Before the end of this year, Congress may approve “wilderness” legislation for the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore that — despite the implication of the word — would forever guarantee public access to the Park’s pristine beaches along county roads, to historic manmade structures, and continue to allow hunting and fishing within the Lakeshore.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Superintendent Dusty Shultz announced that the National Park Service proposes to restore, as much as practicable, the hydrological connection between the Mill Pond and Little Glen Lake. To do so, the National Lakeshore will prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) which will describe and analyze alternatives for this hydrological connection.
By Jacob Wheeler Sun editor The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will not close Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive and facilities at the Dune Climb, Glen Haven and other crowned jewels of this National Lakeshore — as local administrators had planned to do after Labor Day weekend, the traditional end of the summer tourism season in […]
History comes alive at six historic sites during the annual Port Oneida Fair at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The Port Oneida Fair will be held Aug. 9 and 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to the many popular demonstrations, animals and exhibits, the fair will be a zero-waste event, will feature a chicken dinner on Friday, and will end with an astronomy party on Saturday night.
On Tuesday, July 9, the National Park Service (NPS) welcomed the 40 millionth visitor to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Superintendent Dusty Shultz, Deputy Superintendent Tom Ulrich, and Interpretive Park Rangers greeted Mary and Jerry Keller of Cincinnati with enthusiasm and gifts, at the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire. An announcement was made and the rest of the visitors applauded.
The second annual Dune Dash to benefit the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail will be held on Saturday, Aug. 17 at 9 a.m. The 4-mile run/walk starts and finishes at the base of the Sleeping Bear Dune Climb and follows the flat, paved segment of the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail to Glen Haven and back.
The Glen Arbor Art Association will exhibit wooded landscapes by Lynn Uhlmann of Shippensburg, Penn., and part-time resident of Leelanau County. The show is July 26-28 at the Art Association, 6031 S. Lake St., Glen Arbor, with an opening reception on Friday from 6-8 p.m.
Off a two-track road south of Empire lies the historic Boekeloo Cabin/Boekelodge, one of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore’s most popular sites, built as a homestead cabin in the late 1800s. Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear (PHSB) has been working to restore this beautiful building and site since 2005. Last summer PHSB’s contractor did a beautiful job of restoring the logs of the cabin. This summer Preserve will be working from July 18-20 on the windows, chimney, gables and interior, as well as repairing the gate, boardwalk and privy. Volunteers are needed for the nonprofit work group’s project for each of those days, starting at 9 a.m. Volunteers with good carpentry and window glazing skills are preferred, but general “unskilled” volunteers are needed as well.
Three generations of descendants of four different Lighthouse Keepers will assemble at the South Manitou Island Lighthouse on July 10. The families of Keepers Aaron Sheridan, Julia Sheridan, James Putnam Burdick and Ron Rosie will be working to restore the historic Fog Whistle Building below the lighthouse in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear (PHSB) preserves historic buildings and landscapes in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, but also provides ways for people to learn from and understand the history of these symbols of our past. This summer a number of interpretive programs are being offered that get people out on the landscape and inside some of the historic farmsteads of the Port Oneida Rural Historic District.