While I am out traveling around the Mitten State, I notice the crosses and memorials next to the road. While I was out in the Thumb, west of Peck, at the intersection of Peck and Shepherd roads I notice a group of crosses that reminded me of how fragile life is. I don’t want this post to be a public service announcement, and would rather post uplifting and positive stories, But I have to post things I notice. It seems like a fitting post with Memorial Day coming up.
I was out roaming the back roads around Howell and I came across this old barn with the ivy growing up the sides. Like most of the old barns I photograph, I don’t know any history or stores about it. I can only imagine the farmers horses had a nice home when it was built, but then again I am a city boy and not a farming expert either, but I do know a pretty old barn when I see one. I was not able to spend a lot of time in Howell but it is a beautiful town, I need to get back there soon.
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Standing near the shoreline of Lake Michigan, south of Holland, is an old brick castle. The castle was built in 1894 by German Immigrant and Chicago businessman Michael Schwarz. The family with their six daughters lived in the castle for about a year but then moved to Holland and left the old castle abandoned. In 1896, Dr. John Parr purchased the Castle making it into a summertime camp for the boys and girls of Chicago Preparatory School in Chicago where he was the head minister.
It must have been a magical place for a summer camp and many of the children’s parents loved the area so much that they built summer homes near the camp. Dr. Parr and his wife ran the camp until 1917 when his nephew Carter Brown and his wife took over the duties of running the camp. Over the years their children took over managing the camp. by 1960 the camp had grown tremendously, and the taxes and maintenance had become too much and the camp became Camp Park, a private association. The association owns the magnificent castle and it is used as a library and meeting place.
But as Paul Harvey would say, here is the rest of the story. Author L. Frank Baum had a summer cottage nearby in Macatawa and it is said that the castle partly inspired the Wizard of Oz. and that some of the residents of castle park were his inspiration for a few of the characters in the book, such as the tinman. Exactly how much the castle inspired Baum is unknown but west Michigan was where he went to relax and get away from the pressures of daily life.
Castle Park remains as a private community.
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At the tip of the leelanau Peninsula is the Grand Traverse Lighthouse guiding ships into Grand Traverse Bay. The current lighthouse was built in 1858 replacing the first lighthouse constructed on the point. It was poorly built and only lasted about 6 years. The current lighthouse was deactivated in 1972 when it was replaced by an electric light on a steel skeletal tower. The Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum, a non-profit group, renovated the old lighthouse in the 1980s and it is open for tours. The times that I have visited, the museum was closed, and I have never been inside but I hope to soon. There are rumors of the old lighthouse being haunted, you can see my post about it HERE
The lighthouse is in the Leelanau State Park and an excellent place to visit and have a picnic next time you are up in the Leelanau Peninsula.
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Every time I am in Mackinaw City I have to stop and get a pic of the Mighty Mac. I must have hundreds of photos of it, but it’s really hard to capture its immense size and awe-inspiring beauty in a single photo. Here is a pic I took last fall as the sun set on a beautiful northern Michigan day. I can’t wait to get back up to the straights again, as soon as I leave I want to go back.
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