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., with artists and highend crafters. Info: 517.592.2591.
MUSIC For over seven years the Village of Brooklyn has been host to a vast array of talent each Friday night starting June 8. The free concerts are sponsored by local and regional entities which have annually supported the community and the arts. Bring your friends and family, a chair, a blanket, food and beverages and enjoy everything from classical to rock'n'roll within the beautiful and relaxing park setting at Swain Memorial Park, 101 River St. in Brooklyn. Performances for Arts in the Park start at 7 p.m. on June 9 and run to August 24. Find more information at 517.592.8907. Picnic on the Lawn concerts at the Walker Tavern Historic Site, 13220 M-50, Brooklyn, start June 14 with a performance by Paige of Time. Music is from 6-8 p.m. There are two more Picnic on the Lawn concerts: July 12
and August 9, with performances by Acoustic Strings & Friends and Turner Luce. The concert series is sponsored by the Friends of Walker Tavern. For more information call: 517.241.0731.
Delicious Mexican Cuisine I N A R E L A X I N G AT M O S P H E R E
Jerry’s Pub & Restaurant, 650 Egan Hwy., Brooklyn, features karaoke every Friday night and live music each Saturday night. Info: 517.467.4700 or Jerry’s Pub & Restaurant on Facebook. Cherry Creek Winery, 15750 U.S. 12, Cement City, offers live music every Thursday and Friday night from 7-10 p.m., from Memorial Day weekend until September 16. There is no admission fee for these events. Info: 517.592.4663 or cherrycreekwine.com. The Beach Bar, 3505 Ocean Beach Rd., Clark Lake, has live music on the patio (weather permitting) from 5:30-9:30 p.m. each Wednesday and Sunday from Memorial Day until Labor Day. Info: beachbarclarklake.com. Shady’s Tap Room, 110 N. Main St., Brooklyn, offers live music on Saturday nights. Info: 517.938.8733 or Shady’s Tap Room on Facebook. The Pointe Bar & Grill, 1200 Eagle Point Rd., Clarklake, has live music every Friday and Saturday nights beginning June 1. Info: thepointeclarklake.com.
FARMERS MARKET The season opens Sunday, June 3 for the Farmers Market at the Walker Tavern Historic Site, 13220 M-50, Brooklyn. The market features local farmers, merchants and crafters and will take place every Sunday through October 7 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Info: 517.241.0731. The Manitou Beach Farmers Market at 290 Devils Lake Hwy., Manitou Beach opens for the season Saturday, May 26. The market will be open every Saturday from 8 a.m. until noon through September 1, featuring fresh produce, flowers, homemade baked and canned goods and handmade arts and crafts. Info: 513.509.3182.
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PAGE 6 | LAKE GUIDE
THE TECUMSEH HERALD | MAY 24, 2018
HIDDEN LAKE FROM THEN
By JACKIE KOCH jackie@tecumsehherald.com
T
he evolution of Hidden Lake Gardens (HLG) has taken the 755-acre botanical garden from its inception in 1945, when Adrian businessman Harry A. Fee donated 200 acres in Tipton to Michigan State University, to its current multi-use incarnation. HLG offers a lake, a conservatory that includes a temperate house and arid and tropical domes, picnic area, six miles of paved scenic drive, 12 miles of hiking trails, thousands of labeled trees, shrubs and flowers, a bonsai collection, and activities including guided nature hikes and various educational and health-related classes. Since Paul Pfeifer took the position of managing director in September 2014, the gardens have
Hidden Lake Gardens’ Managing Director Paul Pfeifer stands next to the agave plant that is expected to bloom in the arid dome of the conservatory in June. Photos by Jackie Koch
steadily increased their offerings to the public. Pfeifer said he has been open to new ideas and programs. “Things are really going on, and it’s really due, in part, to our new education program coordinator,” he said of Samantha Howard, who previously worked in the conservatory and took over the coordinator position last year. “We really have done a lot more classes, workshops, programs.” Pfeifer said that for years HLG has been a wonderful place for nature lovers to visit, but it was a more quiet, secluded place that didn’t draw a lot of activity. When he first took his position, he heard from patrons that said they remembered the gardens from their childhood, or they appreciated the land but didn’t visit much.
gardens
TO
NOW
“We’re trying to change that,” he said. “We want to offer more programs, more activities, more events, for people to come and use Hidden Lake Gardens on a regular basis.” He said he and the staff recognize the recreational, health and wellness aspect of visitors using the grounds, as well as those who come there because of their appreciation for nature. “People are using public gardens in different ways than they did years ago, and recreation is one way to kind of get away from it all. So we’re trying to combine some of the plant and garden and botany education activities with just experiencing and enjoying nature activities, as well,” he said. Some of the new offerings at HLG are yoga and tai-chi, both exercise and movement classes. A Thursday morning walk yoga program began last summer that involved instructor Rita Adams leading participants on a walk to a different location in the gardens each week, to experience the grounds while moving through yoga poses before walking back to the visitor’s center. A beginner’s tai chi workshop led by Beth Beard in March added the Chinese martial art practiced for both its defense training and its health benefits to the HLG roster. Pfeifer said there was an overwhelming response to the workshop with more than 25 people attending, and now there are ongoing tai chi classes held both indoors and out. “It’s very introductory, very encouraging, just trying to get folks informed about tai chi and getting them to move and be a little bit active in it,” he said. A new event, Family Bike Day, will be held Saturday, June 30, when two of the drives will be closed to vehicular traffic so bicycle riders and pedestrians can have exclusive access to approximately six miles of paved roads inside the gardens. The event will include a food truck and representatives from Adrian Locksmith & Cyclery, who will inspect
LAKE GUIDE | PAGE 7
MAY 24, 2018 | THE TECUMSEH HERALD bicycles, inflate tires and possibly make adjustments for riders, as well as advising them with tips on maintenance and improving their bikes. Sprinkler hill will provide water relief for overheated participants. Family Bike Day will have a general admission fee of $3 per person. This year is the 50th anniversary of the opening of the conservatory. One of the plants in the arid dome, an agave, or century plant, is estimated to have been planted in 1968 when the dome opened, and now it is preparing to bloom. Pfeifer said Conservatory Manager Diane Faust has been tending to the plant and expects it will bloom in June, an event that happens once in the plant’s lifetime, after which the plant dies. Agave plants typically take anywhere from 25 to 75 years to bloom, he said, but in the process the succulent, spikyleaved plant will send out volunteer plants, or “pups,” around the base of the main plant. These pups grow and also begin the long process of reaching the bloom stage. “The main part of the plant is probably seven to eight feet tall right now, but the flower stalk is about 18
feet tall at the moment. It’s going to get close, if not all the way, to the top of the arid dome. It’s really exciting,” he said. When the flower stalk reaches its highest point, Pfeifer said it will probably have at least a dozen side branches with flowers on them. Looking ahead, the year 2020 will be the 75th anniversary of HLG being a part of Michigan State University, when Fee donated the property to the school. Anniversary celebration plans are just beginning, said Pfeifer. Through those years many additions and improvements have been made, such as when the visitor center building was built in 1965 and the conservatory was added. A picnic area was added in 1971 and the service building that replaced the old barns on the property was constructed in 1973. The Herrick family of Tecumseh donated funds for many of the buildings. Pfeifer said it has been an overwhelming but very positive surprise to see how connected so many people are to the gardens. “I love the people,” he said. During his interview
process he came to the grounds for a day-long set of interviews, during which there was an informal forum where staff and members of the public could meet him and ask him questions. “Between staff members, volunteers and general visitors that day, so many people expressed their passion, their enthusiasm, how much they love Hidden Lake Gardens, and that has continued consistently since I’ve been here,” he said. HLG is owned and operated by Michigan State University under the division of Land Management, and is supported through admission fees, endowments, gifts and the Friends of Hidden Lake Gardens membership program. The Gardens are open 362 days of the year with an admission fee of $3 per person, free for members. For information on classes and programs, visit canr.msu.edu/ hiddenlakegardens. “Every day is beautiful, even through the winter, and every day looks different to me,” Pfeifer said. “It’s really a great place to be.”
PAGE 8 | LAKE GUIDE
THE TECUMSEH HERALD | MAY 24, 2018
1
Clark Lake 2
Brooklyn
Iron Mill Pond
124
Lake Columbia
Vineyard Lake
50
Wamplers Lake 3
124 4
5
12 12
Sand Lake
50 6
50 Loch
223 10
Erin
Onsted
11
12
13
Manitou Beach & Devils Lake
Devils Lake
14
Round Lake
223
Map Legend
1 ) Hills’ Heart of the Lakes Golf Course
8 ) Union Block Suites
2 ) Lucero’s Mexican Bar & Grill
9 ) ProMedica Bixby Hospital
3 ) Michigan International Speedway
10 ) Lightning Quick Gas-N-Go
4 ) Chateau Aeronautique Winery
11 ) Devils Lake Festival
5 ) Irish Hills Realty, llc
12 ) Manitou Beach Marina
6 ) Hidden Lake Gardens
13 ) The Buoy
7 ) LaFontaine Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Clinton
14 ) Rob’s Rentals
223
Adrian
LAKE GUIDE | PAGE 9
MAY 24, 2018 | THE TECUMSEH HERALD
52 12 7
12
Clinton
52
Tecumseh
50
8 9
52
52
PAGE 10 | LAKE GUIDE
THE TECUMSEH HERALD | MAY 24, 2018
MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Celebrates
By Sara Hilton sara@tecumsehherald.com
F
or 50 years, racing fans from around the country have converged in the Irish Hills to watch NASCAR drivers battle it out around the Michigan International Speedway track. This year, MIS will be celebrating those 50 years of victories and losses, checkered flags and loyal fans through a series of special year long events. Fans will be able to visit a car and memorabilia display at MIS on race weekends. Throughout the year, the track will also post anniversary videos and photos on their website and will feature great drivers and moments on its social media channels. The pace car and track wall will be incorporating fan photos as a way to pay tribute to the milestone anniversary. “I think of all of the ways the track has touched the community over the past 50 years,” said Richard Brenner, MIS track president. Brenner highlighted MIS Cares, a donor-advised fund of the NASCAR Foundation, that has given countless dollars to further their mission to assist and inspire youth within the community. “That alone has had an incredible impact and created great joy,” said Brenner. “But in addition to that, people come in from all over for
races, for Nite Lites during the holidays, for concerts. There is a huge impact on the surrounding areas. The gas stations are selling more gas, the restaurants are selling more food, people are renting out houses and making money that way. Multiply that by 50 years and the impact of MIS just spindles out.” Michigan International Speedway is often considered the brain child of Lawrence H. LoPatin, a Detroit-area land developer. The site, which is estimated to have cost between $4-$6 million to develop, was chosen for its proximity to both Detroit and Chicago. It took just over a year to transform the once scenic rolling Irish Hills countryside along US-12 into what was once touted as the most modern race complex in the world. This transformation of countryside to racetrack was no easy task. Over 2.5 million cubic yards of earth were moved to create the D-shaped oval. On October 13, 1968, fans poured in from around
the Midwest to witness the opening day race. Since that time, NASCAR legends like Richard Petty, Mario Andretti, Dale Earnhart and Jeff Gordon have all left their mark on the MIS track. MIS also gives fans the opportunity to experience racing on a more personal level, with driving schools that allow individuals to either drive stock cars around the oval or take a two-lap ride with a professional driver. While technology has changed the way that sports fans consume racing, Brenner cites the event around the event as a reason to visit MIS in person. “You can get the sport at home,” he said. “But you can’t get the experience—the feeling of the cars in your chest, the camping, free concerts, a great community—where else would you want to be in the summer?” Today MIS, which sits on a 1,400acre property, has grown to encompass more than racing. It is also home to Faster Horses, a three-day country music festival which brings in some of
the biggest names in country music. The festival includes two stages, late night jam sessions, food trucks and even water slides and camping. During the holidays, MIS turns into a winter wonderland with an illuminating three-mile, drive-through light display. However, perhaps one of the most meaningful MIS events is the Spirit of America Blood Drive. This drive began in 2002 as a tribute to honor the victims and heroes of 9/11. Since 2002, the Spirit of America Blood Drive has collected more than 10,709 blood products, potentially helping to save more than 32,127 lives. “I think the real legacy of the last 50 years is people,” said Brenner. “All the people who have come out to see a race. So often people will tell us how they used to come out here with their dad or their mom. There are so many memories here. After a while, so many things begin to remind you that this is way bigger than any one person or thing.”
LAKE GUIDE | PAGE 11
MAY 24, 2018 | THE TECUMSEH HERALD
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THE TECUMSEH HERALD | MAY 24, 2018
M A N I T O U B E A C H
LAKE GUIDE | PAGE 13
MAY 24, 2018 | THE TECUMSEH HERALD
DEVILS LAKE OF THE
ARTS June 16 SET FOR
By JACKIE KOCH jackie@tecumsehherald.com
F E S T I V A L
A
community celebration of art will take place in the village of Manitou Beach when the Devils Lake Festival of the Arts returns for its fifth year to showcase artists and offer musical entertainment, kids’ activities, a silent auction, local food and more. The event will be held Saturday, June 16 from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. and promises plenty of activity for all ages. “We have between 40 to 50 artists that will be set up from all across the region and across the country that will be here,” said Steve Lark, festival committee member. “It’s a juried art show, so they want to make sure we have a variety of things, from the paintings, jewelry, woodcarving, ceramics, fibers. There’s a variety of everything there.” The artist booths will be open until 6 p.m. Lark said the musical acts will continue until 10 p.m., with two stages, one near the front entrance with children’s shows and other smaller acts, and a big stage in the back for the larger acts which will include Nashville-based country singer and songwriter Allie Louise; Creole du Nord, a group with roots in southwest Louisiana’s Zydeco, Cajun, and Creole music using the fiddle, accordion, guitar, bass and banjouke; a youth fiddling show by the Saline Fiddlers Philharmonic with a repertoire from American folk fiddle, bluegrass, jazz, western swing and Celtic music; and Colin Dexter, an Elvis Presley tribute artist from Jackson. Evening entertainment will be the band Alias and children's entertainment will include Colors the Clown and My Adventure Theater. Children will be able to spend time in the
kids' tent, which will offer face painting and other craft projects, as well as giving them something to take home. “Each kid that comes through will leave with a backpack that will have some art supplies in it and a couple of toys,” said Lark. There will also be a raffle of new bikes donated to the festival, and a petting zoo. “Everything that we do for the festival is done through sponsorship or donation. It’s free to the public to get in, and that’s one of the things that we pride ourselves on with the festival, that it’s free for everyone,” he said. Donation jars will be available for those who would like to donate to the event. To help fund the festival, there will be event T-shirts for sale, and the themed silent auction will feature planks of wood with inspirational quotes inscribed on them. The Manitou Beach Farmers Market will be set up across the street from the festival until early afternoon, selling garden produce and crafts, as well, giving attendees one more aspect of local flavor to enjoy. For more information on the festival, visit devilslakefestivalofthearts.com or find Devils Lake Festival of the Arts on Facebook.
D E V I L S L A K E
PAGE 14 | LAKE GUIDE
THE TECUMSEH HERALD | MAY 24, 2018
Irish Hills By JACKIE KOCH jackie@tecumsehherald.com
In the mid-1800s, a portion of what is now Lenawee County became a settling place for Irish immigrants traveling on a five-day stagecoach trip between Detroit and Chicago, which they named the Irish Hills because it reminded them of their green and hilly home country. Since those early days, the Irish Hills have gone through a transformation from rolling farmland, woods and orchards to an area of tourist attractions beginning with the Historic Walker Tavern in the 1920s as well as the Irish Hills Towers, twin landmarks that resulted from a neighbor rivalry over a property line. In the 1930s St. Joseph Shrine with the Stations of the Cross became a destination for those looking for a more spiritual experience, and in the 1960s, the peak of the tourism boom, favorite spots were Prehistoric Forest complete with dinosaurs and Mystery Hill with weird and confusing features that boggled the mind. Now the Irish Hills region covers a large swath of country, said Cindy Hubbell, president and CEO of the Brooklyn-Irish Hills Chamber of Commerce. She said the historic Irish Hills is the section on US-12 that includes St. Joseph Shrine and the Irish Hills Towers, that small area where the Irish settlers came and made it their own. “Now you have the Irish Hills region, which consists of 52 lakes, 10 townships and four villages,” she
said. “So it’s grown immensely. It went from being a small little place that the people from Ireland named the Irish Hills into this whole big region that we now call the Greater Irish Hills area.” That area includes the villages of Addison, Brooklyn, Onsted and Cement City. According to Hubbell, the largest lake is Devils Lake, and the tourism has gone from the US-12 corridor to around the lakes. She said each of the 52 lakes has its own separate community. “Each area has its own history,” she said. “And when you put them all together, then you get the Irish Hills.” Along with multiple lake communities, the region includes popular spots such as the 755-acre Hidden Lake Gardens, Walter J. Hayes State Park, Cherry Creek Winery and countless attractions, campgrounds, parks, businesses and recreation possibilities. Historic Walker Tavern offers visitors the opportunity to learn about the early days of stagecoach travel and trace the development of US-12, also known as the U.S. Heritage Trail. Laurie Perkins, Southern Lower Peninsula
historian of the Michigan History Center, said the history of the area includes one Reverend Lyster, who was an Episcopalian priest. “He owned land down on what was then what he called Angel’s Lake, to compensate for Devils Lake, but we know it today as Sand Lake,” she said. “He had parishes in Tecumseh, Clinton, Cambridge Junction, Brooklyn. He was all over the place. He was a circuit rider, he got on a horse and he rode out to wherever he was going to preach that Sunday, then rode back home.” Hubbell said the greater Irish Hills area has much more area than people are aware of, but the chamber’s website at irishhills.com reveals a schedule of events that offers something for everyone. “It’s definitely a hidden gem,” she said. “People don’t realize how large we really are.”
LAKE GUIDE | PAGE 15
MAY 24, 2018 | THE TECUMSEH HERALD
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