The Cut River Bridge on US-2 passes over the Cut River which carved a gorge into the landscape over the several centries it has flowed into Lake Michigan. From the topside, it seems like most bridges. But if you stop at the rest area next to the bridge, you can walk down underneath it and see the myriad of green steel girders.

It’s near the town of Epoufette about 25 miles west of St. Ignace. Construction of the bridge began in 1941 but was halted during WWII. The 641 foot long bridge was finally compleated in 1947. Under the east end of the bridge is a wooden door in the stone foundation. A brass plate on the door reads ” T. Troll ” I am not sure if it is their office or home, but whenever I knocked they never answered.

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On US-12 in the town of Somerset Center is McCourtie Park. The park has some wonderful concrete bridges that span a little creek which flows through the park. A Historical marker tells the stories of these bridges and the park:

Somerset Center native W. H. L. McCourtie (1872 – 1933) was introduced to the cement industry by W. F. Cowham of Jackson in 1897. McCourtie soon went to Dallas, Texas, where he made a fortune speculating in oil and established the Trinity Portland Cement Company. During the 1920s McCourtie returned to Somerset Center. In 1924 he acquired his family’s home and turned it into a community showplace. McCourtie sought to create a model town. He gave free white paint to any home owner that needed it. He also hosted the community’s annual homecoming celebration. Thousands of people came to “Aiden Lair” to witness stunt flyers and enjoy baseball, local musicians, dancing and unlimited refreshments. At the height of the Great Depression, McCourtie offered his estate as a place “Where Friends Meet Friends and Part More Friendly.”

The W. H. L. McCourtie Estate may contain the country’s largest collection of el trabeio rustico, the Mexican folk tradition of sculpting concrete to look like wood. Around 1930, most likely inspired by work he had seen in Texas, cement tycoon W. H. L. McCourtie hired itinerant Mexican artisans George Cardoso and Ralph Corona to construct seventeen bridges on his property. The artisans formed the bridges with steel rods and then hand sculpted wet concrete to resemble planed lumber, rough logs, thatch, and rope. Different species of trees can be identified. Two concrete trees that stand on the property continue to serve as chimneys for the underground rathskellar and garage. The McCourtie estate is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

What the marker does not tell is that the estate included an underground lair and during prohibition, it operated as a speakeasy and even Al Capone was said to have visited it.  After McCourtie died in 1933 the estate changed hands a few times but the owners were not able to maintain the property and in 1987 the township purchased the property and razed the house. It is now a park and if you are ever in the area be sure to stop by and visit it.

P.S. There is a lot more to the story but I think I am writing about it in Volume 3 of my Lost In Michigan books. If you are wondering I started working on it and hope to have it available this fall (September 2019). I was busy working on my Camp Michigan book which you can see HERE

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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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On my recent adventure around the thumb a few weeks ago, I found the historic town of Croswell. I have heard of the swinging bridge, but forgot all about it until I saw the sign as I drove into town. It was built in 1905 by the Michigan Sugar Company ( yes I can relate to the smell, I grew up in Carrollton) for their workers to cross the river to get to work. The original bridge had just two cables which were used to support the planks, I can’t imagine walking across it without anything to hold onto, my clumsy self would fall in for sure. I am thinking the origins of the signs ” Be good to your Mother In Law” and “love Ye One Another” that was at the other end is an attempt keep mischievous people from swinging the bridge. Eventually, Two more cables were added to provide a handhold.

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