Old Indian Cemetery...........................

Today is Thursday, hard to keep track these days. Decided to find some new places for adventures. I had been looking through some old pamphlets and trail guides, some old books and stuff. The beaches we always go to get crowded in summer. So time to find more. Well, one book is called Ghost Towns of Michigan by Larry Wakefield. I read a couple of stories about places long gone. A couple appealed to me but one in particular stuck out.

The one I settled on was Onominee. There is nothing left of the village the article says but there is an Indian Cemetery on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. That is what we are in search of. No luck today. What we did find were some nice old barns and the ruins of several houses. I must do more research.
Before our turn we passed the Yak farm. Had to stop to see the babies out with their mums.


I did notice on the map that on our way was a beach that we have never been to or knew about so that was the first stop. We took N Gills Pier Rd down to Onomonee Rd. This is what we found.

Bonus was noone there.


I did pick up some driftwood to make wind chimes. a project for a rainy day. There was not a lot in the way of stones and rocks to bring home but we know that depends upon the waves, the wind and the weather.



I did pass a lady with her dog and I asked if it was private beaches and she said no it was all public. So we were all set. Even so we do try to stay away when there are people outside, but there seldom are for some reason.--------------- One lady was trimming flowers on her deck and paid no mind to us.
So back to business. When we left the beach, just a nice easy stroll in the breeze we didn't really feel the 85 degrees.
I had written a detailed route and along the route there were some great old barns. In no particular order......


They may be old, probably late 1800s but not as old as Onomonee.......I don't think the old abandoned houses are that old either.



I just like taking pictures of these places I wonder about the lives of the people who settled there. The book says that in the graveyard are more than 200 people. Some civil war era, Spanish American and scouts from the Indian wars as well as WW1 and WW2. It is all overgrown now. Well we will go back and we will find it. Most though are Indian men women and children. In the Grand Traverse region there were 3 main groups of Indians (excuse my phrase but to me they are Indian). There was an Ottawa group called Cathead Village under Chief Nagonaba. Another group based where leland now is with Chief Onomonese. The third group lived where Omena now is and was led by Chief Shabwasung.
So there is history here and I want to find it. I want to learn more.


You can see Lake Michigan from these bluffs so we were close.
A mission was built in Northport and the three groups enjoyed the Minister and were impressed by him. A bit later a school was built and a teacher came to live there for several years. She had about 20 Indian pupils who often ended up just living in birch bark homes in the surrounding woods and sleeping where they were when darkness came. Suited them just fine but seems terrible to us. It was Smallpox and Diphtheria that got them in the end. Those who were left after several epidemics moved to what is now Peshawbestown and Cross Village both of which are reservations today. Thriving I might add.


Wild roses smell divine. Had to throw that in there.
I am still not sure of the exact location of the graveyard but think I may have it pegged. The description though says that the village stood where there is now a field with the creek running through it. It winds down to the bluff where it has worn a chasm into Lake Michigan. I wonder if that is the one that has scared Peterson Park? Once the school house was at that location. More digging to do.
We came out at Peterson Park and used the "facilities" and I picked a few wild strawberries, delicious.


That's the story for today. We started out early so twice we passed Fischer's Happy Hour and were not hungry darn it. They have the best Reubens. Gas was 3.05 so just as well I should say. Not sure when we will go back but will do so soon. Meanwhile I want to see what else is out there. That's the fun stuff.
Side note we did meet a nice farmer when we took a side road and ended up in his back yard. Can I help you he says, I threw up my hands "Ah lost are you" he says. So we told him what we were up to. He had no idea then scratched his head and did say he thought he had heard stories about the grave yard and tried to give us directions. Gerry was supposed to listen but when we pulled back out he's like "what did he say" ................grrrrrrrrrrr HE was suppose to listen I don't know north from south. Looking at the map on line though we have located the graveyard and we had the directions right, just took the wrong fork in the road.