Kaukauna, WI to Manistique, MI
My YouTube Video (Click above!)
25.05.14 We left home and arrived at Apple Creek Campground. Adequate. Electric and water only. Site 416. We were to be in site 415 but the tree branches hung too low for our camper. $55 per night.
25.05.15 Went on a pontoon ride on the Fox River
with Jim and Kay Kippley. Was a very nice pontoon. The guys fished a little and
Al caught 3 fish. Cap’n Al drove the boat for a while. We stopped at
Hagemeister Park for lunch. I had a Waygu Burger and Fries and a lava cake for
dessert. Al had an elk burger and fries and a lava cake too. We stopped at The
Zippin Pippin that Elvis loved and was his last public appearance. We stopped
at Mike’s Bake Shoppe that Jim recommended and said the had the best Kringle.
We sampled a strawberry Margarita Kringle and a caramel pecan Kringle. Both
delicious and we bought chocolate biscotti.
25.05.16 Travel Day! Along the way we saw a
dancing donut and bought Trenary Toast!
We moved on to Manistique Lakeshore Campground in Michigan
$83 per night. Super nice campground. Spacious sites. Full hook ups. Great restrooms
and showers. But the fly hatch….
The invasion of the Manistique Midges. These little pests, although non-biting, were swarms everywhere near water. Apparently they are food for the fish in the spring. Locals think nothing of them.
We got set up and the park attendant suggested we go to the
local Elks Lodge for fish. OMG…delicious!!! Huge cod dinner! Several choices of
fish, baked or fried. We had leftovers!
The Elks Club
I thought this history of the Elks was quite interesting. If you're not interested...just scroll on by...
Elks Mission Statement
The Elks organization was founded in New York City on
February 16, 1868 under the name "Jolly Corks" by 15 actors,
entertainers and others associated with the theater. In ensuing years,
membership expanded to other professions.
Purposes
This Fraternal Order was founded "To promote and
practice the four cardinal virtues of Charity, Justice, Brotherly Love and
Fidelity; to promote the welfare and enhance the happiness of its members; to
quicken the spirit of American Patriotism and cultivate good fellowship."
Membership
The Order is a non-political, non-sectarian and strictly
American fraternity. Proposal for membership in the Order is only by invitation
of a member in good standing. To be accepted as a member, one must be an
American citizen, believe in God, be of good moral character and be at least 21
years old.
What We Do
The Order spends more than $80,000,000 every year for
benevolent, educational and patriotic community-minded programs in such fields
as benefitting special needs children, sponsoring Elks National Foundation
scholarships, scouting, athletic teams, veterans' works, a national "Hoop
Shoot" free-throw contest involving more than 3 million children, physical
and occupational therapy programs and patriotic programs.
The youth of our country have always been important to the
Order. It is for this reason the Elks Drug Awareness Education Program was
launched to warn primary grade students and their parents of the dangers in
drug use. Additionally, every lodge observes June 14th as Flag Day, a tradition
which the Elks began in 1907 and was later adopted by the Congress as an
official observance.
The moving spirit for the Elks was an Englishman named
Charles Algernon Sidney Vivian. Born October 22, 1842, this son of a clergyman
was a successful comic singer and dancer in the music halls of London. In
November 1867, Vivian arrived in New York City to try his fortune.
Other actors and entertainers soon gravitated toward his
magnetic personality. With everything closed on Sunday because of New York City
Blue Laws, a group of theatrical people began meeting for their own amusement
under Vivian's leadership. A loose organization was formed to make sure the
larder was well-stocked for these gatherings. They called themselves the Jolly
Corks, a name derived from a trick introduced by Vivian in which the
uninitiated purchased a round of refreshments.
When one of their members died shortly before Christmas in
1867, leaving his wife and children destitute, the Jolly Corks decided that in
addition to good fellowship, they needed a more enduring organization to serve
those in need.
On February 16, 1868, they established the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks and elected Vivian to head it. Its social activities
and benefit performances increased the popularity of the new Order. Membership
grew rapidly. Elks traveling to other cities spread the word of the Brotherhood
of Elks. Soon there were requests for Elks Lodges in cities other than New
York. In response to these appeals, the Elks asked the New York State
legislature for a charter authorizing the establishment of a Grand Lodge with
the power to establish local Lodges anywhere in the United States. When the
Grand Lodge Charter was issued, the founders then received the first local
charter as New York Lodge No. 1 on March 10, 1871.
Saturday May 17, 2025
We stopped at a tall brick building to see what it was…
It was the Manistique Historical Society’s Museum and giftshop. The water tower is a Roman period architectural landmark with a 200,000 gallon capacity. The tower was built in 1922 at a cost of $62, 450. The 200 foot octagonal brick tower commemorated the birth of the cities water works.
As we were driving away, a gentleman backed up and rolled
down his window. He was the President of the Historical Society and he started
talking… He explained what they were doing there. They are building a little
historical village and moving old buildings to the site. He told us about the
one building he was watching them turn the corner off the street with it and he
said it was leaning and he thought it was going over for sure. He told us about
activities and celebrations they had coming up and about the siphon bridge
right there.
The iconic Siphon Bridge was built across the
Manistique River in 1919 by the Manistique Pulp and Paper Company. This bridge crosses the Manistique River, as well as the
Manistique River flume which is like a concrete river channel that is
positioned higher than the actual river to allow water to flow at a higher
elevation from a dam upstream. This flume was a solution to a paper mill’s need
for more water for its mill. A dam there would have been unacceptable since it
would have flooded the town. The portion of the bridge that crossed over the
flume was specially designed with thick tall railings. Fun fact about the
Siphon Bridge: it was featured in "Ripley's Believe It or Not."
https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=michigan/m94manistique/
https://www.uptravel.com/listing/siphon-bridge/3700/
https://schs.cityofmanistique.org/the-historic-bridges-of-manistique/
Northern-most point of Lake Michigan in Naubinway
Naubinway, an Ojibway word meaning “Place of Echoes,” saw
its first white settler in 1843, when fur trader William Boucha (1826-1905) and
his wife, Catherine, moved from Mackinac Island and built a home at this site.
This is also the location of the new Northernmost Point marker.
Of the five Great Lakes, Michigan is the second largest in volume, behind Superior. This geographical location is of historical importance because the act of Congress which created the territory of Michigan in 1805 used it to mark the western boundary of this new frontier governmental unit. The boundary line ran up the middle of Lake Michigan “to its northern extremity, and then due North to the northern boundary of the United States.” West of this line the Upper Peninsula in 1805 was part of Indiana Territory. In 1818 Michigan’s boundary was pushed west to the Mississippi River. All of the U.P., along with what is now Wisconsin and part of Minnesota, came within the limits of the territory.
Kitch-iti-Kipi---The Big Spring- Palms Book
Chippewa tribes had inhabited this area calling the body of
water, “Kitch-Iti-Kipi,” which means “Big Spring.” This pond had been known by
many names: “The Great Water,” “The Blue Sky I See,” “Mirror to Heaven” and
“Bubbling Spring.”
Kitch-iti-kipi, known as "The Big Spring," is Michigan's
largest freshwater spring and a major tourist attraction in the Upper
Peninsula. Its history is intertwined with local legends and the efforts of a
businessman who own the local Five and Dime Store, named John I. Bellaire. Bellaire fell in love
with the spring in the 1920s and, arranged for the purchase of nearly 90 acres
around the spring by the State of Michigan for $10 in 1926. The deed stipulated
that the land would be used as a public park, now Palms Book State Park. Palms Book State Park, now encompasses the
spring and includes a self-guided observation raft for viewing. The state acquired
more land and by 1940 Palms Book State Park protected acres around the Big
Spring. Today the park includes approximately 388 acres.
In the early 1930s the road to the park was described as a
meandering pathway wrought with hazards. Finally, the state was convinced to
build highway M-149/ As with all highways at the time, telephone poles
paralleled the roads. Bellaire painted white rings around each pole from
Manistique to the Big Spring to anyone enquiring about the spring could be told
to “follow the ringed telephone poles.”
Here's a more detailed look at its history:
Ojibwa Heritage:
Before Bellaire, Ojibwa families had lived and hunted in the
area, and the spring was known as "Kitch-iti-kipi" in their language,
meaning "Big Spring". The Chippewa believed the spring held special
healing powers and would visit for names for newborns.
Legends and Lore:
The area also holds several legends, including one of a
young chieftain who attempted to prove his love through a dangerous test
involving the spring. He told her he loved her far above the other maidens.
Prove it, she insisted. So to test his devotion, she was to leap from an
overhanging branch, and he was to catch her from his canoe, proving his
love. He took his fragile canoe into the
icy waters looking for her. The canoe tipped over and he drowned. As it turned out, she was back at her village
with the other maidens laughing about his frivolous quest. According to legend,
the spring was named Kitch-iti-kipi in memory of the young chieftain who went
to his death in the icy waters in an attempt to satisfy the vain whim of his ladylove.
This is a very cool video of the spring and the DNR guy is
the same one we talked to at the entrance. We bought a Michaigan State Park
pass and he told us about the sign and the shelters:
Under the Radar - Palm Book State Park Kitch-iti-kipi Spring
https://youtu.be/JvV1Ucfjy-4
Michigan's Largest Freshwater Spring Kitch-iti-Kipi: A
Hidden Gem https://youtu.be/PBvdVqImA6w?si=SR8rN9Rv0Kqui8ff
https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/parksandtrails/details.aspx?id=425&type=SPRK
Kitch-iti-kipi: Michigan’s Upper Peninsula Gem https://youtu.be/NZYFlQGCK6w?si=rqXI3i7ZxA6vpZ_n
Visit Manistique: http://www.visitmanistique.com/bigspring.shtml
Another video of the Lake and raft: https://youtu.be/fTqNiLqVMiE
Winter on the observation raft: https://youtu.be/EjXc6JevErM
Website of the area: https://www.uptravel.com/things-to-do/attractions/kitch-iti-kipi/
Rugged Mile Video: https://youtu.be/s0P4KnoGO44?si=grXrJWET_wXShlrW
Thompson State Fish Hatchery
The Fishery was established in 1922 and completely renovated
in 1978. This facility can produce a wide variety of fish species for inland
and Great Lake waters because of it’s unique water supply. Species include
Chinook Salmon, steelhead, rainbow trout, brown trout and walleye. The facility
is open to the public at no charge.
https://youtu.be/E2a9mp9ydMU?si=oUTIpcTSCEwavLua
https://youtu.be/PzSNCiLahQc?si=1Fjf2dNXaJxq5YY2
http://www.visitmanistique.com/thompsonfish.shtml
Fish House and Donut Diner Food Trucks for supper! Both were
recommended by the DNR guy at Indian Lake State Park so we thought we’d give it
a try. The Elk’s Club was much better!
2025.05.18
It’s a cold and rainy morning! We had fish tacos with
leftover fish from the Elks Lodge for lunch.
On our way to Fayette Historic Park we saw a big eagle on
the side of the road eating on a deer.
Fayette
Historic State Park.
Fayette Historic Townsite was a once-bustling industrial community that manufactured charcoal pig iron between 1867 and 1891 at the tip of the Garden Peninsula. Visitors may walk through the well-preserved buildings that have been standing for 150 years and learn about life during the 19th century.
When the Jackson Iron Company ceased smelting operations in 1891, most workers and families moved to other towns. In 1959, the site was acquired by the State of Michigan. Since then, we have developed visitor facilities, stabilized the remaining structures and installed exhibits.
***Al had some strange things happen with his phone while
trying to take pictures. The camera kept shutting off on him. Come to find
out, that is one of the paranormal experiences people have been having on this
site. See the Hauntings of Fayette Historic State Park below.
Master Fayette Historic State Park https://youtu.be/LHXJOZUl_gs?si=CF3WFauWSv__y7bE
Hauntings of Fayette Historic State Park https://youtu.be/emF17TE4lWM?si=1rLuprrDeqRh_xo4
Exploring the Historic Ghost Town of Fayette https://youtu.be/gIhyKwFZHSc?si=zwPYjch42TJm6lCE
The Ghost Town - Fayette State Park Historic Townsite https://youtu.be/8pvHAF1ZzO4?si=mKR-35mv8twvzxcG
On the way home we saw an Old Cooks Cometary. We had to
laugh about that!
We had fish tacos with leftover white fish from the food
truck for lunch.
2025.05.19
Laundry day! Not cheap…$4 for wash and $3 for the dryer.
Four loads for $28.
We wandered down a boardwalk but it was so windy and cold.
Marley and I sat behind a sand dune while Al walked out to the Manistique Lighthouse.
We found a gift store and I bought some earrings and we got coffee and
chocolate pasties. Tomorrow is travel
day….On to Mackinaw City.
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