Esch Beach

Photo credit: Kim Schwaiger

Did you know that in 1889, the first murder in Benzie County occurred in the then town of Aral, now the site of Esch Beach?  The murderer’s motive?  High taxes.  In the 1880s Aral was a small logging village with a mill pond that was formed by damming Otter Creek where it now opens into the beautiful waters of Lake Michigan. The mill operator, Charles Wright, had refused to pay taxes, arguing that they were too high and were restricting the mill in its rivalry with Edgewater.   As the local deputy and township treasurer attempted to apply a writ of attachment to the mill’s logs for the unpaid taxes, Mr. Wright shot them dead.  He then paid his employees their wages and disappeared into the woods.  A telegraph explaining the situation went to Frankort.  Who would come to address the two bodies (kept out of the direct sun by umbrellas put up by the townspeople) and the escaped culprit?  The prosecuting attorney and sheriff commandeered a steamer ship in Frankfort and arrived in Aral with their posse.  It was believed an Indian handy-man, Lahala, knew of Mr. Wright’s whereabouts, but he refused to talk.  Members of the crowd put a noose around Lahala’s neck and hoisted him in the air.  He was let down and given a second opportunity to speak.  He refused and was lifted off the ground again.  Under the threat of a third time he agreed to cooperate.  Mr. Wright was found and jailed.  The governor of Michigan later commuted his sentence after eleven years served for reasons unknown. Upon his release, he found his former wife and scared off her new husband.  The Wrights were rumored to have moved out West, but remained as part of the area’s lore for years to come.

Remember Esch Beach when you get your tax bill and need a place to get outside and take in some relaxing blue skies and water.

Photo credit: Kim Schwaiger

Photo credit: Kim Schwaiger

Photo credit: Kim Schwaiger

Photo credit: Kim Schwaiger

Photo credit: Kim Schwaiger

Photo credit: Kim Schwaiger

Photo credit: Kim Schwaiger

Photo credit: Kim Schwaiger

Old Settlers Park

Photo credit: Kim Schwaiger

Do you have a favorite dock?  Mine is the dock at Old Settlers Park on Big Glen Lake.  For me, the dock serves as an indication of the change in seasons.  My anticipation of summer is heightened when I see the dock has been put in the water, and it is with a hint of sadness that I know winter will soon be here when I find the dock piled on shore.  In between times, it is a spot I frequent; where I smell the fresh wild mint as I descend the stairs in late spring, watch the sun set over Alligator Hill, dip my toes in the cool fresh water, observe my daughter play in delight, and reflect on the tranquility of this beautiful spot we call home.

The Sleeping Bear

Many of us are familiar with the Chippewa Legend of Sleeping Bear, but perhaps fewer have had the opportunity to visit the ghost forest that sits where a once lush and bushy forested knob formed the landscape that resembled the mother awaiting her cubs.  The Sleeping Bear Dune, perched over Lake Michigan in Leelanau County, is thought to be about two thousand years old and has significantly transformed through the years.  Past periods of stability allowed the trees pictured below to grow.  Later, the wind deposited more sand on the dune, burying the trees.   Through most of the twentieth century, erosion has been the predominant force on the dune, re-exposing this now ghost forest (believed to be one of two layers of such growth).

The sand-blown, sun-bleached skeletons of the dead trees turn an already-awesome view extraordinary.  A storm over South Manitou on the night these photos were taken also made for some spectacular clouds in the distance.

Check out the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive for a view of the Sleeping Bear and more amazing views.

Photo credit: Kim Schwaiger