Lower Harbor
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| Long a Marquette landmark on the Lower Harbor, Thill's sells both fresh and smoked fish. The gill-net tug Kathy docked along side the shop is now retired. The open-deck Linda Lee now live-nets most of the shop's whitefish. |
The Ellwood Mattson Lower Harbor Park on Marquette's waterfront on Lakeshore Boulevard at the feet of Washington and Main streets has become a community focal point. It has all the elements for an after-dinner stroll or community celebrations like the International Food Festival (July 4 weekend) and holiday fireworks, the Seafood Festival just before Labor Day, and the Labor Day Parade.
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| The railroad that used to carry iron ore to the Lower Harbor ore dock has been removed, making the enormous landmark more visually stunning than ever. Fueled by the increasing desirability of living downtown, some have any proposed developing condos in the ore dock, while an exterior walkway on one level that would allow the general public to take in the harbor view. |
The Lakeshore Bike Path goes all the way from here to Presque Isle Park. Much of this nearly five-mile distance is lined with parkland, and all is accessible from the bike path.
Here are the current components of the Lower Harbor area, arranged from the south to the Marquette Harbor Light at the north. A 5-story 100-room lakeside hotel is being built two blocks south of Thill's at Founders' Landing, where rail yards used to be.
Lower Harbor ORE DOCK. Once rail cars moved onto this massive sandstone dock to unload iron ore into the holds of waiting ore carriers via "pockets" or chutes. After a 1971 strike the Lake Superior & Ishpeming rail line through downtown was no longer used. The newer ore dock by Presque Isle was enough to meet later needs. As part of a plan to redevelop the Lower Harbor and South Rail Yards, the 3,000-foot trestle approaching the docks was torn down, removing a longtime landmark across Front Street and opening up a long waterfront corridor for public use. The ore dock looks even more monumental now. It forms a striking backdrop to pleasure boats moored there.
Now that new condos in recent harborfront projects have been snatched up for prices of hundreds of thousands of dollars each, an qmbitious proposal to build 35 to 50 $500,000 condos in the ore dock's pocket spaces has not been dismissed as out of the question. Parking would occupy the lower level. An 8' public promenade would be built at a level below the condos and their terraces.
THILL'S FISH HOUSE is the last commercial fishing operation of what was once a thriving Marquette-area fishery. Thill's fishing boat is docked riight along side the old building. Prices for fresh and smoked Lake Superior fish are somewhat lower than at supermarkets, and, of course, the freshness can't be beat. Thill's makes smoked whitefish sausage, a smoked fish spread, and pickled trout, herring, and whitefish. It also sells a complete line of frozen seafood. In summer fresh wild salmon arrives from Alaska, and year-round fresh cod is flown in from Iceland. At the foot of Main, a block south of Washington, just north of the downtown ore dock. (906) 226-9851. Open year-round, Mon-Fri 8-5:30, Sat to 3. Wheelchair- accessible.
CINDER POND MARINA, with 101 slips, serves seasonal and transient boaters and has a boat launch. It's an ideal location, next to a beautiful, lively park and a block away from downtown, with groceries at the Marquette Food Co-op on Baraga at Front. Of relevance to rustic campers: it has public showers. Marina phone: (906) 228-0469. Open May-Oct. Handicap accessible.
MATTSON Lower Harbor PARK has a playground, picnic area, concession stand, restrooms, and fishing. Benches are positioned to look out on the lake. Details of the benches, pavement and landscaping, and accessory buildings stand out. This painstaking, spare-no-expense, architecturally sensitive approach to designing a space is not often seen in the Upper Peninsula. Just take a look at the concession stand and restroom building, a scaled-down version of a Shingle Style house. The concession stand is open with hot dogs, ice cream and such from Memorial Day through Labor Day, noon to 8.
Many events are held here, including sailboat regattas each Wednesday evening and some weekends. Amateur sailors maneuver around the five-mile buoyed course.
One Lower Harbor display that will long live on in local memory is the family tree project by community artist Mary Wright. Here at the Lower Harbor over a hundred donated telephone poles were transformed by families into family history totem poles, using paint, wood, metal, applied photographs and much more. Wright's career in masterminding community-made environmental art projects took off after hundreds of old chairs, painted by local people in the Finnish national colors of sky blue and white, lined downtown streets to celebrate The effect was sensational at Finnfest, the annual get-together of North American Finns held that year in Marquette. 250 Lakeshore. Open year-round. Handicap accessible.
LAKE SUPERIOR THEATER. A striking converted boathouse is home to original summer musical theater, often with regional themes based on Upper Peninsula history and music traditions. See www.mqtcty.org/departments/arts or call (906) 227-7625. Advance reservations advised - a month ahead may be needed.
MARQUETTE MARITIME MUSEUM.
S.S. DARTER CONNING TOWER, part of the U.S.S. Darter-Dace Silent Service Memorial. (More exhibits, with no admission fee, are inside the Marquette Maritime Museum next door.) Actually this is a replica of the conning tower of the WWII submarine that supplied vital reconnaissance information and fired the first torpedo in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the decisive naval battle against Japan and the largest naval battle in history. Marquette High School students fabricated the replica with help from Northern Michigan University. Two 20mm guns have been mounted atop it, and a vintage WWII torpedo installed in front of it.
Lower Harbor BREAKWALL is a very popular spot for fishing for coho, steelhead, lake trout, and whitefish. You can walk on it half a mile out into the harbor. It's a pleasant place for a stroll on a nice summer evening, but to be avoided when it's stormy and waves are high. The breakwall offers excellent views of the harbor, city skyline, and lighthouse.
MARQUETTE HARBOR LIGHT. One of Michigan's most picturesque lighthouses perches atop a rock bluff on Lighthouse Point. Guided tours of the lighthouse and grounds are offered by the Marquette Maritime Museum. 8/2010
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POINTS OF INTEREST
Marquette Wi-fi Hotspots. Peter White Public Library has wi-fi & public computers. 217 N Front between Ridge & Bluff. Olson Library (NMU) has wi-fi & public computers. On Tracy St., off Wright St. Dead River Coffee has wi-fi. 119 W. Baraga, just west of S. Front St. ... more
Marquette Mountain. With plenty of snow and some of the state's highest runs, this is one of the better known Midwest ski destinations ... more
Alley Kat's Quilt Shop. Outstanding contemporary shop caters to quilters, fiber artists, home sewers, Lots of examples inspire quilters. Designer fabrics, geometrics, wools (for the primitive look), & linen-cotton blends for garments. ... more
Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center . At the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center are exhibits on the various immigrant groups who populated the U.P., an historical look at student life at Northern Michigan University, and the artifacts from the life of philanthropist and business magnate Sam Cohodas. ... more
Huron Mountain Bakery . Terrific, unpretentious bakery along the highway just south of Marquette ... more
Marquette Baking Co.. This exceptional bakery complements a delightful cluster of food-related shops ... more
Marquette County History Museum. Choice artifacts, some life-sized exhibits with audio, and a good gift shop make this stand out. See an Ojibwa family group,the Burt survey party, a child-scale street of shops ... more
Risak Pottery. Beautifully complex colors adorn the pieces at this Japanese-inspired gallery ... more
Zero Degrees Artist Gallery. Cool new cooperative of broad array of artists. ... more
Greywalls Golf Course. One of Michigan's finest and arguably its visually most dramatic course, Greywalls attracts golfers from across the nation ... more
Peter White Library. A dream library renovated and expanded through community visioning: restored 1904 reading rooms, an exhibit gallery, a children's room designed by kids, a community art gallery and shop, and a café/coffee bar with fresh Greek specialties ... more
Ridge and Arch Historic District. A well-maintained neighborhood of historic homes in a variety of late 19th-century styles, and two richly detailed red sandstone churches with unusual stained glass windows, one by Tiffany ... more
Lower Harbor. The beautifully designed focus of the city's Lake Superior waterfront, with a fresh and smoked fish shop, a playground/picnic park next to the marina, a historic lighthouse, a breakwall to walk out on ... more
Marquette Maritime Museum. A colorful museum with lots of great stuff: superb replicas of freighters, three Fresnel lighthouse lenses, hands-on fishing nets and a pilot house, colorful flags from Great Lakes freighters, a miniature reconstruction of a famous WWII naval battle ... more
U.S.S. Darter-Dace Silent Service Memorial. A fascinating computerized, narrated diorama of the Philippine naval battle that crippled the Japanese navy, highlighting the critical role of two subs with U.P. crews and a replica conning tower are part ... more
Marquette Harbor Light. Visitors can now tour this oft-photographed lighthouse on the rocks and take the catwalk 300' out to Lighthouse Point, with great panoramic views of Presque Isle, ore dock, harbor, and town ... more
Lakeside bike path from the Inner Harbor to Presque Isle. You can rent a bike or rollerblades for this beautiful, busy shoreline path from the inner harbor to magical Presque Isle Park, passing a beach and picnic area for students and one for families ... more
Lake Superior & Ishpeming RR Ore Dock. Extending a full quarter mile out into the lake, this huge 75' landmark is where you can watch taconite pellets of iron ore delivered by train and noisily dumped into a waiting ore carrier ... more
Moosewood Nature Center. Started by science teachers, the enthusiastic young staff offers 20 programs and outings a month for families and has some live native reptiles and amphibians to watch. A paved Bog Walk Trail is outside ... more
Presque Isle Park. One of the coolest city parks anywhere, it's a rocky, wooded peninsula jutting into Lake Superior with great vistas, 5 miles of walking paths, swimming pool and water slide, picnic grounds, bandshell ... more
The Village shopping district on Third Street. Between downtown and campus, Third Street has several popular restaurants, an excellent outdoors shop, a terrific fabric shop, a consignment shop, a bead shop ... more
Superior Dome. See the wood framework of the world's largest wood dome, used for athletics and community walking and jogging. Interesting exhibits in its outer corridor feature U.P. minerals, ethnic groups, and Upper Peninsula legends John Voelker, Dominic Jacobetti, Nita Engle, Glenn Seaborg, and Sam Cohodas ... more
DeVos Art Museum at Northern Michigan University. With this facility, the Upper Peninsula has a real art museum, open year-round, with some high-level nationally important exhibits along with local and regional shows ... more
Father Marquette Park/ Chamber of Commerce.. Tourist info with a grand view of a picture-perfect town, harbor, and lighthouse ... more
Marquette County Courthouse. A grand public building from 1902, used with respect. See the impressive courtroom where the Anatomy of a Murder case was tried, the great view from the steps, and the display of Voelker legal memorabilia ... more
St. Peter Cathedral and Baraga Archives. In the cathedral, stained glass windows of saints and scenes from Jesus's life. Next door, the papers of the snowshoe priest from Slovenia involved with the early history of many Michigan communities ... more
Upper Peninsula Children's Museum. Low-tech, free wheeling, imaginative fun in a whacky micro city, a recyclatorium, and a great gift shop. Kids learn about microbiology after sliding down a toilet, fly in a real fuselage cockpit ... more
Marquette Food Co-op. Cheerful one-stop shopping with good produce and more trail mixes, energy bars, soy milk and juices for travelers in the attractive new location downtown ... more
Park Cemetery. Download WMOT deejay Jim Koski's chatty Park Cemetery walking tour and a stroll through this hilly, wooded cemetery becomes a guided tour of the graves of Marquette's founding elite ... more
Jilbert's Dairy. An ice cream parlor is the centerpiece of this headquarters complex of the U.P.'s premier dairy, where you can see milk being processed, picnic next to a giant cow, and shop for various U.P. foods and knick-knacks ... more
Brewmaster's Castle Home. The exterior is exotic, but get a look at what's inside ... more
Mount Marquette Scenic Lookout. A rocky summit provides a glorious views of the city, the bay, and the vast expanse of Lake Superior beyond ... more
Marquette Branch Prison. The 1889 part of the prison that looks like it's out of Victorian England, with pretty inmate-tended flower gardens out front ... more
U.S. 41 road cut with ancient algal stromatolites. Looming above Highway 41, this rocky cliff reveals eroded remains of ancient (2 billion-year-old) mountains once far higher than today's Rockies ... more
Michigan Welcome Center. The picnic area provides a striking view of Marquette Bay and the distant city of Marquette, with helpful tourist info in the log Welcome Center ... more
Blueberry Ridge Cross-Country Ski Trail/Escanaba River State Forest. 12K of trails, 1.7 miles of them lighted, are groomed for ski-skating and diagonal stride ... more
Lakenenland. One of the U.P.'s most unusual roadside attractions, a pipefitter's quirky sculpture park. Part political, part fanciful, done just for fun. No fee, nothing to buy. ... more
Hunt's Map Guide to the Upper Peninsula
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