Rapid River / Escanaba MI

August 23, 2015

Rapid River / Escanaba MI

After Newberry, we went south to an area on Lake Michigan. We stayed at a very nice park in Rapid River near the town we wanted to visit, Escanaba.

In Escanaba we went to the Sand Point Lighthouse.
The first keeper died before they finished building the light so they hired his wife to be the first keeper. She held the job for 18 years

We love to visit lighthouses

Built in 1868 and operated until 1959.

We also like to go to the top.

The view from the top is great.

Now the museum. This museum is unlike most lighthouse museums, it covers the town history.

A rarity, the original Fresnel lens. Most lighthouses have a lens but not the original one used there. Usually when the USCG upgraded them, they took the lens and sent it to other museums.

Another rarity, the small wheel is the front wheel. I personally have never seen one like this.

The trick would be to get up on it.

Another view, note the small seat and that the pedals just go up and down, not around.

An early barbers chair

very old typewriter

Hair curler, they wrap your hair in the curlers then plug it in to the wall outlet.

You can see Cathy's reaction just thinking about it.

A blow dryer with it.

Another room set up to honor local service people.

Love this old sign:

GO TO WORK or GO TO WAR
or the Delta County War Relief Association will see that you
GO TO JAIL

A piece of an old wooden water main.

The school house section

reading chart

A stove out of a railroad caboose and tools.

Shoeshine station from the depot.

and what Cathy and I need, a 6 person picnic basket. This thing was really set up well.

A violin maker at his scroll saw.

early phonograph

Outside is a USCG exibit

I flew on the bottom four.

This museum is one of the best I have seen anywhere. If you ever get o this area, go see it. Plan on at least 2 hours to be there.

Another day, a trip out to Peninsula Point

Peninsula Point is noted for the massing of the Monarch Butterflies. They gather here to start their flight to Mexico and return the following year. The returning one are 3 to 4 generations later.