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Mill Pond: A Lasting Legacy By Lauren Macintyre
The Maus family homestead (Photo courtesy of the family)
MILL PONDA Lasting Legacy
The Maus Family’s Beautiful Homestead Becomes a WLAC Preserve
By Lauren Macintyre
It lies shimmering at the northernmost tip of the lake, pristine and tranquil. For decades, Wallooners have glided softly through its peaceful depths, perhaps a little awestruck by the mysterious stillness of the lovely waters of Mud Lake. There are enchanting tales of eagles soaring above in a cerulean sky, swans gliding gracefully through the placid water and deer drinking peacefully on the quiet shore.
This is Walloon's cherished Mud Lake, now today called Mill Pond. It is not just aesthetically pleasing, however. From an ecological perspective, it is one of the single most important areas of Walloon, consisting mainly of wetlands that recharge and filter Walloon’s water. Situated at the top of the West Arm just one mile away from Lake Michigan, and elevated at 233 ft. above sea level, recharged water from this wetland flows more than 20 miles through the main body of Walloon to the Bear River, and eventually into Little Traverse Bay. Its ecological impact on all of Walloon is simply phenomenal.
The beautiful land on the west side of Mill Pond has an interesting history, closely
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tied to some of Petoskey's best known families. Once the 130-acre homestead of the
Comstock Family, the Mill Pond property was purchased by the William Maus family in the late 1950's as a summer residence on Walloon. Miles
As a young man, retailer William Maus had journeyed to Petoskey to work at the venerable Fochtman Department Store. He
eventually married Gertude Fochtman and they became much admired civic leaders in Petoskey. Later, in 1934, Bill opened a highly regarded haberdashery with partner Frank Hoffman, beginning a long tradition of retail excellence.
Maus & Hoffman was incredibly successful and the partners became key players in the development of Petoskey's Gaslight District as a premier shopping destination. In the 1940’s, Bill and Frank went to Florida to see if they could find a spot for the winter months, opening a branch of Maus & Hoffman in Fort Lauderdale. By the late 1940's, this began the trend of shops that summered in Petoskey and wintered in south Florida.
Among the premier shops persuaded to do that were such memorable establishments as Gattle's Linens, Ed Behan's Tweed Shop, Bob Baker Shoes, Harold Grant's and Games Imported. These elegant shops, beloved by Wallooners for so many years, soon found that following their clients north to avoid Florida summers made good sense.
The Maus family lived on Waukazoo Street in Petoskey, but rented on Walloon's South Arm in the summers before buying Mill Pond. The family has fond memories of their beloved home on Mill Pond. As Julie Maus Norcross recounts, “The roof leaked and heat was provided by Franklin stoves and fireplaces. Dad planted vegetable gardens, Mother planted flower boxes and gardens and cooked and cooked. The roof was fixed over time, a furnace was added and the deer ate dad’s vegetables. Mother and Dad and all of us were besotted with this home and in love with the land.” Bill Maus even investigated the growing of rice in the wetlands of Mill Pond - not at all a far-fetched notion, as wild rice was plentiful at one time in Michigan.
Following in the Maus family's mercantile tradition, Julie went on to open acclaimed bookstore McLean & Eakin Booksellers in downtown Petoskey. For the Maus siblings, including Julie, who still lives on Walloon, the memories of those halcyon days on the shores of Mill Pond remain. “We all realized every day how lucky we were,” she smiles.
As idyllic as the Maus family's sojourn on Mill Pond was, inevitably, things changed. “Dad had died unexpectedly in 1980 and upon mother’s death in 2003 the property became ours....siblings Bill Maus, Tom Maus, Jane Hearne, Julie Norcross and John Maus,” explains Julie. “Life changed as the years went by. Our family of five siblings grew to a family of more than 50 grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.”
As time went on, taxes rose, the buildings and land required more and more attention and the family had less and less time to devote to its summer home. Eventually the land was subdivided, but happily the main portion of the property was purchased by Jane Maus Hearne and her daughter Bevin. A sizable amount of acreage, however, still remained.
Because that acreage was zoned for planned development, there was great trepidation among conservationists over the fate of the beautiful and ecologically fragile Mill Pond land. This concern became a call to action for the WLAC. With undeveloped shoreline on Walloon becoming such a rarity, the WLAC directed its organizational focus to preserving the unspoiled splendor of Mill Pond.
“The Conservancy has had its sights on the Mill Pond area of the lake for protection for many decades,” notes WLAC Executive Director Josephine Roberts. “When the opportunity to acquire the Maus shoreline parcels arose, the Land Protection Committee and our Board of Trustees took extraordinary measures to ensure the transaction.”
In order to finance the purchase of this critical natural habitat, the WLAC Board of Trustees opted to take out a loan. “We are currently in the process of raising funds through the Critical Lands Campaign to help pay off this loan,” Josephine adds.
The preservation of 2,117 ft. of precious Walloon shoreline, as well as nearly 39 acres of critically important wetlands, is cause for celebration indeed. “We are so excited for this project,” comments Connor Dennis, Director of Conservation Programs for the WLAC. “It has been years, if not decades, in the making and so many people have put much time and energy into it.”
The WLAC plans to maintain the property, now called the Mill Pond Nature Area, in its pristine natural state. At present, it is only accessible by water via non-motorized watercrafts such as kayaks or paddle boards. Future plans, according to Connor, may include educational opportunities such as bird hikes with the Audubon Society and vernal pool monitoring.
Amy Klein, WLAC Director of Development and Communications, who grew up visiting the lake nearby, has many fond memories of Mill Pond. “The waters there are crystal clear...but it's almost a different world when you paddle back there, with beautiful aquatic plants, wildlife and such a feeling of serenity.”
WLAC Board Member and conservationist Russ Kittleson agrees. “There is much aquatic plant growth to be seen there, including both American white water lily and yellow flowered pond lily. The water is so clear you can often see fish swimming by. The beauty of Mill Pond is that it has not changed much in 50 years.”
Keeping that beauty intact is a culmination of effort of a host of individuals. As Josephine concludes, “This precious, undeveloped shoreline project could not have been completed without the support of so many people.”
The acquisition of the Mill Pond property is a story with a happy ending - a heartwarming story indeed of many people working together to ensure that this very special place will remain protected for generations to come.
