Orchard Beach State Park is a public recreation area covering 201 acres (81 ha) on the shore of Lake Michigan in Manistee Township, Manistee County, Michigan. Situated on a bluff three miles north of the city of Manistee, the state park offers camping, hiking trails, and scenic views over Lake Michigan. The beach has been closed due to high lake levels.[4]
| Orchard Beach State Park | |
|---|---|
 Stairs and sky at Orchard Beach State Park | |
  Location in Michigan  Orchard Beach State Park (the United States) | |
| Location | Lower Peninsula, Manistee County, Michigan, United States |
| Nearest city | Manistee, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 44°16′55″N 86°19′00″W / 44.28194°N 86.31667°W[2] |
| Area | 201 acres (81 ha) |
| Elevation | 650 feet (200 m) [2] |
| Established | 1921[3] |
| Administrator | Michigan Department of Natural Resources |
| Website | Orchard Beach State Park |
Orchard Beach State Park | |
| Built | Civilian Conservation Corps |
| NRHP reference No. | 09001064 |
| Added to NRHP | December 8, 2009 |
History
editThe park was developed by the Manistee, Filer City and Eastlake Railway Company and opened in 1892. After the company stopped trolley service to the park, the site was purchased by the Manistee Board of Commerce and deeded to the state to become part of the Michigan state park system in 1921.[5]
The Civilian Conservation Corps was active in the park in the 1930s. Corps efforts included construction of several limestone structures including a pavilion, toilet, line house, and pump house.[6] In 2009, the park was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places,[7] being cited as "one of the most intact examples of a Michigan state park developed in the 1930s and 1940s under National Park Service guidelines.... retain[ing] the majority of its CCC-era buildings and physical layout."[5] In 2019, the high levels of Lake Michigan were eroding the sandy bluff on which the CCC-built pavilion stands.[8]
In the news
editIn 2019, it was reported that erosion caused by record high water levels on Lake Michigan threatened the park's historic pavilion with destruction. The pavilion stands 50 feet (15 m) from the edge of the bluff. High water had covered the sandy beach at the base of the bluff, below the pavilion, since 2017, and the stairway built to access the beach from the pavilion led straight into the high waters of Lake Michigan.[8] The pavilion was moved away from the shore in December 2020.[9]
Activities and amenities
editThe park offers swimming, fishing, three miles of hiking trails, picnicking facilities, and a 166-site campground.[4]
References
edit- ^ "Orchard Beach State Park". IUCN. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- ^ a b "Orchard Beach State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "When were Michigan state parks and recreation areas established?" (PDF). Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- ^ a b "Orchard Beach State Park". Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
- ^ a b "Orchard Beach State Park". Weekly Highlight. National Park Service. December 18, 2009. Retrieved December 26, 2009.
- ^ Paul E. Janostak (2009). "Orchard Beach State Park" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. National Park Service. Retrieved December 26, 2009. (26 pages, with map and 11 photos)
- ^ "Orchard Beach State Park". NP Gallery Digital Asset Management System. National Park Service. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
- ^ a b Lofton, Justine (September 10, 2019). "Lake Michigan erosion threatens state park's 400-ton historic building". MLive. Advance Local Media. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- ^ Lofton, Justine (December 11, 2020). "400-ton historic limestone pavilion rolling to new location, away from eroding bluff". mlive. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
External links
edit
- Orchard Beach State Park Michigan Department of Natural Resources
- Orchard Beach State Park Map Michigan Department of Natural Resources