0928 56,860 67°F Leave North Shore Golf Club in Menominee, MI.
We set out on M-35 as it hugs Lake Michigan’s shoreline.
We pulled in here to take a walk around the marina and check out the sailboats. Michigan does a great job providing Harbors of Refuge like this one all around the state. We appreciated it when we lived in Michigan and explored the lakes in our little Nonsuch 26.
Took a quick swing through the campground and it looks like a nice place with easy access to the lake. There are 40 sites that range from $35 to $40 per night.
1210 56,911 71°F Escanaba, MI
Did you know that Michigan is in two time zones? We stopped at the
Swedish Pantry & Bakery, bought a couple of yummy cinnamon rolls, and reset our clocks to eastern time.
1225 56,913 71°F Escanaba Lighthouse and Marina 1316
Warning sailors of the shoals extending into Little Bay de Noc from 1868 to 1939, the
Sand Point Lighthouse has been beautifully restored. Only a short detour from M-35, why wouldn’t we stop? We find lighthouses hard to resist.
Continuing north, at Gladstone we didn’t stay on M-35, but took the United Spanish War Veterans Memorial Highway to follow the shoreline as it curves eastward along the top of the big lake.
1425 56,920 77°F Garden, Michigan
While Escanaba was on Little Bay de Noc, Garden is on Big Bay de Noc. Noc refers to the Nokay or Noquet native americans that lived here.
The state park preserves a village that centered around the iron industry.
A model of the village in it’s heyday at the welcome center.
We enjoyed listening to a docent talk about the town’s history.
You can arrive by car or boat. State docks are well maintained.
The smelter building is in the background.
Looking out at the bay from the smelter reveals ninety foot limestone cliffs.
This pig iron furnace was fueled by charcoal. The Jackson Iron Company produced iron here from 1867 to 1891.
Well-preserved buildings, about 150 years old, are open to the public.
After the furnace building, this Hotel is the largest building in town.
We couldn’t resist following the sign leading upstairs.
A wood stove, benches, and a stage provided a great spot for community entertainment.
After singing in a barbershop chorus for ten years, Beth humored me with a shot by this barber pole.
The park has a swimming beach, campground, small craft harbor, and five miles of hiking trails.
note: no Verizon cell service here
Looking out at the weather to the west, we decided it was time to head out. With the park campground full on a July weekend, we used the Harvest Host app to find a nearby place to stay.
1710 56,981 Garden, MI
Just beat a major thunderstorm to this Harvest Host.
We hadn’t had any luck getting a response in the HH app, so we decided to stop in and ask. A very pleasant barkeep, Sarak, welcomed us and said they rarely answer requests.
We enjoyed beer and root beer on tap while watching the rain. One patron said his parents were married in the hotel that we had just visited in the State Park.
By the time we went out to the van, the sun was setting.
After sunset, there were very few lights, so we had a lovely view of the night sky.
Good night from the north shore of Lake Michigan.
Menominee to Garden, Michigan
(click on any image to enlarge it)
