Prelude to story: The first giant cherry pie was prepared (in Traverse City) and driven to President Coolidge's summer home at White Pine Camp in upstate New York. That year my mother Charlotte Kearns was the queen by popular vote. Coverage of the event, by Barbara K. Hamblett, head (at that time) of the Exhibits Unit of the Michigan Historical Museum, was published in the March/April 1984 issue of Michigan History and again in the Record-Eagle later that year. * Thanks for: Additions and corrections sent in by Maureen of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Mrs. E. Barber Writes from Old Home at Mayfield, Michigan
Blue Lake Lady Tells of Trip to CA-MI
*
SEE MANY PLACES OF INTEREST
About Traverse City, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, the Lakes and Others
Year Unknown
Mayfield (Mich), Sept 25.--
By request of friends, I will describe as briefly as I can our trip to Michigan and the places we have visited since our arrival.We left San Francisco on Friday, August 18, (not being superstitious) and arrived in Chicago the following Monday Barring the very warm weather and alkali dust while crossing the desert, the entire trip was very delightful. The ride across Salt Lake was especially enjoyable. As we entered Nebraska we noted the fine production and neat looking buildings. This was also the case all through Iowa, with more picturesque scenery. Upon arriving in Chicago the atmosphere was humid and very oppressive, but we did not have to tarry long there for which I was thankful. Between Chicago and Kalamazoo we noticed many vineyards growing out of very light looking soil.
The day following our arrival in Battle Creek we were caught out in one of the worst thunder storms I ever experienced with almost a cloud burst, and although we were riding in a closed machine we became drenched to the skin. I did not mind the discomforts but was certainly thankful when the storm was over. While there has been an abundance of rain since, there have been no severe thunder storms and with the exception of a few hot days the weather has been very pleasant, with one or two frosty mornings.
The Sunday following our arrival the Barber annual reunion and picnic, which had been postponed for our benefit, took place at Gull Lake, which is a very beautiful body of water large enough for small pleasure steamers and launches and right here I will say that I have never seen as many lakes in my life. There are tow hundred in Barry county alone, ranging in size from a large pond to seventy-five miles shore line. Most of these lakes are regular summer resorts with cottages along the shores. one of the many "red letter days" since our arrival was a trip on Labor Day to South Haven, on Lake Michigan. Having never seen this lake before, except from Chicago,
I certainly enjoyed walking along its shores, and looking out on the broad expanse of water, I could easily imagine I was looking at the grand old Pacific, even though the breakers were not so high on the shore line. Stationed in a canal or river leading from the lake was the famous "Success" (as well as infamous) convict ship. This is the oldest vessel afloat in the world, being launched in British India in 1790. After going through it and seeing the terrible instruments of torture to which the prisoners were subjected, I felt thankful indeed, to be living in this age.
On the return trip we stopped at Satagatulp, where from the pinnacle of "Old Baldy," the largest sand dune I ever saw, one gets a magnificent view of Lake Michigan. On the land side of this dune lies a buried city, consisting of five stores and a number of dwellings.
While visiting in Kalamazoo we saw the celebrated celery fields, also great onion fields where one man realized $45,000 from twenty acres in one season. This is considered the greatest onion country in the world. Kalamazoo is a beautiful city, and looking down over it from College Hill, it looks to be a large park, there are so many trees. In fact all the towns large or small that I have seen have a great many shade trees, mostly maples. Battle Creek, where the Kellogg and Post cereals are manufactured, is also a beautiful and thriving city. After spending a month in and around Barry county where Mr. Barber's relatives and many old friends live and where he resided many years, we came to Mayfield in Grand Traverse county, my former home.
Even after twenty years absence the little old town looked quite natural to me, but the surrounding hills which I remember as being covered with thick underbrush, are now covered with fruit trees. In Traverse City and other large towns many changes have taken place, yet I was able to locate many old landmarks.
On the Sunday following our arrival, we took a ninety mile drive past Elk Rapids, which is on the east arm of Grand Traverse Bay. We also saw a number of beautiful lakes among which was Torch Lake, where L. Alison of Blue Lake camped at one time with a bunch of Y. M. C. A. boys. Another red letter day in northern Michigan was trip to Frankfort and Glen Arbor, both on Lake Michigan. A large number of lakes were also encountered on this 125 mile trip.
Traverse City where we are visiting at present is situated on the west arm of Traverse Bay. The east and west bays are separated by a peninsula twenty miles in length and about three miles wide. This is considered by many as the garden spot of Michigan if not the world, and it is indeed a veritable Garden of Eden, with its cozy homes, vineyards and orchards. This is especially adapted to cherries and in blossom time the whole peninsula looks not unlike a huge bouquet, while the air is redolent with a sweet perfume. The blessing of the blossoms, which was established in the state a few years ago, was held for the first time on this peninsula two years ago, and will hereafter be an annual custom Great floats decorated with cherry and other blossoms are prepared and all the churches of Traverse City unite in musical and devotional exercises.
In August an immense pie made from cherries grown on the Frank Burkhart farm on the peninsula was sent by a special automobile to Paul Smiths Landing, N. Y., a distance of 870 miles, and presented to President Calvin Coolidge by Wallace Keep, a college classmate of the president. This pie contained forty pounds of cherries and measure three feet in diameter.
Among the places of interest on this small peninsula is the Gold tower on the farm of Windser Golden, a pioneer of 1855. This was erected and dedicated in his memory by his daughter and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. France Lardie who reside on the old farm. On exhibition at this tower, which is built around a tall Lombardy poplar, is a deed to the Golden farm drawn up in 1861 and signed by Abraham Lincoln. From the top of the tower one gets a splendid view of the bay on either side and Lake Michigan on the north. About three miles from the extreme point is the little old town of Old Mission, where H. A. Barber of Blue Lake taught school more than fifty years ago.
About eight miles from Traverse City, in the bay, lies and island of about three hundred acres. This island is covered with a thick growth of timber forest, and was sold a few years ago to Henry Ford for a large sum. About a stone's throw from this island lies a small one of a acre or more, formerly owned by Dick Basset, and eccentric hermit, when upon wishing to purchase this property from the government was informed that where was no such island on the map, therefore it became his by right of possession and was termed "No Man's Land." Bassett lived in this isolated place for many years earning his living by fishing, his only recreation being reading, for he had a splendid library of books
Among the places of interest around Traverse City are a number of "silver tip" fox farms, there being eleven within a radius of six miles.
It will soon be time for us to be turning homeward, and while I was bully appreciative of the beautiful places I have seen and which it is almost impossible to describe, yet I am anticipating my return to little old Blue Lake, for there is no place like home, sweet home to me.
Signed, Atra B. M. Barber
Additional Information regarding Blessing of the Blossoms
From the book, National Cherry Festival, A Pictorial History by Larry and Lucille Wakefield I quote "Thus cherry farmers in the Grand Traverse region were performing a very ancient ritual when, shortly after the turn of the century, they began to hold informal "blessings of the blossoms" ceremonies each year at blossom time in May. The practice got started around 1910, when cherries first began to be produced in large commercial quantities in the area. The ceremonies at first were small, unpublicized affairs, with the pastor of one local church or another invoking the blessings in company with small groups of growers."
Now, the first cherry festival ever held, which was 22 Friday 1926, was officially known as Blessings of the Blossoms. The Cherry Queen that year was Gertrude Brown and her court consisted of, Elizabeth Winnie, Charlotte Kearns, June Campbell and Helen Boughey.
@Grand Traverse Region History and Genealogy
by Brenda K. Wolfgram Moore
Email Brenda with comments or help with names
20Dec2005