Monthly Archives: March 2019

The First Lady of Michigan State Parks

Posted on by

Emma Genevieve Gillette Photo from the Michigan Archives

Emma Genevieve Gillette was born in Lansing on May 19, 1898 and attended Michigan Agricultural College which became Michigan State University. The  Superintendent of Parks P.J. Hoffmaster asked Gillette to scout the state for areas of land having Potential to be a state park. Beginning in 1924, she helped locate and raise public support and funding for parks at Ludington, Hartwick Pines, Wilderness, and Porcupine Mountains. Other parks included Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, the Huron-Clinton Metroparks system, and what was to become the P. J. Hoffmaster State Park in the sand dunes area of Lake Michigan between Grand Haven and Muskegon.

She founded and was president of the Michigan Parks Association, a group that worked relentlessly lobbying the government for funding and support of the parks. The Gillette Nature Center at the Hoffmaster State Park, which was dedicated in 1976, was named in her honor.

I hope you will subscribe to email updates so you won’t miss any new posts or giveaways, [jetpack_subscription_form title=”” subscribe_text=” enter your email for notifications on new posts” subscribe_button=”Sign Me Up”]

[fbcomments]

The Sears House at Hoeft

Posted on by

Near the shores of Lake Huron in Hoeft State Park is a pleasant little house that is available for visitors to rent. This is no ordinary house since it is a historic Sears mail-order kit house. Built by park rangers and the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1929, it was erected on the road the leads into the campground. The model was the Sears-Roebuck Rodessa, but the floor plan was modified by the builders so the house could accommodate two ranger’s families if needed. The house has three bedrooms and sleeps up to eight people. It includes a Sunroom, game room, master bedroom with an attached bathroom. Sears Catalog Homes were catalog and kit houses sold primarily through mail order by Sears, Roebuck and Company. Sears reported that more than 70,000 of these homes were sold in North America between 1908 and 1940. More than 370 different home designs in a wide range of architectural styles and sizes were offered over the program’s 33-year history.

If you’re looking for a house to stay at in northern Michigan, check out the lodge at Hoeft state park. Or next time you are at Hoeft and drive past it going to the campground, you will know a little bit about this magnificent little lodge.

I hope you will subscribe to email updates so you won’t miss any new posts or giveaways, [jetpack_subscription_form title=”” subscribe_text=” enter your email for notifications on new posts” subscribe_button=”Sign Me Up”]

[fbcomments]

Camp Michigan’s State Park March Madness Poll

Posted on by

This round of polls are closed you can vote in the next round HERE

I thought it would be fun to find out what everyones favorite Michigan State Park is in this unofficial March Madness style poll. I took the list of state parks, recreations areas and scenic sites from the DNR list and grouped them into 16 different regions. Pick your favorite from each region and after the polls close on March 11th the winners will go on to the next round of polls.

After you have voted you will be able to see the curent results of the polls

[poll id=”2″]

[poll id=”3″]

[poll id=”4″]

[poll id=”5″]

[poll id=”6″]

[poll id=”7″]

[poll id=”8″]

[poll id=”9″]

[poll id=”10″]

[poll id=”11″]

[poll id=”12″]

[poll id=”13″]

[poll id=”14″]

[poll id=”15″]

[poll id=”16″]

[poll id=”17″]

After you have voted don’t forget to enter the giveaway for your chance to win a T-shirt HERE

Make sure you don’t miss out on the next round of polls and subscribe to email notifications, [jetpack_subscription_form title=”” subscribe_text=” enter your email for notifications on new posts” subscribe_button=”Sign Me Up”]

[fbcomments]