A view of Burnt Bluff signals you're close to Fayette |
Dan had done lots of cruising on Lake Michigan, so we asked his opinion: Should we go down the east shore (many cute towns, marinas spaced a day's travel apart, interesting sand dunes, beaches etc.,) or the WEST side? (somewhat less of all of the above, but safer water for our boat).
Bald eagles nest on cliffs. They feed on fish. Could this bit of real estate be any more perfect? |
So that's where we headed, as we left Manistique Friday morning under gray skies, sailing past the blood-red lighthouse into fog and chop and committing ourselves to a trip down the west side of Lake Michigan.
By midday we had warm sunny weather and a gorgeous view of Burnt Bluff, the towering limestone cliff that signaled we were close to our destination. A whole family of bald eagles cruised the cliff--mom and dad looking spiffy and navigating adroitly among the sharp rocks, the kid grungy and a little awkward in his motley brown feathers.
Twin furnaces for iron smelting and an old lime kiln (the brick beehive at left) |
We negotiated the entrance to Snail Shell Harbor--the shore curls like a snail shell here, under another set of high bluffs, to make an extremely well protected harbor--and there before us were austere limestone buildings that suggested the remains of a fortress, or an ancient church.
They're not THAT old! But going to Fayette IS like traveling back in time. It's a Michigan State Park where you can tour an old steel-smelting town, established just after the Civil War and abandoned a mere 26 years later as the technology for steel-making changed. In its heyday Fayette was a wonder, a perfect site for a company town--with a deepwater harbor so that boats loaded with ore could deliver their cargo, access to timber for charcoal in the surrounding hills, and limestone (needed for the steel-making process) easy to quarry from the bluff a few hundred feet from the furnaces.
From left: Machine shop, grand hotel, company offices |
At its peak Fayette had 500 souls and was a local destination, a place you could go to shop, or to absorb culture (it had an "Opera House," or music hall, that booked popular touring acts including a ventriloquist and a dog circus!) It had the finest hotel for miles around, with gourmet food and (I'm not making this up) a two-story outhouse for the convenience of guests.
Appearing at the Fayette Opera House for one night only: The amazing Dr. Bill! |
We were docked at the one small, modern wharf, built over the snag-toothed remains of a massive pier that once saw big schooners pull in with loads of iron ore. We spent a peaceful night and the next day, as we were sitting at the table in our salon, we looked up to see a young man in a straw hat walking down the boat toward me, holding a little girl in his arms.
It was startling. Boat people know it's a very serious breach of protocol to step aboard someone else's boat uninvited. Bill stood up. "Yes? Can we help you? What do you want?
The Dragonfly docked in Snail Shell Harbor. |
Another great day aboard the Dragonfly! What beautiful pictures and quaint, quiet settings. Just imagining what these places were like originally is so much fun for me. I love the stories. Thanks so much, again, for sharing.
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