The Keweenaw Peninsula

Friday, August 4, 2001

 After weeks and weeks of waiting, we decided to stretch our vacation by driving to destination #1 overnight and having all day Saturday to look at the sights in the Keweenaw Peninsula. (We were scheduled to traverse to Isle Royale on Sunday.) Since there were now 4 of us available to drive, we could trade off and all catch some sleep while we drove the van to Copper Harbor, MI. 

I slept, but the other three silly geese did no more than catnap all night. Too much fun watching the drive, I guess. Laura, technically was only an apprentice driver; still on her learner’s permit. Even so, she started driving from the house with Sue supervising, negotiated all the Chicagoland expressways, and drove us well beyond Milwaukee and farther into Wisconsin. Laura finally had to be pried out of the driver's seat somewhere north of Green Bay after over 4 hours behind the wheel. She was enjoying the overland driving experience that is lacking in suburban Chicago driving. Rob took over, and drove almost all the rest of the way. Around 5:00 a.m. I woke and saw signs of fatigue in Rob. Since we were now far into the Keweenaw Peninsula where the roads are narrow, the shoulders are non-existent, and if you leave the road you will duel with trees....I took over the drive for the last few miles (after all, if anyone was to wreck the van, I'd rather it was me.) 

We had reservations for a cottage for Saturday night, but we didn’t figure they would be quite ready for us to check in at 6:00 a.m. EDT. On the list of things to see was Fort Wilkins State Park, just outside of Copper Harbor. So, we pulled in there shortly after dawn and parked the van. We all caught some more nap time, but since I had a head start on the others, I was awake and began exploring ahead of them.

Fort Wilkins was manned  in the mid-1800's. We were lucky enough to be visiting on the weekend when they were having an "encampment", an event in which a re-enactment of life as it was then takes place in the fort. This was a wonderful 'extra' for our trip.

Saturday, Aug 4, 2001

This isn't your typical Northern Illinois Roadside Park (about 15 miles from Copper Harbor, MI).

Lake Fanny Hooe, Fort Wilkins State Park, Copper Harbor, MI. By the way, Fanny was the sister of a soldier stationed at the fort. She came to visit her brother, and apparently made quite an impact on the troops there. The troops were so charmed, they named this lake for her, and that name has survived to this day.

Encampment at Fort Wilkins

Overlooking Lake Fanny Hooe from Fort Wilkins

Fort Wilkins acquires new recruits.

Fanny Hooe Creek  connects Fanny's lake to Lake Superior

Lake Superior; Fanny Hooe Creek ends just to the upper left of this photo. By the way, Fanny Hooe Creek is all of a quarter-mile long.

Copper Harbor joins Lake Superior beyond this point. The wreck of the ship John Jacob Astor lies here.

Ruins at Clark's mine where copper, manganese and other metals were mined some 130 years ago.

This is Manganese Falls, not far from Clark's Mine. Those falls beside Rob drop nearly sixty feet into a narrow gorge.

The office and gift shop at the Minnetonka Resort, our first night's stop. We stayed here on our return from Isle Royale as well.

Our "Deluxe Accommodation" at the Minnetonka Resort, Copper Harbor, MI. We had two bedrooms, bath with shower, TV (no phone) for well under $100 a night.

The deluxe interior of our cottage.