Three More Michigan Lighthouses

Saturday, August 3, 2024

Thursday we left the Platte campground headed to some more lighthouses. First stop was in Empire to see the Robert H. Manning Memorial lighthouse. It is in a small city park on the western shore of Michigan. Robert H. Manning was a life-long resident of Empire who spent as much time as possible indulging his passion for fishing on Lake Michigan and longed to see a lighthouse built at Empire for returning fishermen. After his death in 1989, Manning’s family and friends raised money to build this tiny lighthouse on the beach. It’s not an official nautical lighthouse, and no tours are available, but people love to have their pictures taken with it.

The rest of our drive up the narrow Leelanau peninsula was beautiful. There were ripe cherries being picked from the many fields of cherry trees, as well as several festivals in the tiny towns. At the tip of the peninsula is the Grand Traverse Lighthouse established in 1852 in what is now the Leelanau State Park. We got to use our annual state park pass again. This lighthouse has been restored and is open to the public. We were able to tour the restored keepers dwelling that is filled with artifacts and climb the lighthouse tower (very cramped climb) for a great payoff view of Lake Michigan. The lighthouse serviced the mariners on Lake Michigan until 1972 when the automatic light tower was erected. The lighthouse and museum were opened in 1986. This was one of the better lighthouse restorations we have seen.

The light was decommissioned when this new automated light was built.

One of the most interesting things in the keepers house was this old stove.

Two aircraft carriers built on cruise ship hulls were used to train Navy pilots on Lake Michigan during World War II.

To get to the top you first climb these tight circular stairs …

The view was worth the climb even if it was a hazy day.

An unusual planter on the lighthouse grounds

We stopped for gas at a station in Northport and saw pumps we have not seen in a long time. A young couple was trying to pump gas at the same time and figured out how to turn the pump on just before we got out to show them.

Friday morning we began our trek across the state over to the east coast of Michigan. It took all of about 4 hours including several stops for some sites and one for groceries. It was another beautiful drive filled with cherry and apple trees, sunflowers, lakes, mushroom houses, another lighthouse and a gigantic pie pan.

We drove by acres and acres of fruit trees …

… and sunflowers.

Almost every town and village we drove through had hanging baskets of flowers lining the streets.

As we were driving to see the Charlevoix Lighthouse we saw a sign that read “Mushroom House”, so we had to check it out. We found them on the hill overlooking the lighthouse. This one is called The Thatch House. All of them can be rented.

This one is called The Chalet. We didn’t go around back to see the third one.

We just stopped for a quick photo of the Charlevoix Lighthouse.

This was the most unusual thing we saw. The World’s Largest Cherry Pie (pan) is in Charlevoix. The pie was baked in 1976 and was 14’4″ in diameter and weighed 7 tons. It was baked in this specially constructed pie pan in an 18′ oven. It held the record until 1987.

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Barb and I don’t get to read your messages often, but the ones we read have been quite interesting! Part of this is due to our “redirection” from NOMADS to being shared house owners with our Daughter, Sun-in-law, and their 5 kids (4 adopted). It is a challenging yet wonderful adventure of its own nearly every day. That this may wind up being the last active phase of our life we cannot complain. Our home and area is beautiful, and our past is full of travel such as all 50 states, several parts of Canada, 10 European countries, China (Barb — who accompanied our daughter in their acquisition of our one adoptee), and (me) Jordan and Israel. It makes us all feel peculiarly blessed by God, doesn’t it?

Prayers, Blessings, and Peace, Mike and Barb Druck

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One thought on “Three More Michigan Lighthouses”

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