Every summer I looked forward to spending the week at a cottage on Little
Glen Lake with my family. Our car was crammed with suitcases, games, and food.
Mmm… I can still smell the sweet scent of homemade cinnamon rolls! Nothing beat
food, family, and fellowship on our own slice of paradise near the Sleeping
Bear Dunes.
One can’t help being fascinated by the lore of the area. According to
an old Chippewa legend, a raging forest fire on the western shore of Lake
Michigan forced a mother bear and her two cubs into the water. Swimming several
miles toward the opposite shore, the cubs lagged behind and drowned. The Great
Spirit created the North and South Manitou islands in honor of the cubs. A lone
dune represents mother bear.
Sleeping Bear Dunes covers 71,000 acres along Lake Michigan’s shoreline
in the Lower Peninsula. Sleeping Bear
Dunes National Lakeshore and Yellowstone National Park are both on the 45th
Parallel, which sits halfway between the equator and North Pole.
It was no surprise to me when I read that Sleeping Bear Dunes National
Lakeshore was named the “Most Beautiful Place in America.” In addition to its natural beauty, the Lakeshore
boasts a rich combination of maritime, agricultural, and commercial history.
It’s home to hundreds of historic structures, including the South Manitou
Lighthouse standing 104 feet above the ground.
In the village of Glen Haven, one of my favorite buildings
remains: the old cannery. Throughout the summer months, its red paint and
white window frames contrast with Lake Michigan’s sapphire blue water.
The cannery originally was used as a warehouse. In the early 1920s, the
building became a cherry cannery. Today, it serves as a museum of historic
boats from around Glen Haven and the Manitou Islands.
Historic Faust Cabin was built in 1929 by George and Mary Faust using a
design by Frank Sohn, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright. Today, their home is part of the National
Park Service. Every year, many visitors
marvel at the log cabin, which overlooks Glen Lake and sits nestled on the hill
next to Inspiration Point.
D. H. Day farm is an iconic landmark south of Glen Haven. It has a 116-foot-long
dairy barn and numerous outbuildings that were constructed in the 1880s and
1890s. They represent the agricultural heritage of days gone by.
Enjoy stunning vistas from the Pierce Stocking Scenic
Drive. The 7.4 mile drive curves its way through a covered bridge, forest, and
sand dunes. Along the way, visitors can stop at overlooks to view the Glen
Lakes, the Sleeping Bear Dunes, and Lake Michigan.
With a name like Cherry, how could I resist hanging
out at Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor? I still have a worn out t-shirt with
their slogan: Life, Liberty, Beaches and Pie. If you’re ever in this neck of
the woods, stop by and savor the flavor of a cherry boomchunka cookie!
My Secret
Series is set in Glen Arbor. The main character, Hannah, shares snippets of
the region’s history with readers. If you like mysteries with a smidgen of
religion and a smattering of romance, I invite you to give them a go.
Cherry
Christensen
Cherry's Bio: Cherry hails from the Great Lakes state of
Michigan, where she lives with her husband and two adorably mischievous cats.
She does most of her writing at night because she is not a morning person, and
wholeheartedly agrees with the anonymous saying, “I could be a morning person,
if morning happened around noon.”
In addition to writing, Cherry has traveled overseas,
exploring castles in Scotland, soaking in the sights of London, and gazing at
the beautiful English countryside out a train car window. Closer to home, she’s
gone dolphin watching and parasailing in Florida.
Cherry’s husband is also an author, but he doesn’t
share her love of football. Her favorite teams are the Michigan Wolverines and
Denver Broncos. Go Blue! Mile High Salute! So, what’s better than watching
football? Eating chocolate chip cookie dough during a game!
Social Media:
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/cfyfechristense/
(All info provided and released by author)
I visited Sleeping Bear Dunes last summer and found the area enticing. Loved the bear story--the mama still sitting there watching over her cubs.
ReplyDelete71,000 acres is a lot of dunes! It's great to hear about little corners of this country. There is never an end to the amazing stuff to learn. You portray your area well. It seems rich in history, a place to wander around in for a while.
ReplyDeleteThis area of Michigan truly is beautiful, and rich in history! Through all four seasons, it's a wonderful place to go.
ReplyDeleteOh, I really love the Sleeping Bear Dunes area.
ReplyDeleteMichigan is such a beautiful state no matter what time of year you visit. Summer is even better when you have your books in hand to read. You’re an amazing author!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for inviting me to represent Michigan!
ReplyDeleteI agree wholeheartedly, Cherry. I, too would be a morning person if morning came around later in the day. Thanks for sharing so much interesting info! Cheers! S.J. Francis sjfrancis419@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteMichigan has the great lake which is wonderful for summer fun. Thanks for your most interesting post.
ReplyDeleteMy family used to vacation every year along Lake Bellaire, east of Torch Lake--not far from where you write about. I even set one of my novels there--beautiful area!
ReplyDelete