Michigan Blue - Travel and Adventure 2019

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TRAVEL & ADVENTURE ISSUE

Cool and wild places DISPLAY UNTIL MARCH 29, 2016

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DISPLAY UNTIL SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

COTTAGES 2016

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It’s time for a trip

Superior vacations: U.P. destinations for fun and adventure Deep dive on a sunken freighter | Hiking Isle Royale National Park A true boutique winery | Riverboat tours | Lexington’s historic inn

G OH IGH O HI G H SP EED SPEE D

H OR SLOWLY D SAVOR

When you’re in a pre y great place, the pace is what you make it. It’s where you can pour out your energy, or sit back for a second pour. And where every speed---or lack thereof--- is another reminder you’re in a pre y great place.

TraverseCity.com

John Postma • RE/MAX of Grand Rapids • 616-975-5623 • john@johnpostma.com • In ground pool & pool house with Kitchenette, bath & changing room • Full catering kitchen • Wine cellar with custom refrigeration system • Two & Three car garages • Main floor and upper floor laundry rooms • Upstairs Master Suite with large bathroom • 10,479 sq ft. home Home design by Sears Architects and built by Scott Christopher Homes.

• Four guest suites on 2nd floor • Exercise room and playroom on 2nd floor • Full studio apartment • Elevator • In floor radiant heat • Heated Driveway in courtyard and walks • Whole house generator

One of W. Michigan’s finest homes!

300 ft of private lakefront property!

Expansive and unparalleled views of Reeds Lake!

It’s more than a showroom.

It’s a feast for the senses.

From cooking demos to appliance test-drives, you’re invited to taste, touch, and see the potential for your kitchen in a dynamic space free of sales pressure but full of inspiration.

Auburn Hills • 1295 N. Opdyke Road, Auburn Hills, MI 48326 • 800-482-1948 • subzero-wolf.com /auburnhills

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CONTENTS

“Visitors can find themselves really immersed in the wilderness at Isle Royale. But that isolation and the presence of Lake Superior are also what makes Isle Royale so special.”

LIZ VALENCIA

features

39 Superior vacation Wonderful travel or adventure destinations are found in the Upper Peninsula along the Lake Superior shoreline between Grand Marais and Marquette.

By Marla R. Miller

45 Isle Royale sojourn

ON THE COVER

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50 Dark memories Underwater photographers capture haunting images of a Great Lakes freighter that broke in two and sank during a 1966 Lake Huron gale.

By Howard Meyerson

PHOTOGRAPHY BY AARON PETERSON

“Quietude” A last gleam of daylight dances across the turquoise waters of Lake Superior at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

Photography by Joash Raj

The author and her husband set out to backpack the national park’s 43-mile Greenstone Ridge and found an island of discovery.

By Amy S. Eckert

MICHIGAN BLUE

R ROCK KAUFFMAN DESIGN rockkauffmandesign.com | 616.956.3008 | 6883 Cascade Road SE | Grand Rapids | 49546 rock@rockkauffmandesign.com

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CONTENTS

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in every issue:

columns:

10 Letters and Contributors

30 Vintage Views

14 Waterways

59 Excursions

“The Negro Motorist Green Book,” first published in 1936, grew to include travel stops in a variety of Michigan cities.

By M. Christine Byron and Thomas R. Wilson

Stylish outdoor showers, Al Capone stayed here, Dow Gardens’ new tree canopy walk, Mission Point Resort’s renovations and looking for zipline adventures.

Michigan Lighthouse Festival, Marquette Blues Festival, Balloons over Bay Harbor, Lakeshore Harvest Ride, Sunrise Suds Tap Takeover, and more.

Compiled by Marla R. Miller

34 Undercurrents Saving some of Michigan’s largest virgin white pines.

By Howard Meyerson

28 At The Helm

12 Wavelengths Michigan offers so many adventures.

By Howard Meyerson

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74 Michigan Top 5 Michigan has a lot of lakes, but some are very special.

By Kim Schneider 80 Reflections As the days grow shorter, our urge to get out and explore grows.

By Jerry Dennis

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departments:

Wonderful old-style riverboat tours are found on waters around the state.

By Chuck Warren

32 State of Mine When an urban Texas girl moves to rural northern Michigan and marries, adjustments are expected.

By Natalie Ruth Joynton

36 The Sporting Life Recounting a 1,000-mile Lake Superior solo kayaking journey.

By Tom Renkes

76 Historic Inns & Lodges In 1860, The Cadillac House grand opening was Lexington’s next big thing. Newly renovated, it is once again.

By Dianna Stampfler

78 Tasting Room This unique small-batch, boutique winery grows its own grapes and arranges tastings by appointment only.

By Greg Tasker

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY BOYNE MOUNTAIN RESORT (LEFT); VINTAGE VIEWS (RIGHT); ILLUSTRATION BY GARY ODMARK (BOTTOM)

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The early editions of the “Green Book” sold for 25 cents at black-owned businesses and at Esso gas stations, which were some of the few stations that would serve African Americans.

C U S T O M H O M E S | R E N O VA T I O N S

uniquely yours.

SCOTTCHRISTOPHERHOMES.COM 616.784.4500

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CONTRIBUTORS

®

www.mibluemag.com PUBLISHER: John Balardo ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Jason

Hosko

EDITORIAL

EDITOR: Tim Gortsema MANAGING EDITOR: Howard Meyerson COPY EDITOR: Tom Mitsos DIGITAL EDITOR: Chris Ehrlich GENERAL INQUIRIES: editorial@mibluemag.com CONTRIBUTUNG WRITERS: M. Christine Byron, Jerry

M. Christine Byron and Thomas R. Wilson Based in Grand Rapids, postcard collectors and history buffs Christine and Thomas are fascinated by the history of Michigan tourism and roadside architecture and write BLUE’s Vintage Views column.

Their five pictorial “Vintage Views” books have received three Michigan Notable Book awards, as well as a State History Award. vintageviewsprints.com

Dennis, Amy Eckert, Jeanine Matlow, Marla R. Miller, Tom Renkes, Kim Schneider, Dianna Stampfler, Greg Tasker, Chuck Warren, Thomas R. Wilson

DESIGN

ART DIRECTOR: Lindsay Emeigh JUNIOR DESIGNER: Keagan Coop GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Robin Vargo CONTRIBUTORS: Amy Eckert, Gary

W. Odmark, Aaron Peterson, Johnny Quirin, Joash Raj, Tom Renkes, Kim Schneider, Becky Kagan Scott, Craig Sterken, Christopher Winters, Glenn Wolff

SALES

GENERAL INQUIRIES: advertisingsales@grmag.com ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Jenn Maksimowski ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Chelsea Carter, Jessica Laidlaw,

Renee Looman, Craig R. Rich, Bri Rodriguez, Susan Smalley RECEPTIONIST/OFFICE ASSISTANT: Alisha Andres TO ORDER REPRINTS: Receptionist, (616) 459-4545

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PRODUCTION DIRECTOR: Jenine Rhoades SENIOR PRODUCTION ARTIST: Robert Gorczyca PRODUCTION ARTIST: Stephanie Daniel LEAD ADVERTISING COORDINATOR: Maya Korogodsky ADVERTISING COORDINATORS: Laura Gadzinski,

Kylei Szabo Melissa Flores-Loera, Daniel Moen, Kendra Okamoto, Chris Paluch

ADVERTISING DESIGNERS:

WEB

Tom Renkes Living a retiree’s life in Petoskey with his wife, Tom enjoys writing, painting, traveling, his grandchildren and caring for their 140-year-old home.

He has authored three novels, writing under the penname Stewert James, and his freelance articles have appeared in a variety of publications. When not writing, Tom enjoys kayaking, fly-fishing, backpacking and a good bottle of scotch.

Greg Tasker A Traverse City-based freelance writer, Greg writes frequently about Michigan’s growing wine industry and also works part time in the tasting room and vineyard of a winery on the Leelanau Peninsula. His stories have been published in newspapers across the country and magazines, including Cadillac Magazine, Backpacker, Parade, Budget Travel, Traverse Magazine and BBC Travel.

Joash Raj A landscape photographer and plein air painter drawn to the natural beauty of subjects often overlooked or hidden in plain sight, Joash excels at representing nature’s various moods. He lives in Hudsonville with his wife and three children and works full time as a pediatrician.

His photos and plein air oil sketches can be seen at joashrajphoto graphy.com

We welcome letters to the editor. Please send letters in care of: Editor, Michigan BLUE Magazine, 401 Hall St. SW, Suite 331, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, or email to howardm@geminipub.com.

Letters may be edited for reasons of clarity and space.

CORRECTION: The first paragraph of Jerry Dennis’s Reflections column “Making trail” was incorrect in the Summer Issue of Michigan BLUE magazine, where a paragraph from another story was mistakenly placed. It has been corrected for the online version.

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Amy Eckert An award-winning travel writer based in Holland, Amy has traveled the globe and contributed to numerous travel books. She is the author of two guidebooks to Detroit; the most recent is “Easy Detroit Outdoors.” Amy is the past president of the Midwest Travel Journalists Association. Find her at amyeckert.com

DIGITAL OPERATIONS DIRECTOR: Gerald Blakeslee WEB PROJECT LEAD: Matthew Cappo WEB PROJECT ASSISTANTS: Mariah Knott,

Luanne Lim, Bart Woinski

IT

IT DIRECTOR: Jeremy Leland IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST: Bryan

Gerard

CIRCULATION

DIRECTOR OF AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT: Michelle VanArman CIRCULATION MANAGER: Riley Meyers CIRCULATION CUSTOMER SERVICE: (866) 660-6247

MARKETING

MARKETING & EVENTS DIRECTOR: Lauren Mohon MARKETING & EVENTS MANAGERS: Andrea Straw, Mary Sutton DIGITAL MARKETING COORDINATOR: Asia Jones MARKETING & EVENTS ASSISTANT: Natalie Didio,

Madeline Keller

ADMINISTRATION

DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS: Kathie Gorecki PUBLISHING & SALES COORDINATOR: Lindsay Miller ACCOUNTING ASSOCIATES: Natasha Bajju, Hunter Pach,

Joshua Phipps

PUBLISHED BY GEMINI MEDIA, LLC CEO:

Stefan Wanczyk | PRESIDENT: John Balardo

Michigan BLUE Magazine is published bi-monthly by Gemini Media. Publishing offices: 401 Hall St. SW, Suite 331 Grand Rapids, MI 49503-144. Telephone (616) 459-4545; fax (616) 459-4800. General e-mail: info@geminipub.com. Copyright © 2019 by Gemini Media. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Michigan Blue Magazine, 401 Hall St. SW, Suite 331 Grand Rapids, MI 49503-144. Subscription rates: one year $18, two years $28, three years $38, U.S. only.

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Award-winning Log Home Minutes From Marquette This home, once featured on the cover of Log Home Living magazine, gives you both 500 feet of Lake Superior and 500 feet of Saux Head Lake.

The home itself has 5 bedrooms and 4 fireplaces, and is an easy 14 mile drive from Marquette. $1,195,000

Distinctive and Refined Home on the Black River Expansive, luxurious, comfortable and easy-living. Like the Black River, this home and its grounds reflect a beautiful body of work. It exudes calm, warmth and peace. Being here makes you smile. And settle in. And quite possibly hum along with the River. $799,000

Lake Superior at Eagle’s Nest Two building sites on 1,000 feet of gorgeous Lake Superior sandstone cliff with 8 acres just 10 minutes north Marquette on the little-traveled Eagle’s Nest Road.

Privacy, amazing views, swimmable Lake Superior, walking trail along the sandstone cliff, peace and quiet, and a short drive to Marquette. $525,000

U.P. WATERFRONT COMPANY | upwaterfront.com Discover the beauty, power and magic of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. halleyuplakes@gmail.com | (906) 228-8889

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Michigan offers so many adventures destinations around Michigan. Journalist Marla R. Miller details some of the cultural and natural landscapes found along Lake Superior between Grand Marais and Marquette in her feature about the region.

“Marquette is the Upper Peninsula’s largest city, and it has a growing foodie and brewery scene. Northern Michigan University brings in 8,000 college students every year, making this the region’s hippest and most urban area. It also serves as a four-season playground for outdoor adventure types,” she writes.

Amy Eckert, an award-winning travel writer, explores Isle Royale National Park on foot with her husband, looking to hike the 40-mile Greenstone Ridge Trail. Meanwhile, author Tom Renkes shares his insights from a 1,000-mile solo kayaking trip on Lake Superior.

Perhaps you’ve wondered where Chicago gangster Al Capone vacationed in Michigan and which resorts he might have frequented?

Author Dianna Stampfler chased that down for BLUE readers, separating the facts from fiction and legend with some surprising findings.

Shipwreck fans should be prepared for the haunting photo feature shot during a 2018 underwater expedition to the SS Daniel J. Morrell, a steel freighter on the bottom of Lake Huron in 200-plus feet of water. All but one of its crew perished when it sunk in 1966.

This issue also treats readers to a true boutique winery in southwest Michigan, a gorgeous historical inn renovation in Lexington and the story of Michigan’s own “Green Book” listings in the pre-civil rights days when African American tourists needed guidance to know where they might stay without harassment.

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Howard Meyerson Managing Editor, Michigan BLUE Magazine

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY iSTOCK

’m always surprised when I meet someone who has spent little or no time in the Upper Peninsula. It’s a long drive, to be sure, but it is home for many of the state’s finest natural features, all great travel destinations where superlatives are in order. Those include the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, spectacular at any time of year, the breathtaking power of Tahquamenon Falls and the beautiful isolation of Point Abbaye on Lake Superior in Baraga County, among others.

Our 384-mile wide northern peninsula, with its national forests, designated wilderness areas, lakes, rivers and rugged topography, has become a trendy playground for outdoor enthusiasts. But the ‘Yoop,’ as many call it, isn’t just a hub for bird-hunters, anglers, hikers, bikers, paddlers and nature buffs. It also is home to theater, arts, culture and history — fascinating sites that memorialize past eras in the state. For example, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in Paradise, where maritime history comes alive, or the Keweenaw National Historical Park that presents Michigan’s copper mining era or the 47-mile long Iron Ore Heritage bicycle trail between Marquette and Ishpeming.

In this Travel & Adventure issue of BLUE, we bring you an assortment of

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Play a role as big, or small, as you want at Forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island.

Meet the locals, pick a side, and then jump into thrilling challenges, team competitions, and secret missions. Or just watch it all unfold. Your choices decide the island’s fate.

Discover a new, never-before-seen adventure at cedarpoint.com

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“With an outdoor shower, it’s a lot easier when you’re entertaining, and it’s great when you have kids, so they don’t track mud through the house.”

MICHELLE LEE

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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OUTDOOR SHOWER COMPANY (LEFT); SONOMA FORGE (RIGHT)

WAT E R WAY S

Quick wash PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OUTDOOR SHOWER COMPANY (LEFT); SONOMA FORGE (RIGHT)

Outdoor showers deliver seasonal convenience and style to residential settings.

M

aybe you live on a lake or have a built-in pool or simply want the convenience of having an outdoor shower during the warmer months.

Though they need to be winterized, they are relatively easy to install and come in a variety of styles suitable for rustic to modern luxury landscapes.

The showers are popular for rinsing kids and pets, according to Michelle Lee, showroom consultant for Infusion Kitchen & Bath Showrooms by Etna Supply (infusion showrooms.com) in Wixom, one of six locations including Grand Ledge, Kalamazoo, Traverse City, Holland and Grand Rapids.

“With an outdoor shower, it’s a lot easier when you’re entertaining, and it’s great when you have kids, so they don’t track mud through the house.”

Placements can vary depending on the need. They can be freestanding, attached to the house, or secured to fences and decorative stone pillars. Lakefront property owners

also position them by docks for a quick rinse after a sunny boat ride, said Lee, who recommends buying showers that are rated for outdoor use and can withstand the elements, like Ztrends and Outdoor Shower Company.

Lee said she is seeing a growing interest in outdoor showers. “People are adding this extra touch when building a house on a lake where they plan to retire, and they want to invest a little more money on the property,” she said.

FRESHEN UP Some homeowners choose to install more than one, perhaps on the back side of a cottage by the lake and a little handheld style near a side door for gardening, said Kim Haveman, plumbing manager for Williams Studio (thewilliamsstudio.com) in Kentwood.

They come in handy for filling up baby pools with a bucket when the hose is too far away and can keep sand at bay, away from

interior living spaces or even the deck. “We put them poolside so people can rinse off the bromine from the hot tub or the chlorine from the pool,” she said.

“Women tend to wash their hair when they get out of the water, and they don’t want to go into the house to take a full shower. Enclosed outdoor showers offer full privacy in the summer, so people treat them as another shower for houseguests.”

Some shower finishes readily blend into brick or stone exteriors. Haveman said companies like Sonoma Forge are popular because people like a more organic look for outdoor showers — the rustic nickel, oilrubbed bronze or weathered copper styles that blend into nature.

Haveman also recommended getting a plumber involved when adding a shower.

And at the end of the season, when the sprinkler system gets winterized, it will be time to winterize the shower, too.

– Jeanine Matlow

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Spread your wings Aerial adventures await at a number of Michigan zip lines.

“Once they get going, everyone is pure smiles. … People love going upside down.”

ERIN ERNST

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Zipline adventures now include learning to fly upside down.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY BOYNE MOUNTAIN

P

lunging off a platform and dangling 50 feet off the ground while racing downhill, zip line canopy tours are offering outdoor adventurers an ever-greater variety of experiences and a chance to fly through the trees at speeds over 25 miles per hour.

The growth in zip line adventure courses parallels the growth in ecotourism, and today’s zip liners are learning to do flips and fly upside down, along with maneuvering through aerial obstacles. They also race family and friends on dual zip lines while taking in nature and panoramic views. Here’s a look at some of the most popular courses: TreeRunner West Bloomfield Adventure Park (treerunnerwestbloomfield.com) includes 12 aerial trails with 200 aerial obstacles and 41 zip lines, varying in difficulty, length and height. Rather than zipping down a long canopy line, climbers depart on a self-guided tour through the wooded 8-acre park. “You have to get from tree to tree, but to do that you have to climb through the obstacle,” said Thomas Knuth, TreeRunner’s director of operations. “Every few trees, you get the treat of a zip line.”

Zip lines and adventure courses appeal to all ages and experience levels, from adrenaline junkies to construction workers with a fear of heights to families and school groups, and build confidence, strength and problem-solving skills, Knuth said. TreeRunner has trails for beginners to expert, plus a junior park and smaller parks in Grand Rapids and a new one on the campus of Oakland University.

Frankenmuth Aerial Park (zipandclimb. com) features similar aerial obstacles and special glow nights and themed events. Go Ape Treetop Adventure (goape.com) in Washington is another aerial park with suspended ob-

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY BOYNE HIGHLANDS

stacles, Tarzan swings and a 600-foot zip line.

Mount Holiday’s Zip Line Adventure (mt-holiday.com) in northern Michigan offers eight unique zip lines, an hourlong zip line adventure tour and a dual zip ride while taking in scenic views of the Traverse City region.

Boyne Mountain (boynemountain.com) and Boyne Highlands (boynehighlands. com) added zip line courses about a decade ago as a year-round attraction. The guided adventure tour takes 2-3 hours and starts with a chairlift ride to the top of the mountain. The second option is a twin zip ride, which lasts between 20 to 45 minutes and begins at the middle of the slope.

There are seven lines at Boyne Highlands, plus a 100-foot rope bridge, and 10 at Boyne Mountain routed through the trees and across the slopes as zip riders make their way back down. Zip liners fly over skiers in the

winter, through lush green trees in the summer and see spectacular colors in the fall.

“It’s really popular,” said Erin Ernst, director of communications. “Every season does offer a little different experience.” The guides also make it fun, encouraging riders and teaching them tricks and flips. “Once they get going, everyone is pure smiles. …

People love going upside down,” Ernst said.

Boyne City’s Wildwood Rush (wildwood rush.com) canopy tour includes 7,000 feet of zip lines, five suspended sky bridges, six tree-top platforms and views of Lake Charlevoix. A 1,200-foot triple racing zip line is the only one of its kind in the Midwest and reaches speeds of over 40 mph.

Across the Mighty Mac, St. Ignace’s Mystery Spot (mysteryspotstignace.com) has two zip lines and other attractions.

— Marla R. Miller

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Climb, climb, climb at Boyne Highland, then take a long slide down.

The Nation’s Leader in Log Siding & Knotty Pine Paneling Comins, Michigan 1.800.818.9971 • woodworkersshoppe.com MICHIGAN BLUE

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Walloon Lake

Great Lake Story 2019 Turquoise Tranquility: Chapter Four

renderconstruction.com

white-liebler.com

bulmanndock.com

tmmill.com

oldmissionwindows.com

wolverinecabinet.com

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uds are bursting, grass is greening, and as spring edges toward summer, Michigan’s Up North is coming alive.

So is Liz and Mike Pulick’s Walloon Lake family vacation home, designed

by White and Liebler Architects and built by Render Construction, with important elements added

by Thomas and Milliken Millwork and Bulmann Dock & Lift.

Drive up to the home and you’ll see exactly the vision Nick Liebler intended: A view of the lake through the front entry that can be seen even from the roadside. Unlike some waterfront homes that obstruct the scenery, the Pulicks’ home complements it, becoming a natural extension and enhancing the beauty of the part wooded, part sun-kissed lot. In a word, it’s glorious.

Unlike some waterfront

homes that obstruct the scenery, the Pulicks’ home complements it, becoming a natural extension and enhancing the beauty of the part wooded, part sun-kissed lot.

The Pulicks attribute this specialness to the many craftspeople involved, from the exterior to the interior and every surrounding detail. “Their work ethic, artistic creations, excitement and just their ability to apply their craft made the house different — and better — than if they hadn’t been a part of it,” Liz said.

The home’s design is classic and timeless but also calm.

The beams, which allow for its open floor plan, are one of many remarkable architectural features in the home. The woodwork is attractive, but not so intricate that it takes away from the beauty of the water and the home’s other inviting aspects.

For the interior woodwork, which also included the trim and stair parts, they contracted Thomas and Milliken Millworks Nick Liebler, Liz Pulick and the interior designer collaborated to select the individual components from the Millwork, which offers more than 2,500 knife patterns and represents some of the finest lines in the country.

Kent Strawderman from Thomas and Milliken has worked with Render Construction for about 10 years.

“The plan Nick Liebler drew was very detailed and very well done. I have to give credit to both White and Liebler Architects, who were putting all the disparate parts together to create a unique look, and to Render Construction for taking the raw material and turning it in to a really spectacular finished product.” — Kent Stawderman He provided the carpentry team and Jason Scheffler, Render’s site supervisor who coordinated it all, with samples and mockups to help bring to life what was on paper — and to help affirm Liz’s decisions.

“The plan Nick Liebler drew was very detailed and very well done,” Stawderman said. “I have to give credit to both White and Liebler Architects who were putting all the disparate parts together to create a unique look and to Render Construction for taking the raw material and turning it in to a really spectacular finished product.”

For lake living, just as critical as the home itself are the essentials that provide access to the water. Mike Pulick worked with Bulmann Dock & Lift for their dock and headhouse, which was custom built from the interior designer’s simple sketch. The headhouse canvas, which they also developed from the sketch, matches the color scheme of the house — creating a stunning view from the water as they approach their property.

“There are a lot of dock products and people out there, but I really got attached to Bulmann Dock & Lift early when I went to visit their facility in Boyne City,” Mike said.

“It’s a family-owned business, and they make all the products locally, which was important to me.”

What the Pulicks appreciate is the dock is maintenance free and the material is relatively light, making it easy to get in and out of the water. All the pieces interlock, so they can change the configuration easily, once they’ve spent some time in the home. Bulmann Dock & Lift adjusted the lift, specially designed the guides and added protective material around the posts — all to provide a smoother docking experience.

“Their customer service was over the top in terms of putting the dock in, customizing it to our needs and making small changes along the way once we got the dock in the water and realized what we wanted,” Mike said. “Working with them was terrific.”

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY DETROIT RIVERFRONT CONSERVANCY

Activities along Detroit’s RiverWalk include grabbing a beverage at the Dequindre Cut Freight Yard (top), admiring boats passing by (bottom left), and biking the Dequindre Cut (bottom center). Atwater beach (bottom right) will be open in August, featuring a beach area, a floating barge and more.

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“Civic leaders come to us and say, ‘If Detroit can do this, we can.’ That gives us a great deal of pride.”

Walkin’ the river

MARC PASCO

Vibrant parks, public art, concert venues and the newly unveiled Atwater Beach make Detroit’s RiverWalk one of the city’s most popular green spaces.

V

isit Detroit’s RiverWalk on any given morning, and you’ll see a waterfront buzzing with energy. Children look for fish and frogs in the wetlands, while tourists photograph outdoor sculptures and flowerbeds. Teenagers chat noisily from their bicycle seats, while young mothers push strollers and office workers enjoy a brief escape in the sunshine.

Today’s RiverWalk bears little resemblance to its counterpart of two decades ago. Financial woes had left Detroit’s riverfront in utter disrepair, its neglected parking lots choked with knee-high weeds and its dandelions the only flowers in sight. The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, a partnership between the city of Detroit, the Kresge Foundation and General Motors, launched in 2003 to transform the riverfront into a gathering space Detroiters could love.

“All great cities have great public spaces,” said Marc Pasco, director of communications for the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy (detroit riverfront.org). “It was important to us to make the riverfront part of Detroit’s public life.”

Sixteen years later, the RiverWalk ranks as one of Detroit’s favorite green spaces, a chain of waterfront attractions stretching 3½ miles from Cobo Center to Belle Isle.

William G. Milliken State Park opened in 2004, forming the RiverWalk’s 31-acre core with a harbor, a lighthouse, wetlands and picnicking and fishing facilities. That same year, Chene Park and its recently renamed Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre opened, joining Hart Plaza as the RiverWalk’s premier music venues.

Cullen Plaza draws families to its fountains, playground and Cullen Family Carousel, furnished with Great Lakes birds and

amphibians in lieu of traditional horses.

Wheelhouse Detroit rents bicycles, and the Dequindre Cut, a newly revitalized urban rail trail, leads from the RiverWalk to Detroit’s Eastern Market. Other attractions include Gabriel Richard Park, with birding and fishing stations, and Diamond Jack’s riverboat tours.

Rochester Hills resident Laura Ray and her family bicycle the Dequindre Cut to the Detroit River as many as 10 times each summer, to relax, watch people from the RiverWalk’s park benches, enjoy live music and generally absorb the scenery.

“Most cities with a river make use of the waterfront,” Ray said. “But for a long time, that never seemed the case in Detroit. Now, there seem to be improvements every year.”

The RiverWalk’s development does, indeed, continue. A 3-acre park called Atwater Beach opens in August, featuring a sand beach, an expansive lawn and playground, a floating café called The Barge and a programming space called The Shed.

Ongoing projects promise to overhaul still-unimproved properties and extend the RiverWalk’s overall length another 2 miles, from the Ambassador Bridge to Canada to the MacArthur Bridge to Belle Isle.

“Three-and-a-half miles of uninterrupted public space in the heart of the downtown,” Pasco said. “Five-and-a-half miles once the entire project is complete. That’s simply unheard of in a major U.S. city.” The RiverWalk has so transformed Detroit that the city now serves as a model for others.

“Civic leaders come to us and say, ‘If Detroit can do this, we can,’” Pasco said. “That gives us a great deal of pride.”

– Amy S. Eckert

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CRAIG STERKEN

A walk in the trees Elevated Whiting Forest trail at Dow Gardens the longest in U.S.

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or more than 15 years, the Whiting Forest in Midland served as a modest park where locals could hike casually through native woodlands, beneath towering trees, along the meandering Snake Creek and surrounded by nature on all sides.

But the forest was destined for bigger things.

After more than two years of construction and $20 million spent, Whiting Forest was transformed into a one-of-a-kind, four-season destination. It has 3 miles of trails, 1.5 miles of ADA-accessible pathways, bridges and boardwalks, a children’s playground and a 1,400-foot elevated “Canopy Walk” that takes visitors up to 40 feet high, overlooking 54 acres of trails, ponds, meadows and more than 220 fruit trees.

Touted as the longest elevated pathway in the country, visitors will find unique sections that extend out into the woods including the “Spruce Arm” with its spruce tree-supported braided-cord cargo net, the “Pond Arm,” which overlooks Lake Margrador and the “Orchard Arm,” which boasts a glass-bottom platform at the walk’s highest viewing point.

“Looking out through the trees and over the ponds is very peaceful even with all the people around,” said Mina Silvernaile, who recently moved to Saginaw from Fountain Valley, California. “I love that trees are allowed to grow through holes built into the canopy walk so as to disturb as little as possible. After you get your fill of views, there is plenty of trails to walk on the ground, as well. Surprisingly, almost the entire canopy walk is wheelchair-friendly, and there is even one paved trail on the ground.”

This year, an 832-foot Rose Garden pedestrian bridge will connect Whiting Forest with the 56-acre Dow Gardens property

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on one side, adjacent to the mid-century modern era Alden B. Dow Home & Studio.

Another 425-foot bridge crosses the Snake Creek watershed and links the forest to the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library.

Herbert Henry and Grace Dow purchased their original 10 acres of land in 1899, building their family home — known as The Pines — and developing extensive gardens, orchards and parks in which they raised seven children. The house still stands and is open for tours, the heart of what has become a 110-acre campus. A budding chemist, Herbert founded the Dow Chemical Company in 1897 where he pumped brine out of the earth and extracted chemicals like bromine, which was sold to industrial companies to make a variety of household products.

Today, the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation — established in 1936 — is one of the largest family foundations in Michigan. It is through the legacy of these two philanthropic leaders the Canopy Walk and its neighboring natural attractions exist, thrive and grow.

“What is now Whiting Forest was my backyard as a kid. My brother and I spent countless hours there, climbing trees, catching frogs, skating on the ponds, even building our own cabin — we created our own adventures,” said Macauley (Mike) Whiting Jr., president of The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation. “When conceptualizing the Whiting Forest project, we focused on how to bring that childhood experience to others and how to instill in people an appreciation of nature.

The idea is to get people outside, away from computer screens and hectic lives. There is something innately good for you in a forest.

It’s good for your soul.”

—Dianna Stampfler

≈

FOR YOUR INFORMATION Admission to the Dow Gardens includes Whiting Forest and the Canopy Walk, which are open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Day passes are $10 for adults and $2 for children ages 6 and up (including college students with a valid ID). An annual pass is $20 per person. For more information: dowgardens.org.

SUMMER

LIKE

YOU

REMEMBER

I T.

Trade your iPad for the splash pad. Your laptop for the lap pool. And emails for exhales. Because memories aren’t made sitting behind a screen.

They are made in the waterpark, taking a trip down the alpine slide, relaxing by the campfire, and on a long hike. It’s all happening this summer, at Crystal Mountain.

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T R AV E L & A D V E N T U R E 2 019

WAT E R WAY S

hen Mackinac Island’s famed Mission Point Resort opened for the 2019 season, guests noticed the beautiful transformation of 133 rooms and suites in the Straits Lodge, which were redone to bring the island’s natural colors indoors.

The refreshed rooms now boast a palette consisting of greens, blues, tans, laurels and grays, all reflective of the Mackinac Straits’ landscape. Decorative elements from Michigan companies like Detroit Denim Co., Earth2Earth, Detroit Bikes and Carhartt blend in with custom-designed curtains, pillows, bedding and artwork from local artist Ginnie Cappaert.

The resort’s public banquet spaces, including the Summit Room and Colonial Room, also received fresh coats of paint.

The 2019 season renovations finish a $10 million, multiyear renovation plan that

included redesigning 108 rooms inside the resort’s main lodge in 2018. Future projects include upgrading the pool, conference center and promenade deck. The renovations were started when the Ware family purchased the waterfront resort in 2014, determined to bring new life to the historic property.

Mark Ware, the company’s CEO, and his sister, Liz Ware, vice president of sales and marketing, have led the resort’s improvements, executing Mission Point ownership’s — their parents’ — overall vision for the property. The Lakeside Spa and Salon, the island’s only full-service wellness retreat, builds on the family’s emphasis for health with signature offerings like the Great Lakes stone massage and lilac facial and body treatment.

This summer for the first time, guests are invited to work in the dirt alongside the re-

With renovations led by CEO Mark Ware (top right) and vice president of sales and marketing Liz Ware (bottom right), Mission Point Resort (below) now boasts a nature-inspired color palette and other updates.

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sort’s horticulturalist to learn expert tricks of the trade while also contributing to the property’s vast floral landscape as a Proven Winners Signature Garden.

“Mackinac Island is such an iconic destination for flower and plant enthusiasts, and we are really looking forward to sharing the gardening experience with guests,” Liz said. “Our grounds team works incredibly hard throughout the entire year to ensure that our 18 acres are beautiful all season.”

Garden Tours also are offered throughout the summer, complimentary to guests, at 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays and 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. For more information or to make reservations, visit missionpoint.com or call (800) 833-7711.

– Dianna Stampfler

≈

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY MISSION POINT RESORT

W

Mission accomplished

After cruising the island on bicycles (above), be sure to stop by Bistro on the Greens for dinner, drinks, and a beautiful view (left).

Then, call it a night in one of Mission Point Resort’s newly renovated rooms (right).

MICHIGAN BLUE

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T R AV E L & A D V E N T U R E 2 019

WAT E R WAY S

Capone (may have) caroused here

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here are as many tall tales and legends tied to American gangster Al Capone as there are presumed bodies ordered by his deadly hits. However, there is little question that he often escaped the heat of Chicago (both the temperature and the law) by sneaking off to Michigan, as far north as the Upper Peninsula.

In the early 1900s, John Aylesworth built a resort called Pleasant Grove, today known as the Lakeside Inn (lakesideinns.com) in an area collectively known as “Harbor Country.” Bootleggers were said to dock their boats in front of the inn and guests would help unload cases of booze to be served inside or hauled off for sale elsewhere.

“The inn offered a restaurant and danc-

ing, a small zoo and gardens. It reportedly operated as a speakeasy during Prohibition that was visited by Chicago gangster Al Capone,” according to a 2010 report from the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office.

In 1888, Chicago photographer Joshua Smith bought a 12-acre parcel along the Lake Michigan shoreline in South Haven and developed Sleepy Hollow Resort (sleepyhollowbeach.com). Before long, he was welcoming guests by steamship, who were then transported by horse and carriage to the property.

“There used to be a pier out into Lake Michigan down below the (Smith) house,” said Scott Dangremond, general manager.

“Boats from Chicago would come directly

across the lake and unload without notice.

Legend has it there used to be a tunnel from the house down to the ravine by the pier, making access even more convenient if one was a gangster.”

The Hotel Saugatuck (thehotelsaugatuck. com) operated as the Twin Gables Hotel & Restaurant in the 1920s, where vaudeville banjo player Tom Carey invited musician friends from Chicago to perform for his guests. Capone’s gang frequented the joint to enjoy the music, food, company and, of course, to peddle liquor. Local lore speaks of a bullet hole in the wall of the bar made by one of Capone’s men after another guest made a pass at his sweetheart, who worked in the inn’s kitchen.

“There used to be a pier out into Lake Michigan down below the (Smith) house.

Boats from Chicago would come directly across the lake and unload without notice. Legend has it there used to be a tunnel from the house down to the ravine by the pier, making access even more convenient if one was a gangster.”

The infamous Al Capone and friends pose for a photo taken at 2606 Chicago Road in Chicago Heights.

The house no longer stands today. Pictured are (back row left to right): Rocco De Grazia, Louis "Little New York" Campagna, Claude Maddox, Nick Circella, Sam Costello; (front row left to right): Frankie LaPorte, Vera Emery, Alphonse Capone, Willie Heeney, Jimmy Emery.

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Since 1869, the property at the corner of Main and Third streets in Frankfort has welcomed overnight visitors and hungry tourists in this lakeshore town — including, some say, “Scarface” himself.

“My research tells that Gus Winkler was a member of Capone’s gang in Chicago,” said Judy Remmert, who has owned The Hotel Frankfort (thehotelfrankfort.com) since 2014. “Rumor has it that there was a tunnel to run liquor from the Winkler House (built

by Joe Winkler) to the hotel and then to the

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY DIANNA STAMPFLER

SCOTT DANGREMOND

ADDITIONAL READING: “Prohibition in the Upper Peninsula” by Russell M. Magnaghi “Upper Peninsula Beer” by Russell M. Magnaghi “Gangsters of Berrien Springs” by George T. Kimmel

The Shore at Sleepy Hollow Beach

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY SLEEPY HOLLOW RESORT (TOP), SAUGATUCK-DOUGLAS HISTORY CENTER (BOTTOM)

Twin Gables Hotel & Restaurant

Garden Theater. The current owners of the house swear there is evidence of a tunnel, but I have not seen it. The west side basement walls of the hotel are so patched that we can’t confirm a tunnel or not.”

An article from the March 21, 2015, Daily Press newspaper in Escanaba by lifelong resident Karen Rose Wils states, “… beneath the basement of the (House of Ludington) hotel, tunnels and Prohibition booze are still believed to be buried. Rumors claim that Al Capone once stayed in the front turret of the building.”

Yet, some are quick to dismiss any Capone connections here.

“There is absolutely nothing to suggest that Capone ever was here or had any business activities here,” historian Charles Lindquist said. “What we do have, though, is actual evidence that someone who seems to have had a connection to Capone during Prohibition bought a hotel here in 1939 (six years after Prohibition ended) and ran it until he died. As far as a tunnel goes, the soil near this hotel is very sandy — not so good for tunnels.”

–Dianna Stampfler

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MICHIGAN BLUE

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T R AV E L & A D V E N T U R E 2 019

AT T H E H E L M

BY CHUCK WARREN

D

Rolling on a river

GRAND LADY “We want to give our passengers a unique experience,” said Greg Boynton, owner and captain of the 65-foot Grand Lady based in Jenison. The Grand Lady (grandlady.info) operates on her namesake waters, the Grand River, where her shallow draft allows the vessel to cruise from the Lakeshore Railroad Bridge west to Grand Haven.

An interest in historic vessels gave Capt.

Greg’s father Bill Boynton the idea for the paddlewheeler’s design. Bill oversaw construction until the boat’s completion in 1994. A 100-hp diesel engine powers each paddlewheel independently, allowing the 70-ton boat to be easily maneuvered in tight spots.

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With a 145-person capacity, the boat hosts popular dinner and sunset cruises, as well as weddings and other special events.

The boat also hosts live music.

“There is a lot of wilderness on the Grand River Greenway,” Greg said. “It’s fun to see a band in that setting with that backdrop.”

STAR OF SAUGATUCK Approximately 25 miles south, where the Kalamazoo River meets Lake Michigan, the Star of Saugatuck II is the second heavenly body to cruise the shallow river and Lake Michigan waters just off the Saugatuck and Douglas beaches.

Built in 1978 in a small machine shop 3 miles east of town, the 57-foot Queen of

Saugatuck was initially driven by a single set of paddles before the drive wheel was split into two to increase maneuverability.

In 1992, a name change turned The Queen into the first Star of Saugatuck. The vessel’s popularity grew until her 82-passenger capacity was no longer enough and her big sister, the Star of Saugatuck II, replaced her in 2000.

Under new ownership as of 2019, the Star of Saugatuck II (saugatuckboatcruises.com) provides 90-minute sightseeing tours along the Kalamazoo River where common wildlife includes deer, fox and even bald eagles.

During a sunset cruise, passengers also can experience a spectacular Lake Michigan sunset from the Star’s open-air upper deck.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY MICHIGAN PRINCESS (TOP);

BY CHUCK WARREN (BOTTOM)

uring the late 1800s, paddlewheelers were common on Michigan rivers. Their flatbottomed hulls allowed them to navigate shallow waters, delivering supplies and people to locales where traditional ships could not go, often to logging camps and settlements around the state.

Today’s modern paddlewheelers still require less than 3 feet of water, making them ideal for river cruises a century later. Each a replica of those original designs only powered by diesel fuel instead of steam, they invite passengers to step back in time, to a simpler era while underway, and enjoy the clink of glasses and contented conversation that has long been heard on passenger decks.

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www.bulmanndock.com Top: The Michigan Princess cruises the Grand River in the Lansing area.

Bottom: The Star of Saugatuck II runs the waters of the Kalamazoo River.

A TRIO OF PRINCESSES Captain Chris Chamberlain operates three paddlewheelers around the state. The Chamberlain family’s boating operations began in 1976 when Chris’s father John began offering canoe rentals to Lansing Zoo visitors. To keep parents busy while their kids paddled about, he converted an old barge into the Chamberlains’ first paddlewheeler.

The Grand Princess originally was designed to be disassembled and transported to special events before a major remodel expanded her capacity and her size. The boat now calls Grand Ledge her permanent home, where 5,000 people experience lunch, dinner and private cruises each year.

Based in Lansing, the larger 110-foot Michigan Princess provides more than 15,000 passengers per year with sightseeing tours and special events onboard the Victorian-style vessel. The boat also can be chartered for private parties, and for wedding ceremonies and their receptions.

The five-deck, 222-foot Detroit Princess began life as a casino boat in Texas before she was relocated to Detroit and refitted for sightseeing operations, weddings and other special events like craft-brew cruises and Made-in-Michigan trips that feature local products. “We fell in love with the Detroit Riverwalk area and wanted to provide something that was missing since the late 1980s,” Chris Chamberlain said.

More than 60,000 people a year climb aboard for a cruise on the Detroit Princess alone. With numbers like these, it’s no wonder so many paddlewheelers keep rolling on the Michigan rivers. Learn more about these three royal ladies at michiganprin cess.com/our-boats.

≈

Chuck Warren is a boating writer from Grandville who has worked around boats for 40 years.

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T R AV E L & A D V E N T U R E 2 019

VINTAGE VIEWS

BY M. CHRISTINE BYRON AND THOMAS R. WILSON

Michigan’s ‘Green Book’

Town Motel, Detroit

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other postal workers through the National Association of Letter Carriers to gather information about where African Americans could stop for gas, food and lodging. In some places, there were no commercial hotels or restaurants that would accept blacks, so Green listed many “tourist homes,” where individual families would rent rooms to travelers in their own homes.

This is evident in the Michigan listings for towns like Battle Creek, Muskegon and Saginaw, where only tourist homes, and no hotels or motels, were recorded.

The early editions of the “Green Book” sold for 25 cents at black-owned businesses and at Esso gas stations, which were some of the few stations that would serve African Americans.

Esso Standard Oil Co. was owned by John D. Rockefeller Sr., and Rockefeller’s wife Laura Spelman Rockefeller was a philanthropist who insisted the “Green Book” was available at all Esso stations. Standard Oil eventually provided funding and offices for Victor Green to produce his work.

Publication of the guide was suspended during World War II. By 1952, the guide had been renamed “The Negro Travelers Green

Book,” cost $1.25 and contained many more pages, expanded to cover all of the United States, Mexico, Bermuda and Canada.

African American travelers in Michigan would find the “Green Book” an invaluable guide. Detroit saw a great influx of blacks during the Great Migration, generally considered from 1916 to 1970. They moved to Detroit and other northern cities for jobs and to escape segregation.

As newcomers to the city, they could find Detroit listings in the “Green Book” for lodging, restaurants, service stations, taverns, night clubs, drug stores, barber shops, beauty parlors and tailors. African Americans were made to feel welcome at places like the Hotel Fairbairn, which billed itself

The Elms Motel, Flint

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY VINTAGE VIEWS

Y

ears after the Emancipation Proclamation ended slavery, African Americans continued to suffer unequal treatment.

Jim Crow laws, especially in the South, discriminated against blacks in most aspects of public life, including travel. Traveling by automobile became increasingly popular in the 1930s and 1940s. But the freedom of the open road wasn’t readily accessible to African Americans, even in Michigan.

Many hotels and restaurants served “whites only.” And many gas stations would not sell gas or allow African Americans to use the restrooms. Black travelers often had to bring their own food and carry extra cans of gasoline. There were thousands of “sundown towns” scattered across both the North and South that made it a crime for any African American to be out in public after sundown.

In 1936, Victor H. Green, a black postal worker, wrote a small book, “The Negro Motorist Green Book,” that listed hotels, restaurants, gas stations and other businesses that would serve African Americans in New York City. The book was so popular that he expanded the next editions to include other towns. Green reached out to

as “Your home away from home,” and the Hotel McGraw that proclaimed, “You will always feel at home at the Hotel McGraw.”

The Gotham Hotel, with its 200 rooms and elegant Ebony dining room, was a social center for many African Americans in the Paradise Valley neighborhood in its heyday.

Idlewild, known nationally as a resort for African Americans, had quite a few listings for lodgings, restaurants, taverns and other businesses. There were larger hotels like the Casa Blanca, Paradise Hotel, McKnight’s Paradise Palace and several others. Smaller venues like the Lydia Inn and the plentiful tourist homes and cottages accepted a limited number of guests. Idlewild also had a vibrant entertainment scene with night clubs, taverns and restaurants.

Towns with a growing population of African Americans, like Baldwin, Covert, Cassopolis and Vandalia, had several listings. Most other Michigan towns had only one or two places listed. For example, Ann Arbor only listed two hotels, the American and the Allenel, while Grand Rapids had only one motel listed, the Villa Motor Court.

Other accommodations could be had at farms, including Hamilton Farms in Grand Junction and Flora Giles Farm in Lawrence.

Heavyweight boxer Joe Louis’ Spring Hill Farm near Utica featured a restaurant that had many black patrons. After the 1950s, more motels were listed in the guide including the Elms in Flint, the Mona Lisa in Inkster, the Motel Morocco in Pontiac and the Town Motel in Detroit.

Looking back to the introduction in the first edition Green had written, “There will be a day sometime in the near future when this guide will not have to be published.

That is when we as a race will have equal rights and privileges in the United States.”

Green passed away in 1960 and did not live to see the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination in hotels, restaurants, gas stations and other public places.

The “Green Book” was published by other hands until the final 1966/67 edition.

≈

BLUE Vintage Views columnists M. Christine Byron and Thomas R. Wilson reside in Grand Rapids. They are authors of the book “Historic Leelanau: Recognized Sites and Places of Historical Significance.”

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A MEMOIR BY NATALIE RUTH JOYNTON ILLUSTRATIONS BY G. ODMARK

Welcome to Replica Dodge The following excerpt of Natalie Ruth Joynton’s work, “Welcome to Replica Dodge,” is reprinted here with permission from Wayne State University Press.

T

his is it, I thought.

In the frantic fi fty-degree weeks before the wedding, I was beginning to understand what James Skipton had meant by “that much work.” We were trying to make Replica Dodge look like the Skiptons’ — clean, warm, perfectly trimmed, lined with blooms, something approximating an actual wedding venue — but this was beyond impractical. It was downright stupid.

It was impossible on multiple fronts: one, we could do nothing to normalize Replica Dodge, Bill’s proud western town [replica] standing among the cherry orchards.

Still I toiled, trying to re-create the better stereotypes of rural living for our guests, all bucolic views and field mice, nary a wildflower out of place. I wanted to give them the best version of Michigan I could muster, and the more I worked, the more the effort struck me as both defensive and protective and exactly, I realized one night, what a local would do.

I had done this before, but for Houston. For years I had assured outsiders that the city was far more diverse than people’s dated idea of it. The work for Replica Dodge stemmed from the same place. *** A sea of familiar faces descended upon Replica Dodge. Wishes, jokes, and advice seemed to pour forth from everyone. My relatives from Texas elbowed me and joked, Girl, you talk like you’re from Michigan now.

My Southern Baptist grandfather called from his hospital bed to say, I hope he is the ideal husband. God’s bless-

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ings upon you. If only Mary Ruth were here today… My mother wrapped me in her arms and whispered, My last baby, my last baby.

It was my father’s job to periodically check on me and make sure I had enough to eat.

He kept urging me to take a few moments for myself in the midst of the clamor. Those few moments fi nally arrived in the bathroom of the farmhouse an hour before the ceremony.

It was early evening and the house was almost empty, most of the helpers having gone back into town to shower and dress before returning with the rest of the guests. I sighed and sank down into a chair near the window, peeling the clothes from my body. My simple dress hung on the back of the bathroom door, and I was suddenly grateful that I had decided against having any bridesmaids. It was just me now, I thought. Thank God. And that’s when I saw it.

Inside my belly button was a tick.

Chills sprang through me. Lunging toward the medicine cabinet for something, anything, to get it off, I found some tweezers, but when I sat back down and tried to lift it up, the tick’s tiny legs began to wiggle.

I lobbed the tweezers across the room and yanked my robe off the hanger, still struggling into it as I charged out of the bathroom to where the caterer was setting up. “I need to speak to Joe,” I said, trying to keep the panic out of my voice. “The groom. Right now. Please fi nd him for me.”

Back in the bathroom, I slid down the wall by the cabinet to the floor.

Ten minutes later there was a knock on the door.

“Are you in there? Natalie? You can open up. It’s me.”

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S TAT E O F M I N E

I unlocked the door. Joe looked like he hadn’t showered yet. He was carrying a hammer.

“Oh, my God. Why are you dirty and still hammering?”

I untied my robe.

“Ah,” he smiled. “Sure.”

“No!” I pointed. “Look at my belly button!

There’s a tick in it!”

Joe bent down. “Huh.” He squinted and studied the insect for a moment, then stood back up and retrieved the tweezers I had thrown across the room.

He bent down again. I cringed.

He pulled the tick off and held it up to the light, examining it.

“It’s nowhere near engorged. That’s good.

You probably won’t get Lyme disease.”

“Thanks. That is good news. As a little girl I always dreamed of not getting Lyme disease on the day I got married.”

Joe dropped the tick into the toilet and flushed, and together we watched it circle the bowl until it disappeared. I retied my robe and shuddered.

Joe put his arm around me. “You know there’s a tick species named after your home state. After Texas. It’s called the Lone Star tick. We don’t have them here in Michigan, so actually we have fewer tick species here. Just FYI. Also I’ve decided to wear the yarmulke.”

God. Only Joe would know about some tick species native to Texas, where he had never lived. Only Joe would attempt to educate me on Lone Star ticks minutes before we exchanged vows. Suddenly I started laughing.

*** For several days earlier in the month, a heat wave had descended on Mason County. The barn thermometer had read eighty-eight, then ninety-seven, then over a hundred. There was zero wind.

“That does it. I’m turning on the airconditioning,” I told Joe. “At least while we’re sleeping.”

“I would like to invite you to sleep on top of the sheets with me. It’s fi ne, really. It turns out you really don’t need covers at night.”

I rolled my eyes. Growing up in Houston meant our family’s air-conditioner was fl ipped on in March and kept cold and blowing into September, and on top of that, the recent long cool Michigan spring had failed to prepare me for its sporadic summer pinnacle. “Are you kidding me?”

“Just wait, okay? This is Michigan. The lake always brings back the breeze. The heat will break, I promise.”

But the heat didn’t break. Two more days passed. On the fi fth scorching day, I suddenly recalled what James had told me about our basement, that it stayed cool even during the worst heat. Though we hardly went down there, the basement of the farmhouse was carpeted — “fi nished,” as Pam had called it — and there was a sliding glass door leading out into the yard behind it. It was well lit, livable, and dry. The only drawbacks were ubiquitous daddy longlegs, but by then I was ready to accept the trade-off.

On the fi fth night of the heat wave, I heaved the mattress off our bed

and shoved it down the stairs.

Joe came home from the college. “Where’s our bed?”

“In the only cool place in this house. Unless you want the air-conditioning on, you’re going to have to sleep down there with me.”

That night, the deep, cool sleep I had longed for arrived …

≈

Natalie Ruth Joynton’s work has appeared in American Poetry Review, Michigan Quarterly and Poetry International. She is the recipient of the 2010 Scholl/ Thompson Poetry Prize from the Academy of American Poets, as well as a Quintilian Excellence in Teaching Award from Purdue University, where she earned her MFA in creative writing. Natalie lives, writes and teaches in rural West Michigan. “Welcome to Replica Dodge” is her first book. Learn more at natalieruthjoynton.com. Copyright (c) 2019 Natalie Ruth Joynton.

MICHIGAN BLUE

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UNDERCURRENTS

BY HOWARD MEYERSON

Preserving nature Michigan Nature Association expands Estivant Pines Nature Sanctuary to protect old-growth trees, wetlands.

T

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Local naturalist James Rooks measuring the width of one of the giant white pine stumps when the call went out to save the pines in the 1970s.

hikers with a protected route to the “fallen giant,” a huge white pine formerly nicknamed the “leaning giant.” It was 110 feet tall and 8 feet in diameter before it was blown down by a fierce north wind in 1987.

Estivant Pines has about 2½ miles of hiking trails. It is open to the public year-round.

Snowshoes are recommended in winter; the area gets 275 inches of snow each year. As many as 85 bird species have been spotted there during warmer months.

It is one of several places around the state where wildlands enthusiasts can see and experience an old-growth forest. There are giant cedars, some 500 years old, in the Valley of the Giants located on South Manitou Island. They are accessible on foot, a 7-mile round-trip hike from the ranger station.

Ferry passage to the island is provided by Manitou Island Transit in Leland.

With its 300-year-old trees, Hartwick Pines State Park off I-75 between Grayling and Gaylord is another. It has several hiking trails and an old-growth forest pathway, an outdoor logging museum that depicts life during the logging boom in Michigan and a large forest visitor center.

Warren Woods State Park, just north of Three Oaks in Berrien County, contains the last virgin beech-maple forest of its type in Michigan. The ecosystem is so rare it was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1967. Visitors can walk the 1½-mile hiking trail through the woods.

To learn more about Michigan’s remnant old-growth forest stands, visit bit.ly/Old GrowthForests.

≈

Howard Meyerson is the managing editor for Michigan BLUE Magazine.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY CHARLIE ESHBACH

he heart of Michigan is found in its wild, natural landscapes, places like those where virgin timbers tower over the land; where saplings in the 1700s now are 300 years old. They stand as memorials to another era and provide a glimpse of what Michigan forests once looked like before the loggers cleared so many in the mid-1800s and early 1900s.

One of those special places, Estivant Pines Nature Sanctuary near Copper Harbor on the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula, was expanded in April to provide added protection for its old-growth trees and nearby wetlands. The Michigan Nature Association, an Okemosbased nonprofit, added 60 acres, bringing the preserve to 570 acres. An anonymous donor generously gave the group a $90,000 challenge grant to pay for the land but required MNA to raise another $90,000, which it did.

That success was cause for celebration — a fitting outcome on the 45th anniversary of the 1970s grassroots efforts to raise the initial money needed to buy the land, preserve the tract and spare it from the loggers’ axes at the time.

“This is probably one of our more storied nature centers because of its history,” said Julie Stoneman, director of outreach and education for MNA, Michigan’s oldest land conservancy. “There aren’t many places where people can go to see what Michigan looked like before European settlers arrived.

It provides an opportunity to experience and understand what old growth means.”

The new property includes a half-mile of frontage along the Montreal River, known for its rare plant species, waterfalls and archeological sites. In MNA’s ownership, the land will be protected from future logging or mining. The new property also provides

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THE SPORTING LIFE

BY TOM RENKES

In search of calm waters Solo kayak journey 1,000 miles along Lake Superior’s shore. of Robert Service’s “The Spell of the Yukon.”

Scattered are texts from John Muir, Ernest Hemingway and Anthony Bourdain. I’ve emulated these characters my entire life. I wanted a final version of my own character, now. Lake Superior would provide the plasma.

My wife and children discussed the idea extensively and the normal cautions were announced. Knowing of the previous adventures I’d had around North America, the family understood I was in perfect physical, spiritual and emotional condition to attempt my dream. I, however, still made sure our attorney had my will. The journey would be amazing, but this was Lake Superior, and I was going alone.

Beginning on Minnesota’s North Shore at its own Grand Marais harbor, I set out for a 25-mile first day in water that not even pleasure boats attempted. I slugged my way through swells, wind-driven whitecaps that tested my limits and abilities. During those first two weeks, the storms that ravaged Wisconsin and the Keweenaw Peninsula took a direct path over me.

But I persevered through raging storms and calm waters, eating my oatmeal, grano-

la, peanut butter, chicken, chili, tuna, ramens and bags of M&M’s. I provisioned at various ports, sometimes walking miles with a small backpack I carried for just that reason. I met people who assisted with directions, conversation and who simply wanted to be nice.

Loons, otters, eagles and peregrine falcons were among nature’s welcoming crowd.

In terms of safety gear, I took no electronics besides my VHF radio, a rescue beacon and an old flip phone I could only use in emergencies, the last item at the direction of wife and daughter. This was to be old school. No smartphone to order ahead or browse local areas for necessities. I wanted to be mindful and in the moment. This was a rite of passage, not a slice of notoriety I wished to YouTube as I progressed.

In Wisconsin, I discovered tumbling forests and molten red clay storm remnants, leaving sliver-sized beaches while trees floated in the red clay-colored water. The most dangerous of days had me coursing toward Cornucopia, as I entered the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, and it was here I found myself on my hands and knees kissing the dirt onshore and sobbing as I used the

Kayaker Tom Renkes (left) often landed or camped on deserted beaches (center and right) while paddling on Lake Superior.

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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY TOM RENKES

F

or most of my life, I have spent some portion of lazy summer days gazing out on Lake Superior. As a child, it was usually somewhere between Porcupine Mountains State Park and Copper Harbor.

As an adult, we vacationed in and around Grand Marais for years. Even after long hauls in the motorhome to Alaska, Wyoming or Montana, we’d always stop near our favorite harbor on the return. And for many of those years, I trailered our boat to explore miles of shoreline or kayaked expansive sections. No matter the time on the greatest of lakes, it was never enough.

Last year, I wanted to celebrate life as I turned 60 years old, a feat four previous generations in my father’s family had a difficult time accomplishing. I needed one more journey to solidify a life I had turned around from a suicidal depression almost 10 years before. A cake and a martini wouldn’t cut it. I had to be alone with my soul, my persona. I had to prove I was healthy enough to paddle for two months around the American shoreline of Lake Superior.

At my bedside is a copy of “Walden Pond” and in the reading room of our home, a copy

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY TOM RENKES

phone to call my wife and tell her I loved her.

Saxon Harbor, Wisconsin, once a popular gateway to the Flambeau Trail used by voyageurs for trade, had been destroyed by a tornado two years prior. It was nothing but mud and construction equipment. Up from there and past the Montreal River, I entered Michigan and thought all would be easier.

But Michigan’s far western shore had been hit by the worst of the storms. Where beaches were once yards wide, they were now missing due to erosion; E. coli warnings were heeded from locals all the way to Copper Harbor. Walking around McLain State Park and Houghton and Hancock, I found sunken roads, closed alleys, byways and buildings no longer on foundations.

Lake Superior’s gorgeous waters finally calmed around the Keweenaw Peninsula, Point Abbaye, the Huron Mountains into Big Bay. But toward Munising, rough conditions returned. Finally rounding Grand Sable Lighthouse in 4-foot swells and finding safety at the dunes, I headed to Grand Marais, Michigan, and plodded through 13 squalls in 8 miles.

It sounds horrid, I know, but it was one of the greatest spiritual experiences of my life. I paddled only 50 feet out from a sandy shoreline, whitecaps constant but moderate, and the feeling of the rain, mist, fog then the sunshine, a cycle that repeated over and over, was exhilarating. This was the apex

of the enlightenment I had sought and obtained from cavorting with loons, sea otters, peregrine falcons, eagles, bears and the elements while surviving on instinct and a collective community of Samaritans awaiting me at every port and every shore.

Grand Marais stood calm. On the shore of the inner harbor, my wife and family were waiting with a banner. I found myself a better human and, most importantly, alive and ready to get on with my life.

≈

Tom Renkes lives with his wife in Petoskey where he enjoys writing, painting, traveling, his grandchildren and caring for their 140-year-old home.

Left: Tom Renkes’ wife greets him with a kiss. Top: Renkes’ two-month expedition was a mix of stormy days and sunny beaches.

Above: Rounding the point into the Ontonagon River at Ontonagon.

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PURELUDINGTON.COM

Superior

A family bikes along the Iron Ore Heritage Trail near Marquette.

Vacations

Michigan’s eastern Upper Peninsula offers a great place to escape.

BY MARLA R. MILLER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY A ARON PETERSON

Whether viewing Lake Superior’s clear turquoise waters from a sandstone cliff or its rocky shores, Michigan’s northernmost shoreline is known for its awe-inspiring scenery, quaint towns and growing culinary scene.

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Home to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and other protected state and national forests, Michigan’s eastern Upper Peninsula is a great place to escape from the rat race. Visitors come for the waterfalls, the woods and the call of the wild — for unique, mineralpainted sandstone cliffs and sea caves, hiking and biking trails, sea kayaking adventures and maritime history.

“There are only four national lakeshores in the whole country, it is an amazing place,” said Cori Ann Cearley, president of Munising Visitors Bureau. “It’s a singular experience; you can’t get it anywhere else.”

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore’s Chief of Interpretation Susan Reece moved from south Florida’s Everglades National Park four years ago and has watched the region grow from a sleepy, out-of-the-way destination to an area overflowing with tourists. “We’ve been setting records for visitation since 2015,” Reece said, noting that visitor numbers increased from 398,000 in 2008 to 815,000 in 2018. “It really is a beautiful shoreline and a beautiful park. Even though we have all of those visitors, there is still room.”

Spotty cell service, first-come, first-served campgrounds, and mom-and-pop gas stations are the norm in the region, but the slower pace and natural beauty make it a great place to vacation.

“I think it’s a great way to unplug and just kind of enjoy the outdoors, the views and the town,” said Susan Estler, who joined Travel Marquette as executive director about a year ago.

She started her tourism career in Florida and then Pennsylvania. Looking out at Marquette’s ore docks and Lake Superior, even in January, sold her.

“It’s a nice way to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life; it sounds cliché, but it’s really true.”

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Grand Marais to Munising The idyllic harbor town of Grand Marais with its waterfront campground, brewery, tavern, hardware and lodging opportunities, hosts a variety of events throughout the summer.

It is the eastern gateway to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, offering picturesque views, scenic stops and access to the Grand Sable Visitor Center, Sable Falls and Log Slide Overlook within the lakeshore boundaries.

The town and region saw a boost in visitors once paving of H-58 to Grand Marais was complete in 2010, according to Reece. Among the town’s attractions, the Gitche Gumee Agate and History Museum highlights the area’s geology and history. Several state forest campgrounds are found nearby along with inland lakes for fishing. The famous Seney

National Wildlife Refuge, with its popular auto-tour route, is located a quick 25 miles south of the harbor.

Twelve miles west of Grand Marais, within the national lakeshore, lighthouse buffs can visit Au Sable Light Station. Getting there requires a 1.5-mile (one-way) walk, but visitors can tour the working tower. Just 7 miles west of Grand Marais, the Log Slide Overlook offers stunning views of the Grand Sable Dunes, a perched dune system towering 300 feet high with dramatic banks.

On the western end of Pictured Rocks, Munising, with its restaurants and waterfront lodging, is often a home base for vacationers looking to take day trips. They may choose a scenic Pictured Rocks boat cruise, a driving tour of national lakeshore attractions or to

Left: Lake Superior waves crash under a dramatic sky at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore near Munising.

Right: A family enjoys a picnic at Sand Point in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

kayak in the protected harbor or open waters.

The boat cruises offer the best vantage point for seeing the dramatic, colorful namesake cliffs for the national lakeshore. More adventurous types can rent a pontoon boat and do a self-guided tour or sign up for a guided kayak tour or a glass-bottom boat cruise of nearby shipwrecks.

“Kayaking has grown just as visitation has grown,” Reece said. “People should go with a guided tour unless they are experienced sea kayakers; they need the right kind of boat and equipment.”

Hikers and cyclists also have choices.

Munising Bay Trail Network, a local trailbuilding club, has been working to expand bicycle trails and parks around the city. Visitors also can take the ferry to Grand Island

and ride or hike the trails with a view of the bay. The island has historic sites, a bike trail around the perimeter and a few primitive camping sites. There also are nearby trails on the mainland in the Hiawatha National Forest.

“This area lends itself very well to almost any outdoor recreation interest,” Cearley said, noting that people love the bicycle trails.

The area’s 17 waterfalls are a big draw, along with 100 miles of hiking trail in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Backpackers can camp in designated spots with a backcountry permit, and there are trails for all ages and skill levels, including 42 miles of The North Country National Scenic Trail.

“It’s a great beginning park for backpackers,” Reece said. “There are lots of access points, so it’s easy to try it for a weekend

without necessarily having to hike 20 miles.”

The national lakeshore also has drive-in campgrounds that offer rustic sites along Lake Superior. This summer, Little Beaver Lake, Twelvemile Beach and Hurricane River campgrounds moved to an online reservation system after years of being first come, first served.

When it comes to food and drink in Munising, those in the know recommend the following: East Channel Brewing Company, Upper Peninsula Inspired Winery and Tracey’s at Roam Inn. Another is The Brownstone Inn in Au Train. And Camel Riders is a rustic log cabin restaurant in the Hiawatha National Forest. “The food there is absolutely phenomenal,” Cearley said. “It’s off the beaten path.”

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Top: Downtown Marquette Bottom: Babycakes Muffin Company, Marquette

“Marque e is just a very special place.

The people are wonderful, and there are great shops and events and things to do.”

SUSAN ESTLER

Munising to Marque e Marquette is the Upper Peninsula’s largest city, and it has a growing foodie and brewery scene. Northern Michigan University brings in 8,000 college students every year, making this the region’s hippest and most urban area.

It also serves as a four-season playground for outdoor adventure types.

“Lake Superior is the underpinning of everything we have here in the city of Marquette and Marquette County,” Estler said.

“Marquette is just a very special place. The people are wonderful, and there are great shops and events and things to do.”

The city has a lakefront path where visitors can take a leisurely walk or bicycle ride, yet just outside of town, there are more rigorous

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hiking and mountain biking trails for hardcore athletes.

The region’s NTN and RAMBA trail systems are some of the best in the Midwest, and water-based excursions range from sea kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding to leisurely kayak and canoe trips on inland rivers.

A lesser-known fact is Marquette County has the most unnamed waterfalls in Michigan, and Travel Marquette has a map with different coordinates to find them.

Presque Isle Park is another hot spot, where people often swim and jump off the cliffs at Black Rocks. The 323-acre peninsula park features wooded trails, picnic areas, boat launch, nature center and a concert bandshell.

Further west toward Big Bay, Sugarloaf Mountain Natural Area, owned by Marquette County, has one of the most popular overlooks on the central U.P. shoreline. The park has easy and advanced trails through a lush forest canopy and ancient rock outcroppings. The short hike to the summit ends with panoramic views of Lake Superior and the surrounding landscape.

Several public parks, beaches and historic sites, including Marquette Harbor Lighthouse and Marquette Maritime Museum, also dot the waterfront. Washington Street dead ends into Mattson Lower Harbor Park, another quaint place to walk along the water, attend a festival or view the marina and ore dock.

From there, it’s an easy walk to locally owned shops, restaurants and breweries downtown.

People come expecting starry skies and fresh blue water, but serious foodies can find a top-shelf martini and farm-to-table dining.

Visitors often enjoy dinner and a movie at the Delft Bistro, serving locally sourced American fare and a nightly feature in Marquette’s historic theater. Next door, the century-old Donckers candy store caters to candy and ice cream lovers yet maintains historic character with an original soda fountain and lunch counter. Or, if they prefer, they may grab a homemade pasty and sit at the lake and watch an ore freighter come in.

Whatever way visitors enjoy nature, the region has it covered.

Downtown Marquette

≈

Marla Miller is a freelance writer who lives in Norton Shores where she enjoys the lakeshore lifestyle.

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National Park’s Greenstone Ridge Trail promises a wilderness experience.

Boreal forest and Lake Superior shoreline at Isle Royale National Park.

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A sea kayaker on Lake Superior at Isle Royale National Park.

Amy Eckert and her husband Bruce on the Isle Royale shoreline.

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Isle Royale National Park was all we could see. From the vantage point of a seaplane, the park looked like a geological washboard, its basalt ridges and 400 islands rising above Lake Superior’s surface, calm and mirror-like on this August afternoon. I saw my husband Bruce shift his weight in the airplane seat. Was he angling for a better view? Or was he nervous?

Bruce and I had visited Isle Royale before.

But previous visits had been weekend treks centered on day hikes. This time, we would thru-hike the Greenstone Ridge, a 43-mile trail that traces the length of the park’s largest island, Isle Royale. And our hike would be compounded by physical limita-

tions. Bruce was just months removed from a serious accident, a collision with a pickup truck on a morning walk that had rendered him briefly wheelchair bound. His left leg still was recovering from a severe fracture and reconstruction.

“I’m planning to thru-hike Isle Royale this summer,” Bruce had informed his surgeon weeks before our departure. “What do you think?”

“Well, that will test you,” smiled the surgeon. “I think you should go.” We trusted the doctor and packed our bags.

The westernmost end of Isle Royale revealed a landscape accustomed to heavy snow and rain, and as if to prove the point,

Transportation: Ferry prices to Isle Royale begin at $55 one way from Houghton or Copper Harbor; seaplane rates begin at $220 one way from Houghton.

Permit: National Park entrance fees cost $7/person per day or $80 for an annual National Park pass that allows as many as three adults to accompany the pass holder.

Lodging: The Rock Harbor Ranger Station hosts Isle Royale’s only lodge and fully furnished housekeeping cabins. Camper cabins are in Windigo, at the trail’s western terminus and at a few backcountry campgrounds. Backpackers must obtain free backcountry camping permits upon arrival and be prepared to filter and carry each day’s water. Island campsites are first come, first served but large enough to share.

Season: Isle Royale is open to the public April 16-Oct. 31, with June through September considered prime hiking and camping months. nps.gov/isro

the clouds broke open on our first full day on the trail. A dense overstory of conifers offered meager relief from the driving rain.

In low-lying areas, thimbleberry bushes and hip-high ferns reached out to us, constant reminders of a forest ready to reclaim this trail once the hikers left. And thick mud sucked at our hiking boots.

“How much longer before we reach the campground?” complained Bruce as we wound our way downhill toward the shores of Hatchet Lake and the evening’s campsite.

His knee had begun to ache.

“The weather can be intense here,” said Isle Royale National Park Chief of Information and Cultural Resources Liz Valencia,

who has worked at the park since 1992.

“And Isle Royale is very isolated.” The nearest Michigan town is Copper Harbor, 3½ hours by ferry to the south, and the national park is fully closed to humans six months of the year.

“Visitors can find themselves really immersed in the wilderness at Isle Royale,” Valencia said. “But that isolation and the presence of Lake Superior are also what makes Isle Royale so special.”

If outdoor enthusiasts represent the vast majority of today’s 18,500 annual visitors, Isle Royale hasn’t always been deemed a leisure getaway. As early as 2500 B.C., Native Americans extracted the island’s copper,

followed by miners of European descent in the early 19th century. Commercial fisheries dotted the island’s shores with weatherbeaten shanties for a century beginning in the 1830s. And in 1935, logging crews affiliated with the Civilian Conservation Corps exported Isle Royale’s first 18,000 cords of pulpwood to Wisconsin paper mills.

It wasn’t until the early 1900s that tourism became a force on Isle Royale, as industrialized Midwestern city-dwellers escaped for the island’s idyllic lighthouses, boating excursions and picnics on the banks of Lake Superior. Isle Royale’s designation as a national park in 1931 promised “to preserve a prime example of Northwoods wilderness,” according to the National Park Service (NPS), further upping the number of leisure travelers and preserving the landscape that Bruce and I hiked through on this August day.

A light breeze and early morning sunshine filled our tent and lifted our spirits the next day. A good night’s sleep seemed to have worked magic on Bruce’s aching leg, and any doubts about our fortitude seemed to have vanished with the clouds.

By midday, we reached the open ground of Mount Siskiwit, a 1,200-foot promontory that offered views of Isle Royale’s northern shore.

Soaking up the heat of the mountain’s sunMICHIGAN BLUE

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Top: A red fox visits a kayak campsite on Isle Royale National Park.

Bottom: Morning sunlight penetrates the thick woods along a trail at Isle Royale.

warmed basalt, we shielded our eyes from the bright rays of the sun as it glanced off Lake Superior’s smooth surface. Already, yesterday’s rain seemed a distant memory.

As the miles passed, we noticed a gradual change in the island’s landscape, signs that we were approaching Isle Royale’s leeward side.

The tortured firs so prevalent on previous days began yielding to birch and sugar maples, and the Greenstone’s hard-packed ferny route had transformed into a gravel path that snaked through wind-blown grasses and wild asters.

The sun continued to shine, the temperature rose and we began to search for one of the 1,600 moose synonymous with Isle Royale.

It’s a subject of much discussion here on Isle Royale, the increasing number of resident moose, the declining number of wolves and the precarious ratio of predator to prey. In the late 1940s, gray wolves are thought to have first arrived via ice bridge from Ontario, helping to maintain the stability of Isle Royale’s moose herd. But Lake Superior’s warming waters and inbreeding have since depleted the wolf population, bringing the total number of animals from a high of 50 in 1980 to a low of two in 2016. In June 2018, concerns of a serious

Visitors can easily enjoy Isle Royale’s natural beauty via spectacular day hikes from Rock Harbor. Favorites include: Stoll Trail 4.2-mile loop, easy Hike from Rock Harbor Lodge toward the tip of Scoville Point for views of buffcolored cliffs washed by the pounding Lake Superior surf.

Lookout Louise Trail 2 miles round trip, difficult Paddle across Tobin Harbor to reach the trailhead, which begins at Hidden Lake, a favorite grazing spot for moose. From the lake, the trail leads steeply upward, promising sweeping views of the harbor and Isle Royale’s northern shore.

Tobin Harbor Trail 6 miles round trip, easy Hike the southern shore of Tobin Harbor, where a thick carpet of pine needles leads beneath towering fir trees and a shoreline popular with paddlers and otters.

Rock Harbor Trail 7.6 miles round trip, moderate Follow Isle Royale’s southernmost shore over rocky promontories and past the crashing waves of Lake Superior. Combine the route with the Tobin Harbor Trail for a 7.3-mile loop or take a quick side trip at mile 1.8 to Suzy’s Cave.

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A red canoe at the Merritt Lane campsite on Tobin Harbor.

wildlife imbalance led the NPS to approve reintroduction of gray wolves, releasing the first four animals in September 2018 and 11 more in early 2019.

“Most visitors are excited about the reintroduction of wolves to Isle Royale,” Valencia said. “Others think that nature should just be left alone. Reactions vary.” The NPS plans to relocate a total of 20 to 30 wolves to Isle Royale within the next three to five years.

We wouldn’t see any wolves on this trek, nor moose, the latter inclined to gather in Lake Superior’s protective harbors. And so, we hiked onward, up and over rocky accordion folds until we reached Mount Ojibway and our first glimpse of civilization.

The mountain’s bald top and 1,130-foot altitude revealed glimmering Lake Superior to the south, the water streaked by boat traffic.

Rock Harbor Lighthouse thrust its white head above the trees, and we could just make out the buildings of Rock Harbor Lodge, the end of the Greenstone Ridge Trail.

Bruce wasn’t content to take in the view from here, not when Mount Ojibway’s mountaintop fire tower promised a broader view.

My fear of heights kept me grounded, but I watched him bound up the 50 steps to the lookout. Whether his limberness came of the previous day’s exercise, the warmth of this summer day or the prospect of a great view, he had all but forgotten his weak leg.

“We should make plans to come back,” Bruce said, returning again to terra firma.

“There are over 100 miles of trails on Isle Royale, and we could make a goal of hiking all of them: Minong Ridge, Feldtmann Ridge, the Ishpeming Trail. Wouldn’t that be fun?”

Tomorrow night, we’ll have hot showers and cold beers. We’ll sleep in real beds and gaze heavenward after dark for a look at the Milky Way. But for now, we lingered in the sunshine. Here in the middle of Lake Superior, summer is fleeting. Best to enjoy the day while it lasts.

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Amy Eckert is an award-winning travel writer based in Holland.

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Photo expedition to sunken Lake Huron freighter brings historical tragedy to life.

BY HOWARD MEYERSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY BECKY KAGAN SCHOTT AND CHRIS WINTERS 50

MICHIGAN BLUE

In this issue of BLUE, we bring you Becky Kagan Schott’s and Christopher Winter’s underwater photography. Images that depict the ghostly remains of a steel freighter built in Bay City in 1906 that eventually was unable to withstand the elements: 70 mph winds and 25-foot waves. They are images that remind us of the dangers and peril Great Lakes mariners have faced for hundreds of years.

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Lying on the bottom of lake huron in more than 200 feet of water, the ghost-like freighter, SS Daniel J. Morrell, sits silently in darkness, a testament to tragedy. It has rested there since November 1966, when the 603-foot ore carrier foundered in a terrible storm, broke in two and eventually sunk; its halves settling miles apart. The aft portion stayed buoyant and under power. It continued on the surface for several miles.

The story of its demise and the 28 crew members who perished, along with the near 40-hour ordeal of the 29th crew member who survived, was memorialized in the 2010 book “Shipwrecked: Reflections of the Sole Survivor” written by the late Dennis Hale who died from cancer at 75 in 2015. He was 26 years old working as a watchman aboard when the freighter went down.

In 2018, on a calm July day when the surface light was bright, the bow of the SS Daniel J. Morrell slowly came into view and loomed large for Christopher Winters, author and professional photographer from Milwaukee, and Becky Kagan Schott, five-time Emmy-winning underwater cameraman, photographer and diving instructor. The two and a crew of helpers had descended to depth to photograph the Morrell.

It was Schott’s sixth or seventh dive to the ship, but Winters’ first, “a bucket-list dive” for the 48-year-old father of a newborn back home. He was there to shoot photos of the ship and of Schott, who planned to stage light the wheelhouse and other areas to create dramatic photos. Her works have appeared on the Discovery Channel, Travel Channel and National Geographic.

Winters, a board member for the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society, wanted to see the ship in person. Hale Opposite page top: Divers light the anchor on the freighter’s bow.

Opposite page bottom: Plates remain stacked in the freighter’s quagga mussel-encrusted galley. Right: The Daniel J. Morrell was 60 years old when it sank.

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“When you go down and see that half of the freighter is missing and rests 5 miles away and think about what the crew went through in their final moments, it’s very haunting.”

Becky Kagan Schott

was a longtime friend, and Winters was developing an interpretive display about the tragedy for the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum (shipwreckmuseum.com) in Paradise. The display is expected to open this summer.

“At 120 feet down, you could start to see stuff; it was a ghost-ship effect, a supernatural feeling to see that huge bow loom out of the gloom and stand off and see the whole structure,” said Winters, who refers to Hale as a legend. “It was a very powerful experience.”

Schott, who did not know Hale, had read his book. “His story was so powerful, I wanted to help tell the story,” she explained. “If people don’t see it (the freighter), they don’t know that it is even there.”

Schott is a mixed-gas diving expert from Aston, Pennsylvania. Going so deep, she said, required specialized life support equipment. And time on the bottom was limited to about 25 minutes to allow for the decompression stops needed while returning to the surface.

“When you go down and see that half of the freighter is missing and rests 5 miles away and think about what the crew went through in their final moments, it’s very haunting,” Schott said.

Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum staff report that there are more than 6,000 shipwrecks in the Great Lakes and an estimated 30,000 fatalities from them. More are found all the time.

Howard Meyerson is the managing editor for Michigan BLUE Magazine.

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Left: A silt-filled shoe remains in the sunken hull as a reminder of those who perished. Inset: Dennis Hale’s lifejacket will be part of Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum’s display. Right: The crew’s bunks are crusted over with mussels.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Marshall, Michigan Founded: 1830

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7,088 (2010 census)

County: Calhoun

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Author John Bellairs wrote children’s books set in the fictional small town of New Zebedee, Michigan, based on his real hometown of Marshall.

“The House with a Clock in Its Walls,” starring Jack Black and Cate Blanchett, is a film adaptation of Bellairs’ work.

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thriving small town with a rich history, Marshall is moving forward. The Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance (MAEDA), responsible for tourism, chamber, and economic development, partners with the city and other entities to ensure the area’s positive momentum. Community involvement, a commitment to the vibrant downtown, and balancing its famous past with new businesses, unique events, and an eye toward larger-scale economic develop-

ment all come together under the MAEDA umbrella and make Marshall a one-of-a-kind destination.

Marshall, with its distinctive 19th century architecture (over 850 structures are in its National Historic Landmark District), features a main street with not exactly mainstream businesses. From Northfield Mandolins (makers and purveyors of world-class, eight-stringed treasures used by Grammy winners and players around the globe), to Grandma’s Toys & Treats (owned and operated by, yes, two

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Spotlight

“Owning a business in Marshall is our dream come true, and the MAEDA team has helped make that dream a reality.

Everyone has been so welcoming. MAEDA has been instrumental in bringing businesses to town, and we have people shopping with us from all over.” — KATHY PRYOR

grandmas), to Living MI (a shop dedicated to everything Michigan), variety is up and down Michigan Avenue.

“Owning a business in Marshall is our dream come true, and the MAEDA team has helped make that dream a reality,” says Kathy Pryor, who, along with her sister Michele Wilkerson, opened Living MI a year ago. “Everyone has been so welcoming. MAEDA has been instrumental in bringing businesses to town, and we have people shopping with us from all over.”

In addition to attracting new business, MAEDA and the community recognize the importance of retaining established favorites for the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike. Schuler’s Restaurant & Pub (since 1909), Hemmingsen Drug Store (locally owned for more than 80 years), National House Inn (built in 1835 and the oldest operating Bed and Breakfast in the state), Cornwell’s Turkeyville (celebrating its 51st year) and Louie’s Bakery (established in 1952) are a few favorites.

Another nod to moving history forward comes by way of restoring beautiful buildings for contemporary uses. MAEDA has supported the redevelopment of numerous projects, including renovation of the famous 150-year-old J.H. Cronin Building, which now houses Grand River Brewery as well as nine residential units; and EastEnd Studio and Gallery, Michigan’s largest nonprofit art gallery, currently renovating its third floor ballroom to its original glory for a reception, meeting, and community gathering space.

MAEDA’s tourism team regularly assists groups of all sizes with complete itineraries aligning with specific interests. From the walking tour of the historic district, the River Walk along the Kalamazoo River, to tours of the nine unique museums in town (including the Honolulu House, American Museum of Magic, U.S. Postal Service Museum, and Walters Gasoline Museum), there is something for everyone.

Marshall has continued its tradition as the place for year-round events, and MAEDA plays a crucial role in promoting all. In addition to four live theaters offering performances throughout the year, the Blues Festival, Historic Home Tour, Christmas Parade, and Candlelight Walk of Historic Homes are annual highlights. MAEDA’s involvement in new events including Skeleton Fest (the kickoff party is coming up Sept. 28), the Donut Roll cycling event, and Girls Night Out have helped them become extremely popular the last several years.

“MAEDA recognizes integrating tourism, small business services, and economic development is crucial for the entire Marshall area,” says Scott Fleming, MAEDA’s CEO. “Showcasing our strong community as ‘the place to live and visit’ is a win for locals, attracts visitors, and ensures Marshall’s continued success.”

Choose Marshall and plan your trip today!

Visit choosemarshall.com or call 800-877-5163.

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Make a date with the state

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY iSTOCK

Enjoy the season and the fun, from outdoor celebrations to dramatic and stirring performances indoors.

FA M I LY F U N PA G E 61 H O M E & G A R D E N PA G E 6 2 A R T & M U S I C PA G E 6 4 B Y L A N D , A I R & S E A PA G E G R E AT TA S T E S PA G E 71

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Book a float plane trip. Visit one of Michigan’s islands. Fly in a hot-air balloon. It’s a great time to build sandcastles, the beaches beckon. Check out the surf festival. Learn to polka. Enter a gravel road bicycle race. Rent a canoe or kayak. Go somewhere on horseback or hike a long-distance trail. Groove to live blues at the Port Sanilac Blues Festival.

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August/September PEOPLE, PL ACES AND EVENTS TO EXPLORE IN MICHIGAN

9/20–22

8/2–4

A colorful weekend filled with hot-air balloon races, BALLOONS OVER BAY HARBOR hosts some of the best pilots in the country. The weekend includes a chance to meet the pilots, evening concerts, petting zoo, hay maze and other festivities, plus a craft wine, beer and spirits festival on the grounds of the Bay Harbor Equestrian Center. bayharbor.com

Michigan has more lighthouses than any other state, and Michiganders and adventuresome visitors enjoy climbing them. THE MICHIGAN LIGHTHOUSE FESTIVAL shines a light on Port Huron’s Fort Gratiot Lighthouse this year, the first lighthouse built in Michigan and the second oldest on the Great Lakes. Festivities include guest speakers, lighthouse marketplace and art show, Port Austin lighthouse boat tours and tours of area lighthouses. michiganlighthousefestival.com

8/30–9/1

Don’t just pass by scenic farms and vineyards, stop to shop, sample the harvest and take in the scenery during the EIGHTH ANNUAL LAKESHORE HARVEST RIDE. Plus, you’re going to need a break after all that peddling. Start in Douglas or South Haven and map out a route ranging from 15 to 62 miles.

Riders can visit art studios, wineries, cider mills and orchards along the way. lhride.com

9/21 The charming town of Alpena hosts SUNRISE SUDS TAP TAKEOVER, northeastern Michigan’s first and only craft beer festival. Raise a glass, toast to new friends and try beers from 30-plus breweries. Live music from some of Michigan’s most promising musicians, street performances and more make this worth giving up a weekend of football. sunrisesuds.com

D O YO U H AV E A N E V E N T F O R O U R C A L E N D A R ?

Calendar items may be submitted to excursions@geminipub.com two months prior to publication of the intended issue. Michigan BLUE is a bi-monthly magazine.

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9/14

THE 16TH ANNUAL MARQUETTE AREA BLUES FEST returns to the shores of Lake Superior in scenic Mattson Lower Harbor Park. This family-friendly fest is one of the most popular blues events in the Midwest and features two days of world-class music, tasty food and brews, workshops, a large dance floor and arts and crafts booths. marquetteareablues society.org

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FA M I LY F U N August 1-4 — 45th annual Polish Festival, Boyne Falls Plan to polka, polka, polka and try the pierogis!

Carnival rides and games, parades, oldies night, youth day, mud run, classic car show, polka tent and more. boynefallspolishfestival.com August 1, 8, 15 & 22 — Movies in the Park, Ludington Enjoy a free outdoor movie on the big screen in Rotary Park, beginning at dusk. Baby Badger Rides at 7:30 p.m. until dusk, plus popcorn or bring your own snacks. downtownludington.org August 2, 9, 13 & 23 — Rockin’ the Rivers, Port Huron Grab your blankets and lawn chairs and join in for a night full of free musical entertainment, food vendors, inflatable bouncers, beer tent and family fun along the St. Clair River. porthuronrec.com August 2-3 — Humongous Fungus Festival, Crystal Falls Home to a giant, subterranean mushroom network that covers 37 acres, Crystal Falls celebrates with a Fungus Fest Parade, live music and food, mushroom cook-off and family fun. iron.org August 2-4 — 23rd annual Chalk the Block, St. Joseph The street becomes a colorful canvas as artists create chalk displays on Broad Street. Block/ artist viewing all day on Saturday and Sunday. stjoetoday.com August 2-4 — Marine City Maritime Days This civic celebration of Marine City’s maritime heritage on the St. Clair River includes a midway, arts and crafts show, antique tractors, music, food and exhibits. bluewater.org August 3 — Harrietta Blueberry Festival Indulge in delectable blueberries while enjoying community events, kids activities, blueberry patch tours, crafts, local produce, classic car show, parade and more. cadillacmichigan.com August 3 — 906 Festival, Curtis U.P. culture and traditions take center stage at the 906 Festival at Erickson Center for the Arts. Activities and fun games and demonstrations for the whole family, art and retail vendors, a beer and wine tent, and entertainment in the park. ericksoncenter.org August 3-4 — Civil War Days, Port Sanilac Bring the family to watch drills, battles and skirmishes and meet living historians and re-enactors

at the Sanilac County Historical Museum and Village. sanilaccountymuseum.org August 3-5 — Onekama Days, Onekama Village Park This heritage celebration includes 5K run/walk, arts and crafts show, dances, parade, fireworks and more. visitmanisteecounty.com August 8 — Harbor Springs Car Festival What a great collection of cool cars! No admission charged — just come check out the hot rods, classics, sports cars and other family fun. harbor springschamber.com August 8-11 — National Blueberry Festival, South Haven South Haven’s signature event since 1963, this festival features waterfront concerts, pie-eating contest, parade, craft fair, Blueberry 5K and plenty of family fun. blueberryfestival.com August 8-11 — Boyne City Pirate Fest Arrrgggguably one of the state’s best new festivals, come and wear a costume, enjoy live performances and lots of pirates. boynecitypiratefest.com August 9-11 — Thunder Bay Car Show, Alpena Peruse the cars at Starlite Beach on beautiful Thunder Bay, plus music entertainment, children’s activities, food and refreshments, and drive-in style movie. thunderbaycarshow.com August 10 — Sand Sculpture Contest, Grand Haven Gather on the Grand Haven shoreline to construct beautiful sand sculptures and works of art. Plan to enjoy a day full of sun, sand and fun for the whole family! visitgrandhaven.com August 10 — Fayette Historic State Park Heritage Day, Garden Honoring the “heyday” of Fayette as a bustling iron smelting company town; activities for the day include period displays, food, music and a historic baseball game. michigan.gov/fayettetownsite August 10 — Summer at the Wigwam, Midland Explore how the Ojibwa lived and used local plants and animals to thrive in this environment, plus try traditional skills such as fire by friction and cordage making at Chippewa Nature Center. chip pewanaturecenter.org August 10-11 — Antiques Auto Show & Flea Market, Boyne City This long-standing car show attracts a number of classic vehicles. Check out the cars, browse the flea market. boynechamber.com

August 10-11 — 28th annual Odawa Homecoming Pow Wow, Harbor Springs A beautiful tradition full of dancing and music, the Odawa Homecoming Pow Wow is a great way to observe and learn about native culture. petoskeyarea.com August 12 — Comic Creation, Saugatuck Bam! Pow! Campers will learn the exciting art of comic book storytelling. Come channel your inner artist to create your own mini comic book at Saugatuck Center for the Arts. sc4a.org August 15-17 — Festival on the Bay, Petoskey Petoskey celebrates life along the bay with music, food and lots of family fun — plus million-dollar sunsets. petoskeyfestival.com August 15-18 — Buckley Old Engine Show Come see the past in motion! With a variety of old engines, tractors and farm machinery on display, events and demonstrations, there’s something for everyone. buckleyoldengineshow.org August 16-18 — 35th annual Wild Blueberry Festival, Paradise Celebrate the region’s heritage and wild blueberries with an art fair, strolling and stage entertainment, local food specialties, history lore and a Blueberry Jamboree. wildblueberryfestival.org August 23-24 — HarborFest, Marquette This popular shoreline event takes place at Mattson’s Lower Harbor Park and features live music, local food, inflatables, classic car show, luge demo track and more. marquettewestrotary.org August 23-25 — Rendezvous at the Straits Powwow, St. Ignace Visit the French encampments, watch demonstrations and enjoy the sights and sounds of Native dancing and drumming ceremonies. stignace.com August 23-25 — St. Clair County Farm Museum Harvest Festival Experience a taste of yesteryear with displays of antique tractors and plowing, steam-powered equipment, homesteading, fashions and history of daily life relived. stclaircountyfarmmuseum.org August 30-31 — Muskegon Polish Festival Polish food, polka music, dancing, cultural activities, children’s area and much more set up in Hackley Park. muskegonpolishfest.com August 31 — Laborfest, Manistee Come out for a celebration of the region’s rich industrial history. Musical acts, classic car show, kids games, food trucks and more at Douglas Park. visitmanisteecounty.com

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September 6-8 — 68th annual Posen Potato Festival Polka bands, arts and crafts, bump and run, parade and more await at this weekend-long festival. posenpotatofestival.com September 13-14 — Fayette Historic State Park Paranormal Event, Garden Have you ever wondered what a paranormal investigator does? This is your chance. Take part in two nights of unearthly surprises and learning at the historic town site. michigan.gov/fayette September 13-14 — Port Huron Hobo Fest Learn about the resourcefulness of those that rode the rails seeking work and adventure, come out for the lighting of the campfire, acoustic musicians, children’s games, SPAM carving and more. bluewater.org

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September 21 — Menominee Giant Pumpkin Festival This festival includes a giant pumpkin boat race and giant pumpkins on display, kids activity tent, pumpkin-seed spitting and craft vendors at Menominee Marina Park. downtownmenominee.com September 28 — Whistles on the Water, St. Clair Capturing the sounds of Michigan’s maritime history, museums and collectors show off their steam whistles and give the public a chance to try them out. stclairontheriver.com September 28 — Sault Ste. Marie Fall Festival This fall festival makes its debut with a farm and craft market, polka stage and family fun. Get your fill of beer and bratwursts, along with other specialty foods and drinks. saultstemarie.com September 28-29 — Countywide Museum Weekend, Huron County Visit the 17 museums of Huron County for special events, tours, car shows, music, games and special displays. thehchs.org

HOME & GARDEN August 3 — Hanging Out with Hummingbirds, Midland Learn about nesting and feeding habits and what flowers attract hummingbirds during this program at Chippewa Nature Center. chippewanaturecenter.org August 3-4 — Antiques at the Fairgrounds, Petoskey Nearly 170 dealers gathered together make it an antique lover’s paradise. Find furniture from Victorian to rustic, china, glass, textiles, quilts and unique items for the home and garden. antiques atthefairgrounds.com

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Aug 7, 14, 21, 28 — Seney Wildlife Refuge Auto Tours Tourists and locals alike love this guided tour of the refuge backcountry. Tour begins at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays. Look for wildlife while learning about refuge history and management practices. fws.gov/refuge/seney August 9-11 — Yard Sale Trail, Sebewaing to Algonac Over 200 miles of antiques, yard sales and 12 Blue Water area communities are waiting to be explored along Lake Huron. Trail begins in the eastern thumb and travels down to the southern tip. yardsaletrail.blogspot.com August 18 — 37th annual Old Victoria Craft Fair, Rockland Old Victoria’s Craft Fair is an event like no other!

Browse handmade, original arts and crafts on the lawn of a historic copper mining village built in 1899 and tour the restored hand-hewn log cabins. facebook.com/oldvictoria August 18 — W.K. Kellogg Manor House Tours, Hickory Corners Take a free self-guided tour of the W.K. Kellogg Manor House and estate, followed by a lakeside concert featuring Cereal City Concert Band. conference.kbs.msu.edu

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August 26-27 — Ann Arbor Bonsai Society Show & Sale Enjoy displays of over 100 bonsai, bonsai demos, bonsai accessories and materials, Peoples’ Choice awards and more. mbgna.umich.edu August 31-September 1 — National Dahlia Show, Grand Rapids Hundreds of dahlias will be on display, including unusual forms and a rainbow of colors, plus exhibitors from around the country at Frederik Meijer Gardens. meijergardens.org September 7 — Mingling with the Monarchs: Butterfly Tagging, Midland Come be a part of citizen science project and learn about the amazing monarch. Help net and tag the butterflies and send them on their 2,000-plus mile journey to Mexico. chippewanaturecenter.org September 7-8 —A Standard Flower Show, Grand Rapids This show features floral designs and a horticulture division with flowers and foliage grown and arranged by West Michigan garden clubs at Frederik Meijer Gardens. meijergardens.org September 7-8 — 56th annual Historic Home Tour, Marshall Eight unique and historic private homes in a vari-

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ety of styles open for this popular tour. Museums and other buildings, plus a juried fine arts and crafts fair, Civil War encampment and ball. marshallhistoricalsociety.org September 15 — The Art of Bonsai, Tipton Tour this exhibit of bonsai trees, plus vendors and other activities at Hidden Lake Gardens. canr.msu. edu/hiddenlakegardens September 19-21 — Whiting Forest Birding Festival, Midland This inaugural festival includes a variety of speakers, field trips and dynamic sessions on topics such as a Kirtland’s warbler conservation, raptor identification and birding by ear at Whiting Forest of Dow Gardens. dowgardens.org September 20-October 27 — Chrysanthemums and More, Grand Rapids An annual celebration of autumn, this show is the largest of its kind in Michigan, featuring expansive chrysanthemum displays, fall foliage and more at Frederik Meijer Gardens. meijergardens.org September 21 — Intro to Foraging, Grand Rapids Learn how to find, identify and work with wild edibles found in West Michigan during this special program at Blandford Nature Center. blandford naturecenter.org September 21-22 — Michigan Antique Festival, Midland A Michigan tradition for 50 years, nearly a thousand antique dealers set up vintage goods, collectibles and so much more at the Midland County Fairgrounds. miantiquefestival.com September 21-22 — Herb & Gourd Fest, Grand Rapids Discover a variety of ways to use herbs and gourds and shop for unique gourds at Frederik Meijer Gardens. meijergardens.org September 28 — Birds of Prey LIVE, Augusta See a red-tailed hawk, barred owl and great horned owl up close during this program that includes fun and family-oriented activities at the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary. birdsanctuary.kbs.msu.edu

ART & MUSIC Through August 25 — A National Treasure: Fred Meijer, His Collection and Legacy, Grand Rapids This landmark exhibition charts the milestones of collector Fred Meijer, his interest in sculpture and his collection at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. meijergardens.org

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Through September 1 — 100 Artifacts, Marquette This special exhibition celebrates Marquette Regional History Center’s 100th anniversary with 100 artifacts from the permanent collection. marquettehistory.org Through September 8 — Maya Lin: Flow, Grand Rapids Renowned sculptor and designer Maya Lin explores the natural environment, specifically water, with site-specific work that focuses on West Michigan at Grand Rapids Art Museum. artmuseumgr.org Through September 9 — Rising Voices: The Bennett Prize for Women Figurative Realists, Muskegon The inaugural exhibition of The Bennett Prize highlights figurative realism and original works by the 10 finalists at Muskegon Museum of Art. muskegonartmuseum.org Through September 26 — Changing Hands: A Heritage Crafts Exhibit, Marquette Learn more about the traditional crafts of the U.P.’s immigrant, Victorian and Native American ancestors at Marquette Regional History Center. marquettehistory.org August 1-2, 6-7 — Opera: Mozart’s the Magic Flute, Bay View & Bay Harbor Fully costumed live opera on the stage at John Hall Auditorium and Great Lakes Center for the Arts. Don’t miss this magical, mysterious journey. bayviewassociation.org August 2-3 — The Port Sanilac Blues Festival Celebrating the American form of music known as the blues, The Port Sanilac Blues Festival guarantees a fun weekend for the entire family. portsanilacbluesfestival.net August 3 — Rhythm & Dunes Concert, Ludington Bring blankets, chairs and coolers and enjoy this free concert by Trinity, a tribute band that brings to life sounds from Styx, Foreigner and Journey, at Waterfront Park. westshorebank.com August 3 — Summer Jam, St. Joseph Since 1998, Summer Jam has highlighted bright, new and rising country stars. This year features Tyler Rich and Jameson Rodgers at Shadowland Pavilion. summerjam.com August 3 — Annual Depot Music Festival, Cadillac The music is free, so settle in for a day of good entertainment. Food, beer and wine tent, craft vendors and kid’s splash pad area. cadillacmichigan.com

August 3-4 — Lexington Fine Arts Street Fair Over 100 visual artists with pottery, mixed media, jewelry, paintings, woodworking and garden art for sale. lexingtonmichigan.org/fine-art-craft-fair August 5 — Chris Blisset, Saugatuck A longtime favorite of Mason Street Warehouse audiences and music lovers around the area, Chris Blisset returns to Saugatuck to pay homage to three heroes of American music: Bob Dylan, David Bowie and Leonard Cohen. sc4a.org/ summer-in-studio August 7-10 — Heritage Landing, Muskegon Michigan’s premier Christian music festival. Enjoy dozens of great acts and plenty of family activities. unitymusicfestival.com August 7-31 — Michigan Watercolor Traveling Exhibition, Port Huron The award winners from the 2015 Michigan Watercolor Exhibition and other works are part of this travelling exhibition featured at Studio 1219. studio1219.com August 9-11 — 38th annual Grand Marais Music & Arts Festival This annual event brings together community members, travelers and festival diehards for three days of music, art, camping and fun on the shores of Lake Superior. grandmaraismichigan.com August 10-11 — Gold Coast Artisan Fair, Ludington Over 200 arts and crafts displays are open for browsing and shopping during this popular summer art fair includes in Rotary Park. ludington.org August 11 — Brian Regan, Midland Critics, fans and fellow comedians agree: Brian Regan is one of the most respected comedians in the country. mcfta.org August 15 — The Red Jacket Jamboree, Calumet The Red Jacket Jamboree, a new old-time radio variety show, shares songs, history and storytelling from Michigan’s Copper Country. calumettheatre.com August 16 — The Missing French Minesweepers of Lake Superior, Whitefish Point Learn about the World War I minesweepers that disappeared in late November 1918 on their way to France during this special program at Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. shipwreckmuseum.com August 16-17 — Frankfort Art Fair The biggest weekend of the summer includes 150 artists in Market Square Park, collector car show and cruise night, concerts and more. frankfortelberta.com

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August 16-18 – Hoxeyville Music Festival, Wellston Nestled in 150 acres of farmland surrounded by the Manistee National Forest, this festival is a testament to pure north country peace and celebration. hoxeyville.com August 16-18 — Sunrise 45 Film Festival, Alpena Sunrise 45 features different screening venues, all within walking distance, and mixes film, music and art installations that take over the entire downtown. sunrise45.org August 17 — Art on the Riverfront, Grand Haven Visit various vendors and fine artists at this annual event along the boardwalk and Grand Haven Municipal Marina. galleryuptown.net August 17 — St. Clair Jazz Festival Enjoy live jazz in the along the St. Clair River.

Bring a lawn chair or blanket and listen to music. bluewater.org August 17-18 — Art in the Park, Copper Harbor A two-day craft fair featuring local and regional artists, including food and entertainment, at Grant Township Park. copperharbor.org August 19 — Jaime Marvin, Saugatuck A staple of the Michigan music scene, Jamie Marvin brings her diverse repertoire to the Saugatuck Center for the Arts. sc4a.org August 22–25 — Shoreline Jazz Festival, Muskegon Alexander Zonjic’s jazz fest brings in top-name jazz artists for open-air concerts at waterfront Heritage Landing. shorelinejazzfestival.com August 23-September 13 — Bands at Blandford, Grand Rapids This annual outdoor music series, offered every Friday, features local bands ready to give attendees an evening of fun at the Blandford Farm. blandfordnaturecenter.org August 31 — Thumbfest Music Festival, Lexington This free, festival features all kinds of music from roots to rock to folk to Celtic to New Orleans brass.

Plenty of workshops and jams, so bring your instruments. facebook.com/thumbfest

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August 31 — Lake Bluff Artisan Faire, St. Joseph Find unique handcrafted, homemade goods such as home décor, furniture, jewelry, candles and clothing at Lake Bluff Park. stjoetoday.com

August 31-September 1 — All Crafts Fair, South Haven Held over Labor Day weekend, many vendors come back year after year, bringing unique crafts to be shown and purchased at Stanley Johnston Park. southhavenmi.com August 31-September 1 — 46th annual Harmony Arts and Crafts Show, Harrisville Over 300 exhibitors display their wares on the grounds of the courthouse during this juried show, plus music and family activities near the shores of Lake Huron. harrisvilleartscouncil.com September 1-2 — BlueChiliGrass Festival, Goodells Three stages with continuous music and very diverse genres makes this the largest two-day music and craft festival and chili cook-off in St. Clair County. facebook.com/lakebonisteelmusic September 5 — Haunted Lighthouses of Michigan, Whitefish Point Whitefish Point is one of the 13 haunted lights featured in “Michigan’s Haunted Lighthouses.” Program includes a book signing and presentation by author Dianna Stampfler. shipwreckmuseum.com

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September 12–15 — Michigan Irish Music Festival, Muskegon Irish eyes are smiling on this three-day festival with seven covered stages, ethnic exhibits, jam sessions, Feis competition, food and drink at Heritage Landing. michiganirish.org September 12-15 — Lexington Bach Festival A tribute to composer J.S. Bach, this series of concerts feature gifted musicians performing the works of classical and contemporary composers. lexingtonbachfestival.org September 13-14 — South Haven Jazz Festival, South Haven Enjoy a showcase of local and regional jazz musicians, sunsets over Lake Michigan and more during this send-off to summer at Dyckman Park. foundryhall.org September 20-29 — Mamma Mia, Midland Mamma Mia combines ABBA’s timeless songs with an enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship at Midland Center for the Arts. mcfta.org September 27–29 — Harbor Springs Festival of the Book An amazing collection of authors flock to Harbor Springs for the chance to share their stories. hsfotb.org

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September 27-29 — Thunder Bay Folk Festival, Alpena An entire weekend of folk, bluegrass and more with three different stages for performers. Vendors, food and camping on-site. thunderbayfolksociety.com

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September 28 — World Fest Paulo Padilha from Brazil, Ironwood A little samba, a little pop, catch the swing and rhythm of urban Brazil with Paulo Padilha and Group at Ironwood Theatre. ironwoodtheatre.net

LAND, AIR & SEA August 3 — Cherry Roubaix, Leelanau County Northern Michigan’s road cycling event offers several different distances, epic climbs, rolling vineyards and views of the Lake Michigan, plus a post-party. cherry-roubaix.com

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August 3 — Bi-Yak-A-Thon, Harbor Beach The race includes a 5-mile Tour de Beach and a 2-mile kayak course in the world’s greatest man-made harbor, as well as a 5K run. bluewater.org

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August 10 — Sixth annual LaFarge Stoneport Quarry 5K Run/Walk, Presque Isle Experience a unique 5K course that encompasses a 60-year-old limestone quarry on the scenic shores of Lake Huron. facebook.com/stoneport quarryrun August 10 — Ore 2 Shore, Negaunee This point-to-point race includes multiple different courses to ride and different events for families, partners and other groups. oretoshore.com

480 Fifth Ave, Manistee This Harbor Village 3-BR 2.5-BA condo checks all the boxes, and then some: end unit for lots of privacy, 2-car attached garage, main-floor master bedroom and laundry, 40-foot boat slip right out your door, VIEWS of the LIGHTHOUSE and LAKE MICHIGAN and the BIG MANISTEE RIVER and FREIGHTERS, gas fireplace, central air, deck to watch the sunsets and fireworks. And it all looks like new! Then, for icing on your cake, there’s the bonus indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs, a fitness center and a fish-cleaning station.

What more could you possibly want or need? The walk-out lower level is unfinished so you can add anything else you’d like. It’s already plumbed for a bathroom. Association fee is $520/month. Furnishings are negotiable. $468,500.

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August 15-24 — Tour Da Yoop, Upper Peninsula Experience the ride of a lifetime and explore the 10-section, 1,200-mile bike route that circles the entire Yoop. Come ride any of the sections and enjoy what the U.P. has to offer. tourdayoopeh.com August 16-17 — Marquette Trail 50 Ultra Marathon The course is mostly single-track, climbing the four peaks: Sugarloaf, Top of the World, Bareback, and Hogback. All the peaks have views of Lake Superior. marquettetrail50.com August 16-17 — Port Sanilac Antique Boat & Vintage Show Take a stroll back in time and view wooden-hulled and classic boats from Michigan and Ontario. portsanilac.net August 17 — Rockport Rugged Triathlon, Alpena Join other rugged athletes for the inaugural offroad triathlon racing over roots, rocks and the mighty Lake Huron. performancelocker.com/ rockportrugged

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EXCURSIONS

August 17 — Second annual Great Lakes Surf Festival, Muskegon All SUP’ers, surfers, kiteboarders, kayakers, windsurfers, artists and yogis are welcome to this fun filled day of watersports at Pere Marquette Beach. greatlakessurffestival.com August 17 — Soo Ultimate Paddle Day, Sault Ste. Marie Competitive races, leisurely paddles, guided island tours and trips, and food, music and family fun at Rotary Island Park. chippewacountycommunity foundation.org August 17 — South Haven Boat Walk Set up like a home tour, board a variety of vessels docked in South Haven harbor, meet the owners/ captains and check out above and below decks. michiganmaritimemuseum.org August 17 — Dowagiac Rod & Roll Classic Auto Show Celebrating its 29th year, auto enthusiasts will enjoy the classic auto show with awards and dash plaques, 1950s music, parade and more. dowagiacchamber.com August 17 — Strade Bianche Road Races, Ottawa County Western Michigan is the idyllic setting for these two single-day Italian-themed bicycle races held on smooth, fast gravel/paved roads. facebook. com/chronostradebianche August 24 — Big Bear Butt Cruise, Manistee and Benzie counties This annual bike cruise is composed of four different rides and will take cyclists on some of Manistee County’s best roads to Lake Michigan. bigbearbuttcruise.com August 30-31 — Boyne Kiwanis Car Show, Boyne City Stroll the streets on Friday night for a preview of cars, then head to the waterfront on Saturday to see an even bigger collection of vintage vehicles. petoskeyarea.com August 31 — Cadillac Festival of Races The longest continually held 10K in the state of Michigan, the festival also includes a 5K run/walk, kids fun run and other events, a stand-up paddleboard race and adventure triathlon. cadillac festivalofraces.com August 31 — 10th annual Marquette Marathon The marathon and half-marathon courses both have significant elevation drops, visit multiple U.P. cities and travel through scenic wooded scenery on the Iron Ore Heritage Trail. marquettemarathon.com

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August 31 — 18th annual MidMichigan Aliferis Memorial Race, Alpena Open to runners, walkers and bikers of all ages and ability levels with a variety of race options. midmichigan.org/about/donations/aliferisrace

September 8 — Tour di Lago Bike Tour, Port Austin This fun and relaxing ride, featuring either lowtraffic paved or gravel roads, will take you on a tour of the Thumb. portaustinarea.com/tourdilago

August 31 and September 28 — Celestial Sail, Bay City The night sky comes alive with a live presentation by local astronomers as you set sail on a tall ship.

Sunset sails and other excursions also available. baysailbaycity.org

September 14 — Tunnel to Towers Alpena 5K Run and Walk Honor all of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, and support first responders and military during this community event. tunnel2 towers.org

September 1 — Grand Marais Triathlon Swim in Grand Marais Bay, bike in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and finish with a 5K run east of town. grandmaraismichigan.com

September 14 — Black River Open Paddle, South Haven Join Michigan Maritime Museum members, students, volunteers and other paddlers for a beautiful guided fall paddle on the serene Black River in South Haven. michiganmaritimemuseum.org

September 2 — 62nd annual Mackinac Bridge Labor Day Bridge Walk, Mackinaw City and St. Ignace One of Michigan’s most iconic events expects more than 25,000 people to walk the 5-mile Mighty Mac, with panoramic views of the Straits of Mackinac. mightymac.org/bridgewalk September 5-8 — Antique Engine and Tractor Show, South Haven One of the largest shows of its kind in the state, the event draws hundreds of antique tractors and engines collectors from all over the country. michiganflywheelers.org September 7 — Harbor Springs Cycling Classic, Harbor Springs Join the fun of a beautiful bike ride. Choose the length you’d like to ride around scenic Harbor Springs. All routes include the Tunnel of Trees or the Little Traverse Wheelway. birchwoodinn.com September 7 — Mackinac Island 8 Mile Run & Walk Head to the island for the 49th running of this summer-ending event with an 8-mile route around the island and 2,000 other participants. runmackinac.com September 7 — Copper Peak Trails Fest, Ironwood Come join a fun mountain bike race and trail run that navigates down to the Black River then climbs more than 500 vertical feet to the historic ski-flying jump. sisudirtcrew.com/copper-peak-trails-fest September 8 — Holland Haven Marathon, Half and 8K, Grand Haven to Holland Runners experience the beautiful coast of Lake Michigan from Grand Haven to Holland for the full USATF-certified marathon, plus half and 8K routes. hollandhavenmarathon.com

September 14 — Tahquamenon Wilderness Canoe Race, Paradise The great race from the Lower Falls to Lake Superior is a 17.5-mile, two-person professional canoe race. Shorter 6.5-mile one-person and fun run for amateur paddlers also is offered. tahquamenon wildernesscanoerace.org September 14 — Lake Superior Shore Run, Marquette The half-marathon course runs along Lake Superior and up Huron Mountain Range to the top of Bareback Ridge and provides other scenic views back to Little Presque Isle. lakesuperior shorerun.com September 20-22 — Marji Gesick, Ishpeming Marquette County trails are littered with rocks, roots and climb after climb. This race is part of the National Ultra Endurance mountain bike race series. marjigesick100.com September 21 — Oktoberfest Marathon, Spring Lake Marathon, half-marathon and 5K options with scenic routes around Spring Lake and family-friendly fun at Central Park. Qualifier for the Boston and NYC marathons. oktoberfestmarathon.com September 28 — Bear Claw Epic Mountain Bike Race, Cadillac This race on the Cadillac Pathway is open for all ages and abilities of cyclists with one-, two-, three- and four-lap options, as well as a kids race. bearclawepic.com September 28 — The Great Donut Roll, Alpena Do you like cycling? Do you like doughnuts? Come along on a 50-mile ride that goes to an apple farm near Rogers City. performancelocker.com/ donutroll

September 28 — 10th annual Sault International Festival of Races, Sault Ste. Marie Half-marathon, bridge run and 5K run/walk options that cross the International Bridge and run alongside the St. Marys River and back to downtown. saultmarathon.com

September 6-8 — Wine and Harvest Festival, Paw Paw Fun for friends and families of all ages, enjoy grape stomping, wine and beer tastings, craft show and a parade during this fun-filled weekend. wineandharvestfestival.com

G R E AT TA S T E S

September 7 — U.P. Fall Beer Festival, Marquette Stroll through Lower Mattson Harbor Park sam-

pling craft beer from nearly 100 Michigan breweries, along with food truck fare and local music. mibeer.com September 7 — Harvest Festival, Berrien Springs Savor a glass of wine, enjoy live music, hayrides, farmers market, craft vendors and catered food at Lemon Creek Winery. lemoncreekwinery.com

August 3 — Vintage Blues Bash, Berrien Springs Toe-tapping tunes, wine tasting, grilled food and summer fun are in store at Lemon Creek Winery. lemoncreekwinery.com August 3 — Short’s Fest, Elk Rapids Short’s Fest is an annual celebration held in conjunction with Elk Rapids Harbor Days featuring live music, Short’s brews, local food trucks and brewery tours. shortsbrewing.com/shortsfest August 15 — Small Plates, Leelanau Peninsula Culinary aficionados enjoy this upscale, gourmet dining experience that includes a wine and tapas pairing at up to three wineries. lpwines.com August 17 — Suds on the Shore, Ludington This growing beer festival features craft beer, wine, mead and cider, plus live entertainment and food to benefit the United Way of Mason County. sudsontheshore.com August 17 — 13th annual Italian Fest, Iron Mountain Celebrate Iron Mountain’s strong Italian heritage.

Authentic Italian cuisine, children’s activities and more with proceeds benefitting the DDA. downtownironmountain.com August 23-24 — Margaritafest, Lexington Grab your silly hats, leis, blinking anything and head downtown for margaritas, island music and a Caribbean of fun. bluewater.org August 23-25 — Mackinac Island Fudge Festival Fudgies unite! Indulge in the island’s famous sweet treat with fudge-making demonstrations and samples, family activities, fudge-infused cocktails and more. mackinacisland.org August 24 — Burning Foot Beer Festival, Muskegon Drink beer in the sand and enjoy great bands and food on the shores of Lake Michigan at Pere Marquette Beach. Dozens of Great Lakes-region breweries and more! burningfoot.beer August 31 — Minnehaha Brewhaha, Arcadia This second annual event highlights local craft beer, music and food at Arcadia Marine. facebook. com/minnehahabrewhaha

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EXCURSIONS

September 13-14 — Grand Haven Salmon Festival Coinciding with the region’s salmon migration, gather for the salmon boil and gourmet salmon cook-off, wine and beer tasting, fishing contest, art fair and more. ghsalmonfest.com September 14 — Thunder Bay Winery Harvest Festival Live music, food trucks and more at this harvest celebration at Thunder Bay Winery. facebook. com/thunderbaywinery September 14 — Austin Brothers Beer Company Anniversary Party, Alpena Come help Austin Brothers celebrate its fourth anniversary with 18 beers on tap, live music and a big barbecue. austinbrosbeerco.com September 21 — Hops & Props on the River, Manistee Taste your way through over 100 beers from 35 Michigan breweries and peruse an assortment of classic wooden boats along the river. manistee hopsandprops.com September 27-28 — Octoberfest Pub Crawl, Chili Walk and Beer Festival, Ludington Start with a pub crawl, games and prizes at over a dozen bars. Saturday’s Chili Walk is followed by craft beer, live music and German-style food at the North James Street Plaza. downtownludington.org September 28 — Octoberfest, Iron Mountain Hold onto your lederhosen. Delicious German food, beer, entertainment, polka dancing, singalongs, steinholding competition and fun for all in downtown. downtownironmountain.com September 28 — Port Huron Beer Festival This beer festival features craft brews from leading and up-and-coming Michigan breweries, food and live music at Kiefer Park on the St. Clair River. phbeerfest.com

EXCURSIONS LEGEND Explore these collective Michigan area websites for more regional events and details.

Blue Water Area bluewater.org Detroit Metro CVB visitdetroit.com Great Lakes Bay Region gogreat.com Harbor Country harborcountry.org Pure Michigan michigan.org Southwest Michigan Tourist Council swmichigan.org Upper Peninsula Tourism & Recreation Association uptravel.com West Michigan Tourist Association wmta.org

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MICHIGAN TOP 5

BY KIM SCHNEIDER

Wonderful waters Lakes that will pull at your heartstrings.

L

ove affairs with lakes take many forms.

There’s the love at fi rst sight kind — and who hasn’t been smitten with northern Michigan’s sandy-bottom beauty queens, the ones that have you pulling to a quick stop at a glimpse of that head-turning turquoise? Other crushes develop more slowly, as mine did with Bear Lake.

My affection for this lake too small to sail on, just right for kayaking around, was built one experience at a time. It’s where I learned that loons coo as they feed their babies, caught my fi rst glimpse of Northern Lights and one night wandered outside to fi nd stars so bright they were reflected on the water below, like on a mirror.

Like with other loves, beauty is so much in the eye of the visitor that it’s hard to pick bests among Michigan’s oh-so-many crystal-clear inland lakes. Some like speed, others silence. Some want a lake for gazing upon, others for fishing on. But I’m betting this list will inspire some serious “like” in all.

LAKE CHARLEVOIX is a Miss America contender, winning fi rst runner-up in a national poll for prettiest lake. It’s also blessed with some of the north’s cutest towns on its shorelines, and you can catch the sunrise over the water at Charlevoix’s Ferry Beach on its west side, sunset from the east at Young State Park or Cafe Santé in Boyne City. Get on it through a swim or Sunset Charters catamaran cruise. Just be sure you’re channeling Ernest Hemingway, whose “Up in Michigan” stories were set here.

BIG MANISTIQUE in Curtis teems with fish, but its proximity to the Seney National Wildlife Refuge likely also boosts the population of bald eagles, ducks, sandhill crane,

osprey and loons. I love the many ways you can stay or dine on the shore — either family-owned cabin resorts or the historic inn/ restaurant, Chamberlin’s.

BEAR LAKE, midway between Kalkaska and Grayling and stocked annually with trout, is so clear you may see the fish without a fi nder; you’ll for sure catch sight of the resident loons, bald eagles and herons, especially during no-wake morning and evening hours.

BLACK LAKE, in Cheboygan County in the northeast corner of the state, has an onlyhere experience that’s fun for those who fish — and those who don’t. Here, you may get the chance to spear (or spot) a lake sturgeon, at up to 7 feet long and 200 pounds, the largest fish native to the Great Lakes.

The shores boast thick woods, pretty in every season, and for some cool trivia: Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz of “I Love Lucy” honeymooned at this lake.

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Kim Schneider is an award-winning travel writer who shares her travel savvy in every issue of Michigan BLUE.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIM SCHNEIDER

LAKE LEELANAU is the relationship that sneaks up on you. You may not even notice her at fi rst as you zip from showy Sut-

tons Bay to even showier Lake Michigan, crossing only over the narrows where she looks more river than lake. But stop to slip in a kayak or rent a pontoon, linger in the wildlife-rich connector between the north and south arms or zip past shoreline bluffs especially stunning in fall. You can pull into Lake Leelanau to sip wine at the two wineries onshore or head to Leland for a fresh whitefish dinner.

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T R AV E L & A D V E N T U R E 2 019

HISTORIC INNS & LODGES

BY DIANNA STAMPFLER

M

uch like the waves that roll in upon the Great Lakes shoreline, the port town of Lexington has seen a rise and fall of population and industry over the years. Settlers first arrived here in the 1830s, and by midcentury, this was a bustling port town built upon lumbering and, later, oil prospecting in Michigan’s thumb region.

To serve a growing population and business trade, the 30-room Cadillac House hotel was built on the corner of what is now Main Street and Huron Avenue, just three blocks from Lake Huron. Its grand opening was held on July 4, 1860, with all the fanfare of the era, including a parade and ball attended by guests brought in by steamer ship from Detroit, just 80 miles to the south.

Over the next century, the Cadillac survived several fires, the loss of vital industry, the Great Depression and significant changes in Michigan’s travel industry. In the mid-1950s, the hotel was closed, leaving the bar and restaurant. Façade changes in the 1970s disguised the building beneath an A-frame “Swiss chalet” design, but its true beauty remained just waiting to be dusted off and polished.

In the summer of 2016, The Roxbury Group — a Detroit-based real estate development company — purchased the building and began the $3.5-million project of restoring The Cadillac House (thecadillac house.com) to its original grandeur. In less than two years, it reopened the village’s crown jewel on July 3 — as a tribute to the original unveiling 158 years prior.

“The Cadillac House again fits in with the rest of our downtown area with other buildings like the Lexington General Store, Weekends, the Blue Water Winery, The

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Town Ship and others from the late 1800s,” said Beth Grohman, village clerk.

Built in 2008, the 293-seat Lexington Village Theatre hosts concerts, stage productions, stand-up comedy shows and other live performances, adding year-round energy to this small community. Now, visitors who make their way to town for a show can find upscale overnight accommodations and a casual restaurant to welcome them.

The hotel at Cadillac House currently offers 12 guest rooms, including two expansive two-room suites with private balconies overlooking downtown and the marina in the distance. Blending historic elements such as refinished original wood floors with the finest furnishings and modern amenities, the rooms offer a luxurious place to escape just steps away from the expansive main floor tavern and restaurant.

In addition to its wine and beer selection, including several Michigan brews on draft, visitors to the Cadillac House will find a solid craft cocktail menu. The seasonal Lavender Thyme Lemonade is refreshing after a hot summer day spent out on the lake, exploring the thumb’s natural areas or shopping throughout downtown.

As a true nod to Michigan, the signature summer dish served in its dining room features grilled lake trout with asparagus, topped with a lemon caper butter sauce.

Paired with a Michigan Cherry spinach salad or smoked whitefish spread, the menu is sure to please any local or Great Lakes visitor.

“Our goal in redeveloping the Cadillac House was to do more than just restore this Top: The Cadillac House restored to its original splendor. Bottom: Modern amenities are found in its 12 guest rooms.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY CADILLAC HOUSE

Lexington’s crown jewel shines again

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY CADILLAC HOUSE

The Cadillac House’s refreshing lavender thyme lemonade (above) and grilled lake trout with asparagus, topped with a lemon caper butter sauce (bottom).

magnificent building to its original beauty.

It was to revive the most important landmark from Lexington’s rich history and connect that landmark in a seamless way to the village’s present-day life,” said Stacy Fox, Lexington homeowner and founder/ principal of The Roxbury Group. “The reception by the community to the return of the Cadillac House Inn and Tavern has been nothing short of overwhelming, and we believe it is a testament to the power of historic preservation to enliven and enrich our small towns across the state.”

It isn’t just the village that is paying attention; the state of Michigan is well aware

of the impact this restoration has made on the region.

In May, the Cadillac House received the Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation from the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office. Presented as part of National Historic Preservation Month, the esteemed honor recognizes “developers who transform underutilized historic structures into vital economic assets.”

The Cadillac House also was recently awarded a 2019 Building Award from the Michigan Historic Preservation Network (MHPN).

“Building awards are presented to outstanding rehabilitation projects that have

made a significant contribution to the preservation of Michigan’s heritage,” said Ruth E. Mills, chair of the MHPN Awards Committee. “First, it was a lovely restoration of the building to its circa 1860s appearance.

Second, the project demonstrated one of the MHPN’s key messages: That historic preservation helps to revitalize communities and support economic development. This project utilized federal historic preservation tax credits and leveraged that and other funding sources to return hotel rooms to Lexington’s resort community, attract new visitors to the area and create new jobs.”

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Dianna Stampfler is a freelance writer who lives in Walloon Lake. Her first book, “Michigan’s Haunted Lighthouses” was published this year by The History Press.

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TA S T I N G R O O M

BY GREG TASKER

Call ahead Vintner’s boutique winery produces prized, small-batch wines in southwest Michigan.

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James Lester’s Wyncroft and Marland wines are made in small batches.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHNNY QUIRIN

I

t doesn’t take long to realize James Lester is creating something quite different at Wyncroft, a boutique winery tucked into the farmland and scattered woods of southwest Michigan, just 3 miles east of Lake Michigan. There are no blue highway signs along Interstate 96 or local Allegan County roads promoting Wyncroft to tourists. Wine tasting and vineyard tours are by appointment only, a practice that is an anomaly among Michigan’s 140-plus wineries.

At Wyncroft, there is no traditional tasting room. Wines are sampled in the lab area, a garage-like building behind Lester’s house, perched on a hill that crowns the 100-acre farm. Typically, following a walk through the vineyard, Lester and guests gather around a barrel for wine and locally made cheese and bread.

Lester is happy to show wine enthusiasts around his well-maintained farm. He grows the noble vinifera, wine grapes more commonly associated with well-known wine regions of France and Germany: cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, pinot noir, merlot, chardonnay and riesling. Like vintners in France, Lester has planted his carefully selected varietal clones 3 feet apart. Being closer together helps them ripen earlier, retain better acidity and exude more flavor.

At 67, with his wavy gray hair, Lester resembles a leaner, younger Kenny Rogers.

He produces wines similar to classic French styles and jokingly refers to his operations as a French garagiste winery, a reference to French vintners who began making wine out of rented garages because they couldn’t afford property in Bordeaux. Some of those vintners went on to make phenomenal wines, he noted.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHNNY QUIRIN

Wyncroft owner James Lester (center) holds wine tastings by appointment.

His Wyncroft wines (wyncroftwine.com) are sourced from single vineyards in either the Lake Michigan shore or Fennville appellations, both in southwest Michigan. About 5½ acres of his farm are planted in vines; his yields, he said, are purposely lower than other winemakers. He also maintains 8½ acres of wine grapes in Berrien County.

“We get yields like they do in France and Europe,” he said.

Lester has been pursuing winemaking since the 1980s. He strives to make quality wines, wines on par with those from the world’s best-known wine regions. He also considers himself an artist; the grapes harvested from his vineyards are his palette.

“I’m attempting to compete with the best wineries in the world …,” he explained. His small winery produces about 2,000 cases of wine a year, available for purchase by appointment, online, and from some retail stores or finer restaurants in Chicago and Detroit. “I’m driven by art, not by making money,” he said. “I don’t want to make wines just for the tourists driving by. I am interested in making wines that match the classics.”

Cortney Casey, a sommelier and owner of Michigan By The Bottle, which carries Les-

ter’s brands at its Auburn Hills location, said Lester’s unique approach is appealing.

“When you talk to Jim, it’s clear that he’s passionate about winemaking,” she said.

“He’s a firm believer in great wine starting in the vineyard and of allowing the grapes to express themselves. I love his Old-World style — especially his pinots, and his Bordeaux blend, Shou — and the fact that he produces some unique blends, like the traditional white Bordeaux blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon.”

Lester’s immersion in wine came quite by happenstance. He pursued an informal education and career in winemaking. His initial foray into Michigan wine came in the early days of the nascent industry. In the mid-1980s, he and two business partners established Madron Lake Hills Winery in neighboring Berrien County. The partners produced quality whites and reds, including an impressive 1991 pinot noir. They had bottled the first Michigan pinot noir a few years earlier. The winery also had created a Bordeaux-style blend a few years earlier, blending estate-grown cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot.

Those successes convinced Lester that Michigan could produce world-class wines

and consumers would embrace the region as a formidable player in the wine industry.

He didn’t realize it would be quite the sell to consumers. And, ultimately, that winery didn’t succeed, closing in 1992.

Since then, he maintained a vineyard in Berrien County and did other jobs to make ends meet. He produced his first official wine under the Wyncroft brand in 1998, a chardonnay that won a gold medal at the Michigan Wine Competition. His new brand found a home in 2014 when he purchased his Allegan County property.

Lester works the farm with his wife Daun and a small crew. He has since created another brand, Marland, to offer customers more affordable, everyday wines. Marland wines are produced with grapes from southwestern Michigan but not strictly from his vineyards. The Marland wines also are made in small batches. His blends and varietals include sauvignon blanc/semillon, chardonnay, pinot grigio, rosé, cabernet franc and a Bordeaux-style blend.

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Greg Tasker is a Traverse City-based freelance writer who writes frequently about Michigan’s growing wine industry.

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REFLECTIONS

BY JERRY DENNIS | ILLUSTRATION BY GLENN WOLFF

August explorations in good shape, and mosquitoes are past their peak, making it a fine time to bushwhack through cedar swamps in search of creeks and beaver ponds. Also, it’s blueberry season, so even when the fishing isn’t great, the foraging can be. Blueberries are one of the bonuses of the season.

August might not be the best time to fish the inland lakes … but it’s the best month for poking around in places outside your usual tramping grounds.

S

omehow, August never quite lives up to its promise. In winter, we look ahead to it as the lazy middle of summer, when every day is so long that there’s plenty of time to go biking or boating in the morning, meet friends for lunch, then work in the garden all afternoon. In the evening, you can grill something for dinner, then listen to the Tigers on the radio while watching fireflies blinking in the yard. And that’s all on the same Saturday.

But then August arrives, and the days fling past just as they do in every other month. What were we thinking? August isn’t deep summer — it’s the beginning of autumn. The days are growing shorter, splashes of red are showing in the maples,

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and at night, there’s a bite of cold in the air.

The machinery of the seasons is clanking along, as always, and suddenly we realize that we have to get outside now to go fishing, hiking, boating, golfing — whatever it is we love to do in summer.

Those of us whose preferences tend to involve water are lucky to live in Michigan, where there are more creeks, rivers, lakes, ponds and Great Lakes shorelines than anyone could explore in a lifetime. August might not be the best time to fish the inland lakes — the water is at its warmest then and most of the fish have gone deep — but it’s the best month for poking around in places outside your usual tramping grounds. The weather is usually dry, so dirt roads and two-tracks are

An even bigger bonus is the knowledge that accumulates with the seasons and the years. Explore a place long enough, and it becomes part of your life. Its history merges with your history, and pretty soon, it’s impossible to separate the two. It’s a lifetime effort. You can go at it methodically, planning expeditions across the state, studying maps and guidebooks, interviewing local experts, initiating conversations with strangers at the supermarket. Or you can let it happen at its own pace, organically, until the day you look around and realize you’ve found your favorite place.

One of my own favorites is located — well, never mind where it’s located. What matters is that we find our own places. And it pays to stay alert while you’re doing it.

The world is full of surprise gifts. Those wild blueberries are one gift that you can carry home and share with your family and friends. If it’s a bountiful year, seal a quart or two in bags and hide them in the back of the freezer. The fruits of summer are delicious come February.

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Jerry Dennis writes from his home near Traverse City. Visit him at jerrydennis.net.

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