Presque Isle: Thank goodness for our Forefather's foresight!

I grew up as an Air Force brat, but most of my childhood was spent in Marquette, Michigan which rests on the lovely shores of Lake Superior. It is very scenic and beautiful, even if the winters are long and harsh. I graduated from Marquette High School and spent many an hour out at Presque Isle. It is the place where I feel the most "at home" and what I think of when I get nostalgic for my childhood. We now live about an hour away, so I am lucky to be able to come and visit it whenever I need a dose of the past.

The founding Forefathers of the city decreed that a peninsula that jutted out into Lake Superior (called Presque Isle) should never be developed, but instead, kept free for its citizens to enjoy forever.

We are so lucky that they had the foresight to preserve this wonderful lake area. Some of it has sandy beaches, but most of it has rugged stoney cliffs and shore full of natural beauty.

We have ore docks which the ore boats come into to load up with ore, so often you can sit on a picnic table, overlooking the lake and watch the ore boats coming into port.

Here are some pictures for you to see. (And Joannie from Joannie's Random Ramblings, since my pictures cheer you up, these are especially for you!):


First, a shot of the rocky shore, littered with driftwood:

The walkway out to the lighthouse:

There is a sign not to walk out on the walkway to the lighthouse during stormy or windy weather. Several people have died there because they were washed overboard:

I usually stop my walk where the rocks begin out to the lighthouse.....

On my way out to the lighthouse, these mallards were riding the waves:

Our lighthouse:

I was lucky the day I went out the take photos for you....an ore boat was coming in to dock at our port:

It came delightfully close to the lighthouse walkway, so I could get some photos and wave at its Captain!:

This is a photo taken from the lighthouse walkway, looking back at Presque Isle:

This close-up shows you the rocky cliffs that exist all around the peninsula:

On the walk back from the lighthouse, the mallard was showing off and showing me how he "hangs ten" in the water:

A close up of the shore:

Many tourists come and collect the Lake Superior stones for their many colors and smooth shapes:

After you drive through virgin forests of the peninsula, here are the shores on the other side:

Many folks also boat all the way around the peninsula:

Nothing but nature to love and admire:

What is THIS???? A spaceship in nature??!!!

Nope.

It is Northern Michigan University's football dome...the only all wooden dome in North America!

My husband and I are both graduates of N.M.U. and loved attending school in such a beautiful place.














It is right across the bay from Presque Isle. All students that attend NMU have wonderful nostalgia about Presque Isle, too, because you can walk to it from campus with a little ambition and good shoes :-)

If you ever make it to the U.P., make sure you make plans to ride out to Presque Isle. It has many hiking trails, wild deer, and virgin forests (the forefathers forbade cutting the trees or building any houses on the shoreline). Many, many weddings are held there, also.

Oh, and if you come, would you let me know? I would be happy to be your tour guide!!