Oh Michigan My Michigan

"If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look around you!" If you prefer latin: Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice. This is Michigan's state motto, and it is so very true. Up here in the pinky, we are more spoiled than most. The Lake Michigan shoreline and surrounding lakes and rivers are amazing. It takes my breath away to live in such a beautiful place. Sunrise, sunsets, storms and blues skies, there is no place I would rather call my home. Even in the winter. 

Elizabeth Sheets special mitten cookies she does for Christmas

One of the fun parts about living in the lower peninsula is the ease of having a map at hand. That is, your hand is your map. People say, I live here, and point to the spot on their hand. That is why I called this blog Living in the Pinky, That is where I live. Right there!

#puremichigan #michiganchamberofcommerce©2016 Gregg Palazzolo —

The shape of Michigan and the surrounding great lakes is found just about everywhere!

http://quotesgram.com/great-lakes-no-salt-quotes/

I love the bumper stickers, t-shirts, and jewelry with Michigan on it. Michigan Roots, Michigan Rocks, the Great Lakes, Michigan, unsalted. Petoskey Stones with either Leland Blue lakes or agate.

The summer I worked at the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore, we did some work at the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive cleaning out the picnic area where there were rose gardens and ponds the shape of the Great Lakes. This was a beautiful spot. It is in need of rescuing and the link will lead you to a group who is working on doing just that. Here is a little description from their site.

About the Great Lakes Picnic Garden

The GLPG was the first entrance station to Stocking's scenic road up and over the dunes. The national park was created in 1970, the road became part of the park in 1977 and in 1984 the park service moved the entrance to the road and built the observation platforms. The name was later changed to Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive in honor of Stocking.

In addition to purchasing admission to the drive at the entrance station in the GLPA, visitors could get out of their cars and eat their picnic lunch, find some shade to cool off in, fill their water jugs, or stretch their legs while walking around flowing pools of water that accurately represented all five Great Lakes. The water would flow down from Lake Superior via a miniature St. Mary's River into Lakes Huron and Michigan. There even was a foot bridge connecting "Detroit" to Windsor."

Blacktop paths led up, into, and around the "mitten" we know as Michigan, all the while surrounded by hundreds of different colored rose bushes. There was birch trees planted at strategic locations representing major Michigan cities. Visitors enjoyed the aroma and the beauty of all the roses while getting a mini-geography lesson! It was really a marvelously constructed and maintained American roadside attraction.

https://sites.google.com/site/savetheglpa/home

This park is worth saving. 

Photo by Sarah Edwards

The charm and beauty of Michigan needs saving as well: Our towns struggle with changes in business and economy. The focus on tourism, a main income source in my area as well as others, drives division between the locals and our visitors. A balance is needed and new ideas to help grow instead of stagnate. It is worth working hard to save our beautiful state.

 There is no place like Michigan.

Brookside Inn and the Hotel Frankfort: Glory Days

I was starting to get desperate when I was finally hired at the Hotel Frankfort and the Brookside Inn. It had been a long time between paychecks. Restaurant work intimidated me. It was housekeeping work that I applied for.

The Hotel Frankfort after the front facade was completed,
 and the Knight's room, Teddy Bear, and Victorian Rooms were added.
The turret is covered with copper.
When they first put that on, it could be seen from way out in Lake Michigan from the boats! So pretty.

In the dining room of the Hotel Frankfort, a blond hostess was walking around on very high heel shoes. I dubbed her princess, right then and there. Construction was going on:The sounds of hammer, saws, and more provided the music in the dining room at that time. The wine cellar was being dug under the dining room. They were bringing up bucket-fulls of dirt and ashes-the hotel had burned down in the 20's and the new building was just kind of slapped on the old. One corner of the building was resting on an old bathroom sink!

I started in housekeeping and was put in Grandma's care. She had curlers in  her hair. I really liked her and miss her but I don't think I ever knew to call her anything but Grandma! Once I saw the rooms I was to clean, I remembered Mom coming home from Gwen Frostics with a brochure in her hands. "Look what they are bringing to our county!" She said, appalled and indignant. The brochure talked about these rooms with waterbeds and hot tubs. Initially, there was a different rate system: Three hours, so many hours with dinner, overnight with breakfast... I can't recall how it was worded now. The idea was that people would enjoy the hot tub availability. 

As a housekeeper, I was glad this system was not in place any more. 

"All of our rooms include a king-sized mirrored canopy waterbed, a 7x7x3 foot deep Polynesian spa, a little log stove, complete dinner and breakfast for two and all taxes and tips. Some rooms also include a sauna, a steam shower, a French suntanning solarium, or combinations of those items."

Formerly Case's Dairy, an ice cream parlor. Then Dennys. Not the chain. 

When I started working, there were just eleven rooms at the Brookside and eight couple's rooms at the Hotel, with three more in the process of being built. The rooms had themes. There were no room numbers. The keys were on heart shaped pillow fobs and guests were always shown to their rooms by the host or hostess, who explained how the hot tubs worked, how to light the log in the little log stoves, how to use the sauna, dinner and breakfast hours, and to please have their room key on the table so the wait staff knew they were guests and which room they were in. 

 Room names at the Brookside Inn were Raspberry, Lace, Pillow, Copper, Basket, Scandinavian, Country, New Orleans, Garden, Oriental (which became Cloud Nine), and Victorian, with newer rooms Whimsicality, Polynesian, Willow Wisp, Abbigal's Attic, Eden View, Nicoles Hide Away, Sweet Dreams. The Hotel Frankfort had Pearls and Lace, Chantilly, Evening in Paris, Dimity, White Linen, Le Jardin, Jontue, Knights, Teddy Bear, and Victorian.

When cleaning was done in the rooms, we were supposed to vacuum out backwards to give the rooms a foot-print free fresh look. My boss, Scott, would invariably scare the crap out of me by tapping me on the shoulder or just showing up while I was vacuuming out...

Every now and again, something would poke a hole in the waterbed mattress. I remember one day, Jim, the maintenance guy, and I were pushing back on the mattress while Scott patched a hole that was way underneath. Rip! My pants split. Nothing I could do about it but hold the mattress up and hope I had good undies on.

There were some old hotel rooms remaining for a while at the Hotel Frankfort. There were some people, fishermen in particular, that would just kind of check themselves in and pay at breakfast time. Those rooms were pretty bad to begin with!

I learned how to bartend after housekeeping a while to increase my hours. One of the first things I did was try to mix strawberry daiquiris without the lid on the blender. (Smeltzer strawberries!) The second thing I did was dump a tray of four or five Long Island Ice Teas on a customer. She was wearing white. Boy was she ticked!

House wines used to be Dourthe Vin Rouge and Dourthe Vin Blanc. Freixenet champagne was available for room guests. Hah! Remember that? Then, Pam and Kirk brought in the German wines!

I used to feel like I owned the cellar after becoming a wine steward. It was a lot of fun introducing people to these German wines. I did a good job of matching people to taste, even if they preferred beer! 

I remember the first wine training. My experience with wine had been Mogan David or Boones Farm previously. It tasted like rotten grapes to me anyway! But this group of unsophisticated staffers was treated to some interesting wines. I remember hearing someone say a wine smelled like wet poodles with permanents. Siegerrebe grapes tasted like hay or straw, I recall. Not a favorite. Now, Muller Thurgau-Mario Muskat, yum! And this is also the beginning of a long love for Trollmanchen and the Schlossmuhle Troll red and white sparkling wine, or sekt. Since the rooms were for couples to do, er, couples things in, we offered great sekts to enhance their experience.

Our guests were special, many seeming like family. 

There was the couple who were staying at the Hotel who inadvertently set off the sprinklers in their room!  I was hostessing at the Brookside Inn that night and got the call that we were moving them to Beulah, and could I dry their things and get them settled in? Later on, Kirk gifted this couple, regular guests, with a sprinkler head from the original room. Last I heard, it hold a place of honor on their fireplace mantle. Married for some years back then and still hot enough to set off the sprinklers!

A leap year wedding was going to happen. The bride and groom just wanted a simple wedding. She didn't even have a dress. By the time this event happened, so many things fell into place for them! She got a beautiful dress, like a Gunne Sax style, that fit the atmosphere of the Hotel Frankfort. There was a photograph taken of her coming down the staircase, reflected in a beautiful mirror on the landing. Breathtaking!

So many weddings. So many proposals! One of the last ones I recall, a fellow had a toy dog that walked, like a yorkie or pomeranian or something. He attached the ring to the dog with a ribbon. At dinner,he walked the doggie to his intended and had it do tricks...She said yes, by the way.

One time a guest came early and asked for help setting up a surprise in the hot tub for his wife. He had plastic eggs, each with a little surprise inside. Another fellow showed us a ring he had made for his wife. It was beautiful, delicately sculptured diamond ring. He asked us to tuck it into a dessert and present it to his wife. We got to be in on so many surprises over the  years!

So many stories! So many years! There will be a couple more posts with stories from the Brookside Inn and Hotel Frankfort. I learned a lot there, made good friends. I miss it.

(The photographs included here are from postcards, done by John Penrod)

Animal Control and More... Much More

(This was a special year for Benzie County's Animal Welfare League, which began around the same time as Don Saffron began his career as the Animal Control Officer for Benzie. 40 years!)

"Owners should control their pets. I am your animal control officer. I am not the dreaded "dog catcher" or the "murderer" you call me.  It is not I who allows your pet to roam the streets, to contract diseases from other free-roaming animals, to be hit by passing motorists or poisoned by rotting garbage. I am the one who must look Into those sick, pain-glazed eyes, try to remove the animal without causing it further pain and then humanely "put it to sleep" to put an end to its suffering. It is not I who allows your pets to breed, then dumps the unwanted puppies and kittens on roadsides and in shelters.  I'm the one who must find the tiny animals before they die of starvation, exposure or disease and as an act of mercy, exterminate them. It hurts me to be forced to kill hundreds of thousands of animals each year, but because of your Irresponsibility, I have no choice. It is not I who abandons unwanted animals on farm roads, telling myself some friendly farmer will surely take them in and give them a good home. But I am the one who picks up the frightened animal who waits In vain for its beloved master, wondering why it has been abandoned. I am the one who must help that friendly farmer trap, tranquilize or kill that animal because it has begun to roam in packs with other abandoned hungry animals, killing livestock, fowl and game. I am not the one who breeds and fights dogs In the name of "sport". But I'm the one who fights the breeders and participants, and must pick up the dead and dying animals that have been left behind. It Is not I who keeps a pet confined in an area too small - without food, water, shelter, or exercise. But I must deal with the irresponsible owner who does. It is not I who refuses to spend the time and money to keep up regular Inoculations that all pets require. But I am the one who must pick up the sick animal that is dying of a preventable disease. So remember, the next time your child is bitten by a stray dog, your trash is dumped and scattered, your pet is lost, stolen, poisoned or hit by a car, it Is the animal control officer you call - - not the "dog catcher". The next time your pet is picked up, or you are cited for neglecting or abusing it, remember, I am only trying to get you to fulfill your responsibility to your pet, your neighbor and yourself. Do not scorn me. Respect me, for I am the product of your irresponsibility. I love animals, and I care. Support your Local Animal Control Officer: Don Saffron" (10/24/1990 Record Patriot)

I met with a guardian angel the other day. It is clear to me that is who he is, in spite of the teasing and he was giving out to the staff at the restaurant we met at. Makes me smile to know how welcome this angel is in his community, his hometown, his regular hangout. I am pretty certain his own angel is watching him and smiling as well: His wife and partner Nancy had passed away too early. Don's guardian angels surely must also include all the animals he helped over the years!

Animals need guardian angels, too, and that is what Don Saffron spend a goodly bit of his life doing. As Animal Control officer for Benzie County, he worked hard to resolve pet issues safely, without killing or harming the animal if at all possible. I found an article in the Record Patriot archives that mention how Don learned to use a blowgun to tranquilize animals. With that blow gun, he was able to control how and where the animal was darted better than with the gun. Dosages were better regulated, less harm was done to the animal.

 When he started, the office was in a brick building near the dump out in Homestead Township. It was an unfit place, sort of like someone had thought that animal control and dumps should go together. The place was literally falling into the dump!

The cries of lonely and frightened animals greeted me as I walked through the door of the Benzie County Animal Shelter. All eyes were focused on my movements. This was my first visit to the shelter. It was one of the coldest days of the winter. The shelter is located at the end of Zimmerman Road on a former garbage dump. The roads had not yet been plowed and the drive to get there had been difficult. 1 hoped that there would be someone there when I arrived. There was. The shelter building has seen much better days. The cement block walls had large cracks running through the ceiling to the floor. The wind and snow blew in through the cracks. The cement floor was not heated and had numerous cracks. The cold and frost crept into the area. There was a small heater with a fan in the corner of the ceiling in the animal’s area. It helped — a little. I thought about the summer heat and how hot and stifling it would be without ventilation. The cement enclosures for each animal were barely adequate for small to medium-sized animals. A large dog would be very uncomfortable. There were six pens for dogs and four pens for cats, not enough for the summer months when the county population greatly increases. The cat enclosures were directly across and beside the dogs. I looked into the eyes of a cat that was in a pen beside a dog. The dog was barking loudly trying to get my attention. The cat was terrified and was extremely stressed. She wanted to escape and hide, but there was no place to go, no way to escape the noise. Her food was untouched. She looked like an older house cat, someone's pet.  I wondered how she came to be there. Perhaps she has accidently escaped from her indoor home, but without nametags, her chances were slim. I thought, "How much more comfortable she would be in a separate area or room for cats only." I looked around to see if there was a separate room to house sick and injured animals. There wasn't. The dog was a nice looking black lab with a wagging tail and eyes that flickered with hope. I looked down at the cracks in the cement floor that were filled with frost and ice and felt the dampness and chill. So many indoor dogs end up in local shelters, companion pets that have spent their lives in warm and comfortable surroundings. How difficult this environment must be for them. I thought about the importance of running water in a shelter for cleaning and maintenance and tried to visualize the difficulty of completing these tasks on cold winter days when the drains froze up and frozen water remained on the floor. I looked at the animal control truck outside the building and knowing that the outside of the building often froze up, thought about the difficulty of trying to keep the inside of the truck clean for the often sick and injured animals. It all seemed so frustrating and so inadequate. (Margaret Chalmers, Record Patriot, 5/6/1992) 

Don worked as the Benzie County Animal Control for 18 and a half years... he states he was still getting calls for five years after retirement. Old habits are hard to break, and he did the job really well.  That is a lot of years catching dogs and finding homes for animals.

ACO Don Saffron called me just a day after he had picked up our dog Buffy. Buffy had to be put to sleep because of old age and tumors. Don told us he had a Yorkshire terrier that was in need of a home and wondered if we would like to take the dog on a trial basis. He also said the dog could not be in a home where people smoked. 1 did not tell the ACO that I smoked but after we took Lucky I quit for the third time. My husband and I had both quit smoking seven years ago, but I had started smoking again for the third time. (I even confessed to Betty Watts.) I am glad Lucky came to our home, Lucky for me because I no longer smoke, and Lucky for Lucky 'cause he has found a permanent home. (Record Patriot 5/1/1991)

A lady called one day, told Don there was a cat up a tree, about forty foot up. It had been up there four days, and the lady was distraught. Don answered her, "I've never seen a dead cat up a tree" and  suggested that she open up a can of cat food or tuna or something, and that the cat would come down by its self. The lady did so, and yes, the kitty did come down. She called and let Don know. Many years later, she happened to come up to Don at one of his favorite hangouts. "Aren't you Don Saffron?" She asked. Don stated he was. "Do you remember me calling about a cat up a tree?" Yes, he did. "Do you recall what it was you told me?" He, of course, did. She told him she was kind of hurt by that response. But the cat did come down the tree.

A horse was on the loose one day. Don called in for help, he couldn't catch the horse no how no way. He was given this advice: "Don, all you have to do is act like an ear of corn. He'll come right up to you!" Don managed to get the horse contained in a fenced-in field-he didn't have access to a horse trailer any way, and this was  a good way to keep the animal off the road.

There was a student work program some years ago that put a young man in the truck with Don.  Good program, a great way to experience life work and see where a person's  talent lay. It happened one day that Don got a call about a pit bull in Lake Ann that was acting threatening and needed to be picked up. Off they went. Turned out to be a pit bull mommie and her pup! Don managed to get the pup but couldn't get the older dog at all. He and the young fellow spend quite a while trying. Finally, Don decided that they should at least get the puppy back to the shelter, so they got in the truck. As Don was backing the truck around, he noticed the older dog moving alongside, and got an idea. He told the young fella, "I am going to open the door. If the dog gets in, don't touch her, don't do anything, just sit put." Don opened the door. The dog jumped right in. The youngster wet his pants.

Don says he laughed all the way back to Benzonia.

 "A special officer will be appointed to see that no dog dodges being taxed. Each dog must be numbered and wear it; tag number on a collar as evidence that it has a legal license to live under the laws of Michigan." So read an item in the April 5th, 1900 issue of the Benzie Banner, printed in Benzonia. That, no doubt, was the beginning of animal control in Benzie County and was meant to protect people and property with little concern for the animals.

At least, the times I can remember seeing my father provoked to the point of wanting to do bodily harm to another human being were times when a neighbor regularly chastised his horses with a pitch fork. What happened between 1900 and 1976 when-I became involved with the Animal Welfare League, I have no idea. I took care of my animals and assumed everyone else did. I do know that with the organization of the League, public awareness of animal needs and rights greatly increased, cases of neglect and abuse are taken seriously, and today a call brings a well- trained Animal Control Officer who is prepared to handle any situation. The present Animal Control Officer, Don Saffron, attended the Animal Control Officers' Academy sponsored by the United States Humane Society as well as meeting regularly with other Michigan Animal Control Officers to discuss common problems, get ideas on how his own program can be improved, and study legislation being considered to correct serious problems in the various counties. The duties of the ACO arc threefold: 1) public service, 2) law enforcement and 3) educational. The ACO with his assistant, Adrian Jones, maintains the county shelter and cares for the animals while sheltered. Some of the animals receive the best care they have ever had while sheltered, injured and sick animals are given concerned attention and every effort is made to contact owners of the animals impounded. In the field the ACO protects animals, animal owners and non-animal owners by enforcing animal control laws in a firm and courteous manner. A personal contact with an animal owner may be favorable or hostile but Don's sense of humor gets him through the rough times. A positive image for animal control has been a long time in coming but the ACO performs a service to the county, its citizens and their pets and deserves the cooperation of all. (Beulah Fick, Record Patriot 9/30/1987)

Talking with Don, I am only too aware of all the stories we haven't touched on yet: His being an auto mechanic in Ethiopia, for one. But he gave me some advice to pass on to you animal lovers. It is solid gold free advice:

1. Keep your pets tied up or leashed when outside. Keep puppies fenced in for their safety. 

2. DON'T leave your animal in the car. 

3. NO Fireworks.

4. NO Blue Angels. 

5. NO parades. The noise is loud for us humans, think how much louder it is to sensitive animal ears? 6. NO chocolate. It is not good for dogs.

7. Be careful of plants and cats. Some plants are deadly, and cats like to chew on greens.

8. Unless your dog is trained to hunt around firearms, NO guns around animals.

Finally, I found a great article written by Thora Layman some years back which describes Don and Nancy well and gives great insight into Don Saffron's heart as well as giving a clear picture of how he handled being Benzie County's Animal Control Officer:

In talking with Don Saffron, our animal control officer for Benzie County who has been on duty for the past six years caring for lost, abused, and abandoned animals such as dogs, cats, birds, opossum, raccoons, pigs, turkeys, cows, horses, rabbits and squirrels to name a few, he told me about his many talks. Saffron receives calls on animals locked in hot cars, tied out in the heat or cold without proper shelter or water, and calls on injured animals. Sometimes he has helped to tranquilize wild and vicious animals. He covers the whole county, cleans the runs at the shelter daily and feeds the animals at the shelter. He has to euthanize animals which he said is a very difficult job for him.

 Saffron has a big heart for animals. Saffron and his wife Nancy have seven pets, six of them coming from the county shelter. He assists ACOs from surrounding counties when injured animals are found on county lines. When Saffron places pets in new homes, he reserves the right to check on the animal to make sure it is in a compatible and happy home. If not, he will return the animal to the shelter and try again placing it in a new home. "Only three have ever been returned in the six years I have been on duty," said Saffron. A lot of calls that come in on the treatment of animals are unfounded; however, all calls are checked out.

 When Saffron gets a call about a lost animal he tries to locate the owner if the animal shows up at the shelter. The Benzie ACO treats the animals he picks up like they were his own. The seven pets he has at home mean the world to him. The pets at home include Washijiae, which is Amharic for dog in the language of Ethiopia; Peppie, thrown from a car near Thompsonville; and Missy, dropped off with a weight of 3 1/2 pounds until she was clipped and weighed 3 pounds. Missy's hair was even matted to her tail. She was about 2 1/2 years old. Snuggles, a mix-breed, brought to the shelter and left in a pen with a note giving her name, age and that it was abused and hated by children. The dog had never been licensed nor had any shots. Saffron said he kept the dog for two weeks. When no one showed up to take the dog, he took it home. Snuggles liked kids and was a good lap dog and a very gentle dog. These are his canine pets. As for cats, Saffron has inside outside cats. Three cats were turned into the shelter by a lady who was moving. Momma cat was about eight-years-old and two kittens, all long haired Siamese. The ACO said he feels all adoptions are special. He's always happy when a good home is found for a pet.

 This past March, eight dogs and three cats were adopted out. The ACO had 186 complaints. Eight dogs and five cats were euthanized. Getting hold of Saffron sometimes isn't easy because he may not be in, or his answering machine is filled with messages. Saffron suggests you call the Sheriff's Department at 882-4484 and they contact him. Anyone looking for pet, Saffron always has pets at the Benzie County Shelter. Cost on spaying/neutering for any animal taken from the shelter is paid by Benzie County Animal Welfare League. Saffron is under the jurisdiction of the Board of Commissioners who set the fees that he has to charge as follows: • First pick up of an animal, $15; • Second pick up, $30; and • Third pick up, $60 plus court fees. People have been taken to court for abuse of animals or the shooting of animals.

Over the past three years, Saffron continued practicing with his tranquilizer gun and can now hit a 2-inch square at 100 feeL He only uses the gun in drastic situations and only aims for the rump of the animal as any place else could hurt the animal. Saffron is one of a very few ACOs that has this type of equipment. Quite often Nancy, Saffron's wife, will take a shelter pet and bathe and groom it to make it look presentable for adoption. As a result, many have found homes. Credit goes to the Saffrons who also are the originators of "Photos with the Easter Bunny" and "Photos with Santa." All proceeds go to the Animal Welfare League for the spaying/neutering program. (Thora Layman, Record Patriot, 5/6/1992)

Mitten Bibliography Part 1

If you want to learn about the history of our area, read locally written books. In fact, that is a wonderful way to research any local history in any area. So much color, stories that may have otherwise been long forgotten are found within old cheaply bound books that local libraries and museums treasure. I was even able to discover a possible photograph that included Civil War veterans of the area, possibly including the only known photograph of Frank Martin, my husband's great-great-grandfather! (This same photo is featured in another later book, "Images of Benzie County" by Thomas Bevier.)

 I have already mentioned Blacklock's "History of Elberta" in my writings here. It is an essential book in our house, proof of the Frankfort story and full of history of the car ferries and trains. I am given to understand that Mr. Blacklock had file cabinets full of things that had to do with Elberta, the car ferries and trains, and more. I wonder what has happened to all that information? I hope and pray it wasn't destroyed or damaged with storage.

Railroads and car ferries or shipping of any kind relate to the story that changed everything for us here in Benzie County. It was an idea to bring shipping or at least a passenger trade into Crystal Lake that caused a chain of events which didn't quite turn out the way planned.

 This year we grieve for one of Benzie County's historians, Leonard Case. It is strange to think of the Cherry Hut and our county both being without him, but there is much to remember him by. Much of our local history has been recorded by the Case family over the years. Quite a bit of it was also made by the Case family.

It was Leonard who gathered up information for a series published in the local newspaper, which was bound in book form under the title "The Crystal Gazer" after the series name. He also compiled the centennial reader from the Beulah centennial  in 1958, and revised that and expanded on it for the Bicentennial Reader published in 1976.

To learn about this and other notable houses in Benzie County, read "Historic Structures  in Benzonia-Beulah" vol 1.
It is kind of ironic that the Cherry Hut outlet store is on the top of Benzonia Hill nearly right across from the Archibald Jones home.

The Archibald Jones Day  celebrations held every other year on even years celebrates the fellow remembered in the classic book, "The Tragedy of Crystal Lake" written by Mr W. L. Case, and was submitted as a serial for the local paper during the Beulah Centennial in 1958. Hey, it is an even year this year! Ole Arch's failure is the reason there are such beautiful beaches around Crystal Lake, the reason for Beulah, and for the roads that go around the lake so we can see her in all her beauty!

The photo on the cover is of a moonlit canoe ride on Crystal Lake near the outlet. How peaceful!

Just recently another book was published that exposes more of the whys and wherefores, including what the success of Archibald Jones's plan would have done to our area. There are many maps and photographs included in this new book that I had never seen before! It is well researched, and fun to read. The fellow who authored it, Dr Stacy Leroy Daniels, represents good ole Archibald in the biannual event mentioned above.  A review of his book is here and another here. The "Tragedy of Crystal Lake" made it seem like Mr. Archibald Jones didn't have much of a brain, probably the general idea at the time. This newer book explains the engineering and planning that went into the idea for the channel, and why the plan failed so badly. It really opened my eyes!

Where others may have turned tail and run in disgrace from such a terrible error  of judgement, Archibald Jones simply went on with his life, moving away to Emporia, Kansas, where he became "a most esteemed citizen". I wonder, if he could see the beauty around Crystal Lake since the draining occurred, what would he have thought?

Map taken from Crystal Lake Township's website

Google Maps shows why a waterway between Lake Michigan and Crystal Lake might have worked. The path wasn't through the dunes at the end of Crystal nearest to Lake Michigan, but a pathway through to Betsie Bay, lower down.

Visit the Libarary part 3

Betsie Bay, Frankfort, Michigan

Imagine getting your favorite novel and going out on a deck facing the bay. The boats are coming and going from the marinas. You might see a wedding taking place across the bay. You may spot the eagles flying over. The fragrance from flowers may waft by. It is beautiful.

It isn't just in your imagination.

I became friends with the Benzie Shores District Library when I was studying at Baker College. I didn't have internet, so this was one place I could complete online homework and research. (The other was the McDonalds in Benzonia, but that is another story.) The staff is so helpful! 

And of course, there was recreational reading to be done. I really enjoy the variety of large print books that are available here. I met quite a few new-to-me authors, such as Alan Bradley, who has a great series of mysteries that feature a young heroine named Flavia De Luce. (I still read books by the armful!) The staff also helped me to sign up with my Kindle and enjoy even more books. Though I prefer the old book in hand, there is a certain handiness to the Kindle.

It is the Benzie Shores District Library that put  the old newspapers on a digital database so we can all enjoy them. The advertisements are a riot! From Lydia Pinkham to other miracle cures to car dealerships through the ages and grocery store prices, it is amazing! There are lots of interesting stories included too: Letters from solders in World War I to home, mysterious finds like an ox shoe embedded in a tree, the awful tornado in the 1950s and the Coho fishing tragedy on Lake Michigan. Great source of history! Plus, the gossip section had to do with family and friends coming from different cities to visit home and friends, weddings, school gatherings, church gatherings, barns burning down and more. There is a lot of basic humor and human nature included in these little snippets. They are the thing I miss most about our local newspaper these days.

The Benzie Shores District Library has wonderful displays in this window box. There was an amazing one of clocks of all sorts, another of antique toys.This is vintage shoes. Suitable books accompany the displays.

There is a magnola tree a the window, in full bloom right now. 

The library is available to the whole of Benzie County and to our summer visitors who come by boats or by car to cottages around the lakes. In the summer, the Frankfort Farmer's Market is right next door in the park on Saturdays. 

Who wouldn't love this chair??? 

Children's and preteen books

There is a children's reading times and sometimes puppet shows! It is fun to listen to the stories right with the children.  There is a lot of community involvement with this and our other local libraries.

There are cubicles for those who need a quieter place to study. The painting features the Royal Frontanac.

Visit the Library part 2

A long time ago, a fella had an idea to connect the Crystal Lake in Benzie County to Lake Michigan. At that time, Beulah was called Crystal City and didn't have railways or much of a beach at all. Thank God for ole Archibald Jones and the Tragedy of Crystal Lake!

Darcy Library

Because of this, and the development of a beautiful downtown area right by the beach, there is certainly a fine library downtown as well, called the Darcy Library. This is the new Beulah Library. See that garage door on the building behind the library? The old library shared the village office building and was packed full of great books but not much space. 

The library is spacious and comfortable, with a great selection of music CDs and movie DVDs as well as a wide selection of books for all ages. There is even a wonderful area to enjoy reading  magazines and newspapers:

Inside the library there is a colorful welcome: The art reaches right out to you! There are Native American sculptures inside and out, with a beautiful sculpture out the door on the downtown side of the library. The library kind of reminds me of a crazy quilt inside, fun and active.

The view from the front door towards downtown.

This was copied from the library's website under Library and Garden Art. Simple and beautiful! 

It is called Tribes of the Great Lakes, by Freddy Joseph Raphael

This is the children's area. 

The thing about Darcy Library is the reason behind the name. You see, Darcy was a little dog that welcomed patrons and made reading fun! As mentioned below, Darcy served for 17 years as a therapy dog. There was a lot of love in this compact rescue doggie, and it is a fitting tribute that the library bears her name.

borrowed from the Darcy Library website

Darcy has passed, but her legacy lives on with Rosie! Rosie reads with youngsters who come in and visit the library on Thursdays. That is to say, the little ones read to Rosie. Either way, she is a real delight!  

Cora Baker and Rosie, photo shared with her daddy's permission.

Now, for us history buffs, there is a great treasure at Darcy Library that I have yet to really explore! The Helen Tanner personal research library and maps are housed in a special room. Her field of expertise was in the Native Americans of the Great Lakes region. So many treasures, including maps carefully kept in special file drawers. When she initially began her research, there really wasn't much written about the Great Lakes tribes. 

This room is full of treasures to hunt through and so much to learn. 

So, when you visit Beulah, make sure to find the library and enjoy all the treasures within, living, written, or created. 

Visit the Library part 1

I am a book-a-holic. I can read easily three books at once without losing the train of thought in each. Books are my vacation, my day dreams, my childhood, my teachers. How did I get so involved in books?

Dr Doolittle series. If you haven't read them, you really should.

It began with the library.

Mills Community House is the only remaining building from the Benzonia Academy. It is a proud building with front steps leading up to double doors. A stately Mission-style grandfather clock ticks away the words being read in the children's section, in the Michigan Room, in the non-fiction or fiction, in the periodicals.It is a three-story building, where I used to meet for Girl Scouts and my brother went to preschool in the basement. The top story, amazingly enough, was a gymnasium and is now used for plays and craft fairs and more.

The amazing old grandfather clock

Bet my name is still on the library card in these!

Books came before even swimming (and you couldn't keep me out of the water of Crystal Lake!) As soon as I was able to, I would take out six or more books on loan and be done with them before the two weeks were even half gone. So many old friends remain in the library, I am glad to see. Walter Farley's "The Black Stallion" series, the Dr Dolittle series, Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew still hold a place at the Benzonia Public Library, which is center stage at the Mills Community House.

The library has undergone a recent remodel. It was scary thinking the old hallowed halls were going to be modernized but I do think it is a job well done. It certainly was needed. The bathroom is a real blessing! (Anyone else slightly scared when having to use the old facilities?) I do miss some things: The mission style furnishings, the podium with the wonderful huge Dictionary on it. Some of the old familiar titles have moved on.

A great place to read local history, check the news paper, or just settle in and read.

There are computer stations at the library, of course. Searching for for title, author, or topic is now done without pulling out the little drawers from the alphabetical file boxes. Library cards are electronic as well. But no fear! So many people prefer the feel of a book in hand, the smell of paper, the magic of turning the page, that our libraries are quite secure, thank you. I miss seeing the names and dates on the book cards. There was something satisfying in seeing who else enjoyed a favored book.

The neat thing, now a days, is the events, services, lectures, reading programs, and of course, the Bruce Catton writing contest, targeted for young writers in the local schools here. Bruce Catton was well known for his civil war books and local history, and was pretty much raised at the Academy. The submitted writings for this contest are well worth reading!

The library is much beloved by many of us who grew up here. This library is one of three in the county, the oldest and most historic. Lots of rainy day fun is inside, lots of good books as well. 

For history buffs, like I am becoming, there is a great deal of materials within these walls. The original copies of our local papers dating back to the late 1800s. These are also available online through the Benzie Shores District Library website, and a link is included in the Benzonia Public Library's web site as well. It is so interesting to  read some of the old articles. Even the advertisements are amazing.

A collection of books from the Benzonia Academy are highlighted in this beautiful bookshelf.

These two historic markers are located at the front of the Mills Community House grounds. 

Next stop: Darcy Library, Beulah, Michigan