Our last night and day in Michigan was wonderful. No bells and whistles, just beautiful sights and lots of fun.We spent our last evening in Michigan at the 654-acre park Hayes State Park, located on Wamplers and Round lakes in the heart of the Irish Hills. This area is know for its natural green beauty. It was truly peaceful.
I loved how the doorway framed our exceptional view.
Steve did a u-turn in order to capture this committee of vultures sunning themselves. Turns out, vultures lower their body temperature at night to save energy. In the morning, they spread their large, dark wings to absorb heat from the sun and warm their flight muscles. That was a sight we had never seen.We are often drawn to a place by its name. Blissfield called to us.In 1824, the village of Blissfield was founded by Hervey Bliss along the River Raisin in what is now the state of Michigan. At one time in history, this village was the largest shipping port for livestock on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad. It officially incorporated as a village in 1875 and originally grew as a sugar beet farming community. We came for the history lesson but also for coffee and an explore.I am also drawn to post offices and I knew Blissfield's was special. I knew it, but the employees didn't. It features this beautiful mural depicting the town's history. In 1837, the first railroad built west of the Allegheny Mountains was constructed through Blissfield and the surrounding area. This was the Erie and Kalamazoo railroad which was also the first to operate as an interstate railroad that would carry mail between states.
Fast forward to the New Deal era, and Blissfield is fortunate enough to have a new Post Office under construction. In 1938, funded by the Federal Emergency Construction Fund, construction was completed. That same year a mural was commissioned. These murals were chosen on a competition basis and artists were paid hourly as well as for materials and travel costs. The wining artist for the Blissfield Post Office mural was Jean Paul Slusser who was chairman of the Department of Drawing and Painting in the College of Architecture at the University of Michigan. The subject of the mural is “Laying the Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad.” This railroad held great significance to the community. Such cool history. How can the locals not know this? I am often baffled by people.
Our last fun event in Michigan was the Garage Sale hosted by Jeanne. Not only did I get some wonderful treasures, but I met a lovely family, too. What a great stop.After entering our 9th state, we found ourselves on the Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail, a 293-mile scenic driving and touring route following the shoreline of Lake Erie from Toledo east to the Pennsylvania border. This trail is a first for us.This was a surprise on our scenic route. Turns out, "Ohio currently has two operating, utility-scale nuclear power plants supplying carbon-free electricity, alongside major new advanced nuclear and small modular reactor (SMR) developments." Who knew?!
Dinner was harborside at Crabby Joe's in Marblehead... the town that will be our home for tonight.Our goal was to get on the shore of yet another Great Lake.Lake Erie is the fourth-largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes. At its deepest point, Lake Erie is 210 feet deep, making it the only Great Lake whose deepest point is above sea level.A must was a visit to Marblehead Lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse in continuous operation on the Great Lakes. It has guided sailors safely along the rocky shores of Marblehead Peninsula since 1822.In 1819, the fifteenth U. S. Congress recognized the need for navigational aides along the Great Lakes, and set aside $5,000 for construction of a light tower at the entrance to Sandusky Bay. Contractor William Kelly built the 50-foot tower of native limestone on the tip of the Marblehead Peninsula. The base of the tower is 25 feet in diameter, with walls five feet thick. It narrows to twelve feet at the top with two-foot thick walls. It is beautiful and effective. I do love lighthouses.Onward towards more adventures and unforgettable memories!
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