2018.07.16 Old Mission Peninsula
Today we explored the Old Mission Peninsula, just north of Traverse City. We began the day with a picnic lunch at Haserot Beach, and then drove up to the Old Mission Lighthouse at the far northern tip of the peninsula. From there, we went to the Old Mission Country Store. After driving past the Old Mission Inn, we drove through many scenic cherry orchards, and then went to Bonobo Winery for wine tasting. After that, I picked cherries before we wrapped up the drive.
Old Mission Peninsula, just north of downtown Traverse City, projects into the Grand Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan. The Old Mission Point Lighthouse is located at the northern end of the peninsula. The peninsula is included in the Old Mission Peninsula AVA, an American Viticultural Area known for its Michigan wine. The Grand Traverse region has two of Michigan's four federally recognized wine growing areas. The settlement at Old Mission, founded in 1839, was the first community founded by Europeans in the Grand Traverse Bay region. By 1841 there were 5 log buildings as well as several wigwams at the settlement. By 1850 the settlement had grown to a considerable size, and the schooner Arrow was making weekly trips to the mission from Mackinaw City.
Mission Point Light is one of 129 Michigan lighthouses. Michigan has more lighthouses than any other state. Only 38 Michigan lighthouses are open to the public on a regular schedule.
From 1933 until 1948, Mission Point Lighthouse sat alone and empty. Local residents then raised about $1900 for the Township to purchase the lighthouse and adjacent grounds. Since then caretakers have lived in and helped to care for and restore the lighthouse. The lighthouse has been added to the National and State Historic Register, and visitors can now climb the tower and tour the museum. A 5th Order Fresnel Lens is on display, giving a real picture of how the light was kept. The museum admission and gift shop purchases go toward the continued restoration of the lighthouse and the grounds.
The Old Mission General Store is one of Michigan’s oldest general stores. Dating to the mid-1800's, today it offers goods, gifts and food for locals and tourists. The store has been in its current location since the Civil War, and today part of the original structure still stands in the store's center section, with its worn, wooden floors and potbellied stove. The general store also boasts one of the oldest post offices in the state. Visitors are immediately greeted with penny candy, jams and jellies and barrels of fresh fruit, plus the aroma of coffee. Antiques, gifts, and a wide variety of knickknacks and oddities crowd the shelves and ceiling beams. They even had pickled quail eggs in jars, which I had not seen in years.
Cherries are believed to have come from China around 4,000 B.C., and are named after Cerasus, a town in Turkey. Michigan's cherry history isn't quite as long. It was 1852 when Peter Dougherty, a Presbyterian missionary, planted the first cherry orchard in the Grand Traverse Area. Local Indian farmers had grown other fruit trees in the area and had told Dougherty not to plant them. He ignored them and planted the first cherry orchard on the Old Mission Peninsula, located in Grand Traverse Bay. Much to everyone's surprise the cherry trees flourished and soon other orchards were planted all over Northern Michigan.
Cherry trees can grow just about anywhere. However, they need specific conditions to grow to their full potential and the Grand Traverse Region possesses them. The orchards are usually planted on rolling hills and sandy soil, because this condition is needed for water drainage and air flow. Lake Michigan also plays a part helping to calm the cold winter winds and keeping the orchards cool in the summer. These conditions made the Grand Traverse area excellent for growing cherries commercially.
Today Traverse City is known nationally as the Cherry Capital of the World. The five counties around Traverse City make up the region that produces 40 percent of the annual tart cherry crop in the United States. Orchards line the Lake Michigan coast from Benton Harbor to the Grand Traverse Area. Montmorency is the primary tart cherry grown in the United States today. It has been grown in this country for more than a century because it's perfect for pies, preserves, jellies, juices, and other products.
This area is really beautiful. We thought it was so unique to see cherry orchards, vineyard, and apple orchards all in the same area. I did some wine tasting at Bonobo Winery, which is owned by Amy Smart and husband Carter Oosterhouse. Carter grew up in the area, and is known for shows on HGTV, as well as Trading Spaces. I tasted 6 wines – three were good, and I bought a bottle of each. The area has a reputation for sweet wines, but the ones I bought were not and were quite good.
All in a Day at Roy's General Store - Traverse City
Ever notice how crazy things all happen at the same time? Watch the time stamps on this video. All in a day at Roy's Crazy General Store.
The music is by the local band Warning (warningband.com). The first person you see in this video is the guitar player, the last person you see in the video is this drummer.
Sleeping Bear Dunes | Traverse City History
The ice age and glacial retreat nearly 12,000 years ago shaped the land, lakes and forests of northern Michigan. Perched dunes tower above 35 miles of crystal blue Lake Michigan coastline - a contrast so large and majestic it can be seen from space. This land, now known as Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake-shore, played an important role in attracting visitors to northern Michigan.
Visit the Dunes:
Maple City, MI 49664
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Cherryland Center - Traverse City, Michigan: from dead mall to dead power center
Cherryland Center opened its doors in November, 1976 as Traverse City's first major shopping mall. There were smaller malls - Logan's Landing and the downtown Arcade - that opened before Cherryland in the early 70s (and both are still open), but Cherryland became the crown jewel of shopping in northern Michigan for nearly two decades. Kmart was the mall's first anchors while Sears and H.C. Prange Co. opened a year later. The mall also had a Kroger supermarket which became a Hamady in the early 80s and then a Plumb's and finally locally-owned Tom's Food Market in 1986.
During its heyday, the stores that graced Cherryland included Foot Locker, Id, Kinney Shoes, Mr. Bulky's, Aladdin's Castle, Camelot Music, Tape World, Circus World and the locally-owned Ravissant, which sold lingerie and adult novelties. Cherryland had about 50 stores at its peak.
Then in 1992, Grand Traverse Mall opened, taking away much of Cherryland's business. Many of the stores which had stores in both malls closed their Cherryland location. By the late 90s, Cherryland was a dead mall loaded with local shops that sold everything from Catholic books to rocks and fossils. In 1998, Schostak Brothers, the mall's Detroit-based owners and founders announced their plans to tear down half the mall and convert it into a power center, aka outdoor mall. The renovations were completed in 1999 and the name was changed to Cherryland Center.
The revitalization of Cherryland showed promise in the beginning. Fashion Bug moved to Cherryland from Grand Traverse Mall soon after and Sam Goody was added around 2003. However, both stores closed soon after. Michigan's faltering economy and Traverse City's glut of retail didn't help matters, either. In 2010, Wells Fargo Bank foreclosed on Cherryland. Around that time, Tom's moved out of the complex, citing Cherryland's uncertain future. Eventually, Big Lots moved into Tom's old spot.
After changing hands a few times, in 2013, Cherryland was sold on an online auction to Ohio businessman V. Kumar Vemulapalli for $3 million. He has had a long history of hits and misses in the real estate world; he owns successful hotels, though some of his buildings in the Flint are all ended up being condemned. So far, Cherryland has not been a success story for him.
In 2017, Kmart closed at Cherryland. This past year, it was announced that Sears would be closing and so was the old Prange's, which became Younkers in 1992. In 2006, it was bought out by The Bon-Ton, which announced that it was going to liquidate its entire operation in early 2018. After those two stores close, it will leave Big Lots as Cherryland's sole anchor.
However, there are talks of converting the old Kmart space into a Uhaul dealer. What will happen to Sears and Younkers is anybody's guess.
Suspects arrested in parking lot at Roy's General Store
Where do you run to when you've just stabbed and robbed somebody in Traverse City? Why not pick the store that has more cameras than a movie studio, like say... Roy's General Store? That's right, suspects apprehended in our parking lot.
Traverse City Road Trip | See what it's like to visit Traverse City, Michigan
A Traverse City road trip around the lower peninsula of Michigan embodies everything a road tripper could want—there are curvy roads that induce a desire to see around the next bend; Roadside farm stands spilling over with fresh produce; Cobalt blue water set against a backdrop of hardwood trees set ablaze by the changing season—to dramatic Photoshopped-looking sunsets.For a complete Traverse City Road Trip Guide, click the following link:
Traverse City VLOG
We drive up north to Traverse City where we hang out at John's parents lake house, go downtown for dinner during Cherry Festival, and check out a new grocery store in town.
Ontonagon Village Manager Speaks Out
Like small towns everywhere Ontonagon may soon become another ghost town. Ontonagon is a beautiful town with low crime inexpensive housing and where children still play without fear.
Inside The Kitchen at The Franklin
Inside The Kitchen at The Franklin
Short Trips in Traverse including Asparagus Beer & Caribbean Waters
On this Airstream Life vLog, we start feeling more confident in leaving Patti in the Airstream without one of us there supervising. We start off small with a walk over to the beach on East Traverse Bay attached to the campground. This is a great campground to stay in if you want to spend time at the beach! Such a quick walk!
Courtney gets her toes into the sand and we enjoy the feeling of summer before walking back to the Airstream to check on Patti. She had a little bit of a mess but not bad! Each day she is getting better.
So the next day we try another outing. This time to RIght Brain Brewing and the grocery store. Right Brain was a fun brewery with some of the most unique beer ever. Asparagus beer anyone? Wow!
Finally the next day we get to do a little exploring on the Old Mission Peninsula north of Traverse City. We drive all the way up MI 37 (which has been voted one of the most scenic drives in the country). Gorgeous! At the end of the road is the Old Mission Lighthouse and an incredible beach at the tip of the peninsula. What a beautiful place!
On the way back down the peninsula, we stop at a couple of wineries, enjoy some more scenic views and taste some delicious wine before heading back to the Airstream to check on Miss Patti. As she continues to get better expect more fun adventures in the area!
Traverse City State Park:
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I Found GOLD Prospecting An Old Upper Michigan Mine!! | Jason Asselin
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Do you suffer uncontrollable urges to look in hard to get to places? Do you have Gold Fever? Check out our awesome adventure exploring an old Michigan GOLD mine on the first day of Spring 2017!
(Bonus Video) I also fell into a deep ravine, buried to my waist in snow and knee deep in water.. My buddy had to help me and by help, I mean he held the camera as I was trying to get out.. What a funny guy!! You can even watch as I pour water out of my boot!
All kidding aside, this is really the place where gold was once mined out of the ground.. The remnants of the mine are mostly gone, but there are some things remaining you'll see in this video that we did find. We found some amazing pieces of quartz and even white quartz too scattered about the area that perked our interest. We'll be coming back here when the snow is gone for sure!
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Premier Wines I A panoramic view of the Vineyards of Johnson Estate Winery
A view of the gorgious vineyards of one of NY's finest wineries, Johnson Estate.
SECRET ENERGY PODCAST EP 11
???? Sovereignty Mentorship
✨ See the daily Cosmic Energy
⚗️ Alchemical Perfections
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Near Death Experiences REAL? Art Bell's Dark Matter Interview Dr Albert Taylor Paranormal Research
Art Bell's Dark Mater Interview with Dr Albert Taylor will be discussing the use of robots in his paranormal investigations.
Born and raised in Southern California, Albert Taylor performed development engineering on a top secret program which has since become known as the F-117A Stealth Fighter. He evaluated satellite system designs in support of former President Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) or Star Wars. During the late 1980′s Taylor taught Logistics Engineering at Cerritos College, California. He has also served as a volunteer art instructor at St. Paul's Elementary School in West Los Angeles. Taylor's art work has been exhibited in Southern California galleries. In 1992 he developed two prototype computers, and started a company called Phoenix Computers Systems, which he still owns today.
After a myriad of paranormal events, and as a result of a spiritual awakening, Taylor left behind nearly two decades of work as an aeronautical engineer/scientist, to author and publish his book, Soul Traveler. Taylor is currently a metaphysical researcher, teacher, lecturer and artist. He is an active member of International Association of Near Death Studies, Inc. (IANDS) and a participant in the Monroe Institute's On-line Email Voyagers program.
Biography:
1# Los Angeles Times bestselling author, Paranormal Researcher and former Engineer/Scientist on the International Space Station, Dr. Albert Taylor has been involved in numerous top secret programs one of which is the F-117A Stealth Fighter. He was also on the design team of former President Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) or Star Wars.
Taylor is currently an internationally known lecturer/speaker and paranormal researcher, robot design/builder and programmer. And is an active supporter of the International Association of Near Death Studies (IANDS) and Monroe Institute.
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Waste and Webs | Critical Role | Campaign 2, Episode 10
The Mighty Nein delve into the sewers of Zadash in search of the mysterious beast that has been terrorizing the Crownsguard...
Thanks to Far Cry 5 and D&D Beyond for sponsoring this episode of Critical Role!
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Far Cry 5 comes out on March 27th for PS4, Xbox One, and PC – go to to learn more and pick up a copy. Also be sure to check out this video featuring Nerdist’s Dan Casey, Kyle Hill, and our very own Erika Ishii as they face challenges IRL that players will take on in Far Cry 5 -- tell them Critical Role sent you!
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Day 1 Keynote | Oculus Connect 6
The Oculus Connect Day 1 Keynote is streaming live. Watch as Mark and other leaders reveal what's new from Oculus as the next chapter for AR and VR begins.
Learn more at oculusconnect.com
My Trip To Kings Buffet
Just a random video about me, my grandma and brother at Kings Buffet...
ESC Launch Event
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The Trail to Oregon!
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Join our All-American family as they journey down the The Trail to Oregon!
The Trail to Oregon! is an original musical produced by Starkid Productions and was performed in Chicago in the summer of 2014. It is also the most historically accurate musical portraying the Oregon Trail to date; featuring 12 educational songs, a set precisely replicating the trail’s landscape, and appearances from famous historical figures, such as: Henry McDoon, Cletus Jones, and Cornwallis. Watch it if you want.
WARNING: “The Trail to Oregon!” contains adult language and adult content.