Day 33: All Michigan!

We spent the day in Michigan today!
Starting Mileage: 6548!
We left Port Huron about 7:30am

Michigan farm.
We got gas at 8:16am
Mileage 6620.7
11.06 gallons @ $3.56

Our first stop was Frankenmuth.  Of course, it was just 8:30am and there was nothing open to see.
History Bit:
The city's name is a combination of two words. "Franken" represents the Province of Franconia in the Kingdom of Bavaria, home of the Franks, where the original settlers were from. The German word "Mut" means courage; thus, the name Frankenmuth means "courage of the Franconians." The area was settled and named in 1845 by conservative Lutheran immigrants from Roßtal area of Franconia (now part of Bavaria) in Germany] The group of settlers left Germany on April 20, 1845 and arriving at Castle Garden seven weeks later. They traveled via canals and the Great Lakes from New York to Detroit and arrived in August 1845. Sailing on the Nelson Smith, the settlers made their way to Saginaw and travelled over land to the present location the city of Frankenmuth. Originally part of Bridgeport Township and later Frankenmuth Township, Frankenmuth became a village in 1904 and finally a city on October 1, 1959

I am not sure what the real term for these things are, but for the most part, Lon loves these things. This one was at the Farmer's market.  The only thing that was open! 

This time he is a chicken. 

This is the world famous chicken dinner place. 

One of the buildings.

Being a soldier

Another head stick in thingy. 

Bronner's Christmas Wonderland. This place is HUGE.  They have a map to show you where things are!  Founded in 1945, they only close a couple times a year, so they are open 361 days a year! They get busloads of people every day. We were leaving as a couple of buses were unloading

A Santa Helicopter. I had to take that photo

Lon is loving this place. He found our village and wanted to get some more of it. We just don't have the room to take it home! 

Leaving Bronner's and heading west! 

Old farms

A rest stop in Michigan. They do not seem to have names I could find

BIG farm!

Our next stop was Mackinaw. We had some pizza for lunch. Mark had found a Bridge Museum he thought looked good on line before we left. The one we actually found was not even close. The movie was good. 

At a fun little gift shope, Lon got a few pennies, we almost have a full book and need to find a new one! And I found a charm for me, Mark got his hat!

The Bridge! 

History Bit:  --There is alot more out there

The five-mile bridge, including approaches, and the world's longest suspension bridge between cable anchorages, had been designed by the great engineer Dr. David B. Steinman. Merritt-Chapman & Scott Corporation's $25,735,600 agreement to build all the foundations led to the mobilization of the largest bridge construction fleet ever assembled. The American Bridge Division of United States Steel Corporation, awarded a $44,532,900 contract to build this superstructure, began its work of planning and assembly. In U.S. Steel's mills the various shapes, plates, bars, wire and cables of steel necessary for the superstructure and for the caissons and cofferdams of the foundation, were prepared. The bridge was officially begun amid proper ceremonies on May 7 & 8, 1954, at St. Ignace and Mackinaw City.
The bridge opened to traffic on November 1, 1957 according to schedule, despite the many hazards of marine construction over the turbulent Straits of Mackinac. The last of the Mackinac Bridge bonds were retired July 1, 1986. Fare revenues are now used to operate and maintain the Bridge and repay the State of Michigan for monies advanced to the Authority since the facility opened to traffic in 1957.

Paying the toll! 

At Bridge View Park. 

It is a beautiful sight to see

The family at Lake Michigan. Only one more lake and we have seen them all

Lon IN Lake Michigan!

We saw some painted moose every so often, I was only able to capture one on film

We got gas at 4:18pm

Mileage 6894

10.52 gallons @ $ 3.79

They have these charming little cabins and 1950s vintage (or earlier) motels along the road. Highway 2

Hog Island. The northern most point in Lake Michigan

Coming into Iron Mountain. Sadly, most things are closed for the day. Tomorrow is Sunday, so we will miss most of what there is to see here. We will just have to come back. 

The historic Court House. 

Mini History Bit:

The Dickinson County Courthouse and Jail built in 1896 is an historic complex of governmental buildings located at 700 South Stephenson Avenue in Iron Mountain, Michigan. Also known as theDickinson County Courthouse and Jail Complex, it was designed by architect James E. Clancy ofAntigo, Wisconsin, a former Iron Mountain resident, in the Romanesque style and built by E.E. Grip & Co. of rock faced red brick and trimmed with sandstone.

This building was here when my great grandparents lived here!  

We had dinner at the Maple Leaf. The food was good. Lon got a chocolate chip pancake, I had a salad and Mark had something called brosted chicken. 

There is no pool at the hotel, so Lon had to make do with the tub. 

We got some laundry done too!

Tomorrow we see Lake Superior!