After Mackinac Island, we headed north to Whitefish Point MI, which is home to a Coast Guard station, and the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. This point on Lake Superior is where ships from the west turn south toward the Sault Ste. Marie canals to enable passage southward. Many shipments of iron ore have passed through here on the way to Detroit.
Our first view of Lake Superior.Whitefish Point Light StationSo here we are on the shore of Lake Superior! Our fourth lake this trip!When we arrived, it looked like a storm.Two hours later, the sky had cleared quite a bit. Here is a ship turning southward.Sunset on Lake Superior (we woke up to sunrise on Lake Huron this morning!) This view is looking northward. Looking eastwardLooking southwardThe Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. This was one of the stops I have really been looking forward to. The Edmund Fitzgerald was a large ship which sunk 17 miles from here in November 1975. I remember that shipwreck, primarily because it was memorialized by Gordon Lightfoot hit ballad The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. If you have some time, look it up and give it a listen. It is quite fascinating.White Shoal Lens. This is a second order lens (Outer banks lights are all fourth order lens). It has a 9 foot diameter and weighs 3500 pounds. Its light with 344 separate precision ground prisms can be seen 28 miles away!The museum contains artifacts from a number of shipwrecks.There have been over 6000 shipwrecks in the Great Lakes.The Edmund Fitzgerald sunk 17 miles from Whitefish Point. It was broken apart in a severe November storm and sunk 500+ feet deep. The entire crew of 29 men were lost.Scale model of the Edmund FitzgeraldArtifacts from the Edmund FitzgeraldThis is the bell from the Edmund Fitzgerald. The divers removed this bell, and replaced it with a replica. The divers did not look inside the ship, so they did not otherwise disturb the final resting place for the crew. A memorialSurfboat houseWe stayed here overnight. This was the Crews’ Quarters, and has been converted to a B&B.We ate here…… they go out on Lake Superior early every morning and bring in their haul of whitefish. They only serve what they caught that morning. They are open until 7 PM, or when they run out of fish, whichever comes first!Tahquamenon Falls (pronounced like phenomenon). The brown color is from tannic acid, which results from decomposing vegetation in the cedar, hemlock, and spruce forests upstream.Tahquamenon FallsWhitefish Point Light Station in action!
Background: I watched the movie Somewhere in Time back in the early 1980s. The movie starred Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve, and is a love story. It is set on Mackinac Island (pronounced Mackinaw). Mackinac is a beautiful island, and is ranked among the top summer vacation islands in the world.
So let’s get the corny stuff out of the way first. I wanted to recreate some of the scenes in the movie. Here goes…
This is where the Jane Seymour character asks Christopher Reeve “Is it you?” Here they are kissing on the front porch of the Grand Hotel…Me and my bride. Front porch. Grand Hotel.They are sitting in a gazebo.Here is the gazebo now.Baxter’s Coin Shop was in the movie.
Getting to Mackinac Island
Driving over the Mackinac Bridge. This bridge spans the Mackinac Straits, which is the line between Lake Huron to the east, and Lake Michigan to the west.Our first view of Lake HuronShip on Lake MichiganWe arrived on the UP.There are only two ways to reach Mackinac Island: boat and small airplane. Our CadillacWe stayed at the Pine Cottage B&B. It was a cute old house.Approaching Mackinac IslandThere are no motor vehicles on the island. The only modes of travel are horse, bicycle, and walking.It’s like being transported back to the 1890s – the sound of horses clip-clopping, the slow pace. Historic Mission Church, a New England Colonial-style church built in 1829-1830 by Presbyterian missionaries.A beautiful street.There are many beautiful houses, with beautiful landscaping and colorful flowers.Mackinac Island is famous for its fudge. Here are the top two rated shops…A rainbow over Lake Huron!Historic Fort Mackinac, built by the British in 1781, relinquished to the United States in 1796.Historic Fort MackinacSunrise over Lake HuronSunrise over Lake HuronSunrise over Lake Huron with Mackinac Bridge in the disanceSunrise over Lake HuronMary Jean using one of the three modes of travel.Here we are at Lake Huron! Third lake this week!Round Island Passage Light.This is Arch Rock, one of the best photo ops on the island. From this vantage point, you see Lake Huron through the rock, and the sky above the rock. I took this picture in the evening. I took this one shortly after sunrise the next morning. We can’t decide which one to frame and put on the wall! What do you think?Lake Huron’s water is very clear. You can see the rocks near the shore.More Lake Huron views…Well here we are – our first look at the Mackinac Grand Hotel. Built in 1887, the front porch is the longest in the world (at least they claim that). Spectacular building. We had hoped to stay here overnight, but the smallest room was $769 per night, so we found a B&B instead.Mary Jean enjoys some sun on the porch.They have a dance every night in the summer. There is a strict dress code. After 6 PM, only dresses for women, and coat and tie for men.The dining room, where we had the famous Grand Luncheon Buffet!The view at our table.The carriage approaches.Sadly, we had to leave. Here was our taxi.One last view of Mackinac Bridge.It was a rough ride back to the UP.Wawatam Lighthouse, St. Ignace MI
Michigan State CapitolSenate chamberHouse of Representatives chamberHouse chamber ceilingGeorge Romney, Governor of Michigan 1963-1969. He was the father of current Utah Senator Mitt Romney.Portrait of President Gerald Ford. We are going to his Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids later this morning.Looking up at the rotunda.Farm in rural Michigan
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum Grand Rapids MI
President Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids MI. Mary Jean with First Lady Betty Ford.Statue of President Gerald R. Ford, our 38th President. He became president upon the resignation of President Richard M. Nixon on August 9, 1974. I remember watching President Nixon announce his resignation on August 8, 1974. Ford had become Vice President when Nixon nominated him upon the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew, who was under investigation for political corruption (bribes, etc.). Thus President Ford is the only person who became president without a national presidential election. He ran for election in the 1976 presidential election against Jimmy Carter. I was a senior in high school that year, and I was eligible to vote for the first time, and President Ford received my first ever vote for president. Unfortunately, he lost to Carter.Astronaut statuePresident Ford was born as Leslie Lynch King Jr. in Omaha NE (Nebraska’s only president), but his father severely abused his mother, so she divorced him and moved to Grand Rapids MI, where she met and married Gerald R. Ford. The child’s name was legally changed to Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. The quote in this picture is referring to his adoptive father.Ford grew up in Grand Rapids MIPresident Ford was perhaps our most athletic president. He was a star football player in high school, and went on to be a star lineman for the University of Michigan!Ford was an Eagle Scout.Ford served in the Navy during World War II.His boat, the USS Monterey’s biggest challenge was when it was hit by a typhoon in the Pacific Ocean.Prior to his presidency, Gerald Ford was a Congressman from Michigan. He rose through the ranks to become majority leader in the House. In 1972, President Nixon won re-election in a landslide, but oddly the Republicans did not win the house, which would have elevated Ford to Speaker of the House. If that would have happened, Ford likely would not have been nominated Vice President to replace Agnew, and thus would not have become president when Nixon resigned.President Nixon’s resignation letter.President Nixon was forced to resign because of his role in the Watergate scandal, which started in 1972 when some Nixon supporters broke into the Democrat headquarters at the Watergate Hotel in Washington DC, and they were caught. Nixon become involved later, primarily to cover up the break in. As the scandal mounted, Nixon likely obstructed justice in blocking investigators. When President Ford assumed office, he inherited a deeply divided and uncertain government and country. He had earned a very strong reputation for honesty and decency. President Ford issued a pardon for President Nixon, in an effort to close the book on Watergate. Most likely, this pardon was the primary reason he lost in 1976 to Jimmy Carter.President Ford’s Oval OfficePresident Ford’s Oval OfficeThe ceiling in President Ford’s Oval OfficeReplica of President Ford’s Cabinet Room. Mary Jean is sitting in the chair for the Secretary of Interior…… and I am sitting in the President’s chair.President Ford worked full steam, even though many people of the left tried to paint him as an “illegitimate” president.State dinner clothes and table settings.President Ford authorized leaving the US Embassy in Saigon in 1975, thus ending our involvement in the Vietnam War.The campaign of 1976.This is what 1976 looked like! The United States celebrated our 200th birthday all year – lots of patriotic events all year, all over the country! JM’s Monroe Singers performed patriotic concerts several times throughout the year.The Freedom Train came to Fredericksburg and set up at the FMC plant. I went though the displays on the Freedom Train, and the thing that I still remember most after all these years was seeing NBA star Bob Lanier’s size 21 shoes!Model of the USS Gerald R. Ford.This is a beautiful woman at a beautiful museum.Graves of President Gerald and First Lady Betty FordDowntown Grand Rapids MI
Well, today was the day with all the driving. Since we were on the road for 7+ hours, we only got to see a few things, but they were all interesting!
Before leaving Canton, we stopped at the Pro Football Hall of Fame again to take a couple pictures I couldn’t get last night because it was raining, and we were running a little late.
Entrance sign (Do they look like Ninja Turtles to you?)Hall of Fame Stadium is located behind the museum.The classic angle – the original entrance to the museum.Check out the yellow power line poles on both sides of the road!
Fredericksburg OH!
Fredericksburg OH is deep in the heart of Ohio Amish country. Even though it was raining when we drove through, the countryside was beautiful!This is the third Fredericksburg I have been to.Like I said, Fredericksburg is in the heart of Ohio Amish Country. This is the parking lot at the market/laundromat in downtown Fredericksburg!While we were waiting for the red light to change…Guggisberg Cheese Company in Millersburg OH. They produce the 2019 Grand Champion Baby Swiss Cheese! Very much looking like a Swiss Chalet, they even sell cuckoo clocks!This one can be yours for $1600! All of the cuckoo clocks they have here were built in the Black Forest in Germany. Zoom in to see the incredible beauty in the detail work.Driving down the road and saw some goats walking around on a roof.
President Warren Harding Home & Memorial Marion OH
This was the home of Warren Harding, 29th president of the United States. Harding won the election of 1920, which was the first presidential election after women were eligible to vote, formalized in the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. He conducted a “front porch” campaign in 1920. President Harding died of a heart attack in 1923 after only two years in office. This house and the Warren Harding Presidential Museum are undergoing an extreme makeover, so this was just a photo stop. The site is due to reopen in 2020, to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Harding’s election to the presidency.Before becoming president, Harding had owned a newspaper which made him wealthy. He served in state offices as well as the US Senate prior to 1920. On a personal level, Harding was known/rumored to have had some affairs, including one long-term relationship. First Lady Florence Harding remained with the president until he died, and she died only a year later, in 1924.President Harding MemorialI was surprised how large this memorial is.Graves of President Warren and First Lady Florence Harding
President Rutherford B. Hayes Home, Library & Museums Fremont OH
This is the location of the home of President Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th president of the United States.“Spiegel Grove”Hayes’ uncle built this house in the mid-1800s and essentially gave it to Rutherford. It was 4000 sf until after Hayes’ presidency, when he added on to a total of 21,000 sf with 31 rooms! Photography is not allowed inside the home. Too bad, because it is exquisite. Very large rooms, 12 ft high ceilings, incredible furnishings, almost all of them belonged to the Hayes family. The family took great care to preserve all of the possessions.The graves of President Rutherford and First Lady Lucy HayesThe MuseumPresident Hayes lost the popular vote in 1876, but he won the Electoral College – by only 1 vote! There was much controversy about the split decision, but we elect our presidents through the Electoral College, not popular vote. President George W. Bush won the Electoral College in 2000 while losing the popular vote – the first such incidence since 1876.A lot of interesting displays throughout the museumThe chair Hayes sat in on the dais for his inauguration.Quotes or writings from President Hayes. Zoom in to read.Presidential LimoReplica of the Resolute Desk. President Hayes was president when Queen Victoria gifted this desk to the United States in 1880.Lucy Hayes’ birthday is tomorrow, August 28, so the museum is throwing a party!
Toledo OH
Chelsea MI
Jiffy Mix headquarters in Chelsea MIHow many corn muffins are in these storage silos?Mary Jean with “Corny”
Another view of the Cleveland skyline.Key Tower.Terminal TowerThe Hilton Hotel with First Energy Stadium in the distance.Fifth Third Bank?Progressive Field, Home of the Cleveland Indians.Progressive FieldBob Feller statue. My father saw him pitch.Statue of Larry Doby, the first black player in the American League for the Cleveland Indians, several weeks after Jackie Robinson became the first black player in all of major league baseball, for the National League Brooklyn Dodgers.Slyman’s Restaurant. President George W. Bush ate here in 2007 when he came to Cleveland for a presidential visit. This was a very clean place, and the food was exceptional!Corned beef hash. After one bite, Mary Jean said this was the best corned beef has she has ever had.Bacon and swiss omelet.Slyman’s known for its deli meats and sandwiches. We ordered two sandwiches to go for lunch on the road. Here is what the turkey sandwich looks like! And it was the best turkey I have ever had!This is Ralphie’s family’s house from A Christmas Story movie.The leg lamp is in the middle window.The leg lampThe Bumpus House next door. Both houses are available for overnight guests.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
This is the only national park in Ohio.Brandywine FallsBrandywine FallsBrandywine FallsThick forestLedges Overlook – you can see for miles and miles!This cabin was built in the 1930s by young men who were in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the group created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to alleviate unemployment during the Great Depression.Everett Road Covered Bridge. From the early to the late 1800s, Ohio had over 2000 covered bridges. This reconstructed bridge is modeled on a pattern from 1869.
Nativity Museum, Akron OH
Replica of Bethlehem’s Nativity Cave.In the actual Bethlehem cave, this star supposedly marks the spot where Jesus Christ was born to the virgin Mary.This museum displays hundreds and hundreds of nativity scenes from all over the world, and made from many different materials.Cardboard and Foil, from PolandCoconut from HawaiiOlive wood from BethlehemAustralian AborigineMade of wood, from China, by Christians who were persecuted by the Communist government.Thorn wood from NigeriaFrom ColumbiaMade of coal from West VirginiaAnd even one made of Legos.
President William McKinley Library & Museum Canton OH
William McKinley was our 25th president, serving from 1897 until he was assassinated in September 1901. President McKinley bustPresident McKinley was one of the “front porch campaigns”. He did all his campaigning in 1896 from his home here in Canton.McKinley’s White House deskHis bed from the White HousePiano that First Lady Ida McKinley played at the White HousePresident and First Lady McKinleyAdjacent to the McKinley displays is a museum called Street of Shops which are models of Canton shops in the early 1900s. Notice the horseshoe prints on the street!General StoreBlacksmith ShopPioneer HousePost Office stage garagePrint shopService stationFire housePackaging from the early 20th centuryChoose you apron style!Go for a bike ride?President McKinley Memorial. This is a huge structure, and it looks even larger because it sits on a hill.Statue of President McKinley (23 steps from ground level)A sense of the scale of the size of the structure.The crypts of President William McKinley and First Lady Ida McKinleyLooking up at the top of the dome.The brass exterior doors were the largest ever cast when they were built in 1905-1907.
Pro Football Hall of Fame, Canton OH
Here it is – the Football Hall of Fame. John Madden’s busSpecial exhibit on football cards.Joe Namath’s 1965 rookie card is the holy grail of football cards, so Namath is featured prominently in this exhibit.The “Big 4” football cards: Joe Namath, Johnny Unitas, Bonco Nagurski, and the Goodwin Champions.Joe Namath’s rookie cards – 15 of them!Autographed Joe Namath jersey.Displays for the decades…Jim Thorpe statueTribute to the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the only Super Bowl champions with a perfect record (17-0)Each Hall of Famer is honored with a bronze bust. It is a pretty neat display to see row after row of these busts.How the busts are made.Me and JoeMary Jean and John ElwayMe and Dan Marino. For you, Keith!Earl Campbell, the only hall of famer I have met.Jim Brown, greatest football player ever.John RigginsSuper Bowl III display: Jets 16, Colts 7Terrell Davis wore this helmet during the 1998 Super Bowl XXXII win.The Vince Lombardi TrophyNiemann portrait of Super Bowl III.Super Bowl ring, 1969Super Bowl ring, 2016Super Bowl ring, 2019Carrie Underwood’s outfit when she sang “Oh, Sunday Night!” to open the 2017 prime time Sunday Night Football season.Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of Fame
