8A The Mining Journal Monday, May 6, 2019 Michigan Department of Natural Resources Stories, photos courtesy of Michigan STATE PARKS CENTENNIAL Department of Natural Resources Supporting state parks: The Recreation Passport Michiganders have always charge could be up to 50 loved their parks. Initially, the cents. Funds from the stickers state was dependent on gifts were intended to help finance of lands by donors. However, improvements to the parks by the 1920s, if expansion system, as well as add more was to continue, there was a parks. Two of Michigan’s realization that the state would neighbors — Minnesota and need a long-term funding Ontario — pioneered similar source to purchase more land. sticker plans, which were the Financing these lands was not inspiration for Michigan’s ve- always easy. hicle permits. In 1957, the state Conserva- The road to the sticker, how- tion Commission asked the ever, was an uphill one. In Michigan Legislature’s per- 1957, the Legislature unani- mission to set up a park fee mously passed the “sticker” system. There were 59 Michi- bill, despite opposition from gan state parks by then, a ma- urban Democrats. The legisla- jority of which were situated tion was vetoed by Gov. G. in southeast Michigan. Mennen Williams because he As automobiles and the in- thought funds from the sticker terstate highway system con- would transfer the cost of park nected parks and recreation improvement to users. areas closer than ever before, In 1959, a second sticker the state parks system was un- bill was passed by the Legis- able to meet the demand of lature and vetoed again by growing attendance. In 1958, Gov. Williams, justified along an estimated 17 million peo- similar lines as before. In ple were expected to visit state 1960, the Legislature passed parks, an increase of more yet another version of the bill, than 8 percent over the previ- which was not vetoed. By What was Michigan’s first state park? ous year. To keep up with de- 1968, the annual vehicle per- mand, the state’s parks system mits had become an important As the DNR celebrates the 100th is one of the park’s defining features. the second. Set aside ‘for the benefit needed more funding. This source of revenue supporting anniversary of Michigan state parks Another is its virgin pine forest. and enjoyment of the people,’ the 911 was how the state park vehi- Michigan state parks. system, a natural question arises — “The timber is practically all old acres outside the 104-acre military cle permit “sticker” was born. By 2010, it cost $24 to get what was Michigan’s first state park? growth white and Norway pine in reservation were to be maintained by When the stickers were first an annual vehicle sticker. At Well, the answer depends on how you which it is said that no cutting has ev- the soldiers who garrisoned Fort proposed, there was unani- the time, the parks system interpret the question and isn’t simple. er been done except to remove wind- Mackinac.” mous agreement that the parks faced a massive infrastruc- The 2019 state parks centennial cel- falls and trees that have died,” accord- Almost 20 years later, the U.S. system needed more revenue. ture deficit. To ensure Michi- ebration is centered around the forma- ing to the Biennial Report. “Many Army decided to close Fort Mackinac. In fact, the Conservation ganders could continue using tion of the Michigan State Park Com- specimens of the white pine two and At the time, the National Park Service Commission based its recom- their parks, the Michigan De- mission by the state Legislature on a half and three feet in diameter, tow- didn’t exist, and all national parks mendation on a survey of partment of Natural Re- May 12, 1919. The commission was ering 175 feet or more in height, can were under the umbrella of the War 4,700 park users, which sources devised the Recre- given responsibility for overseeing, be seen here and the Norway, tall and Department. showed that only one in 12 ation Passport, which was acquiring and maintaining public dense, is as fine as can be found any- “While Mackinac was a beautiful opposed charging a fee for us- tied to the vehicle registration lands and establishing Michigan’s where.” and pleasant post enjoyed by the sol- ing parks. process and functioned as a state parks system. Originally known as Pine Park, In- diers stationed there, it had no remain- These “sticker” passes vehicle permit. Priced at just One of the state’s earliest purchases terlochen State Park was created to ing military importance, and its troops would allow unlimited access $10 and providing year- was the site of Interlochen State Park preserve the land’s virgin pine stand were needed in Sault Ste. Marie to to state parks. Charged at $2 a round access to all state in 1917. Although the land was pur- for the people of Michigan. guard the canal there,” Armour wrote. year, the stickers were to be parks, the Recreation Pass- chased prior to 1919, Interlochen was The Biennial report continues: “The “Without the troops, who would care valid for a vehicle instead of port was a success, generat- the first public park to be transferred object of the State in acquiring this for the national park?” the previously charged indi- ing more than $7 million in to the Michigan State Park Commis- tract was first of all to preserve to pos- In February 1895, Senator James vidual entry fees. The annual its first year. Today, the $11 sion in 1920 and is considered Michi- terity at least one remnant of the vir- McMillian — urged on by a group of motor vehicle permits were Recreation Passport helps gan’s first state park. gin pine forest with which Michigan Mackinac citizens who wanted the is- windshield stickers. For park fund maintenance and im- However, many consider Mackinac was so lavishly endowed by nature, land’s government lands kept in public visitors who only wanted to provements at Michigan’s Island as Michigan’s first state park, where future generations may go and ownership rather than sold — intro- visit one park a year, the 103 state parks. which is also true. view the glories of the pine forest in duced an appropriation bill amendment Approximately 25 years before leg- all its pristine grandeur. Being always that would turn the military reservation islation established the state park open to the public it will also provide and the buildings and lands of the na- commission, the federal government a delightful summer recreation tional park over to the state of Michi- gifted the Mackinac Island property it ground for those wishing to avail gan for use as a state park. owned to the state in 1895. The island themselves of its advantages in this “Congress passed the bill on March was designated as Michigan’s first respect.” 2, with the added stipulation that the state park under the Mackinac State The Public Domain Commission land would revert to the United States Park Commission. transferred the land to the Michigan if it ever ceased to be used for park Because Mackinac Island is operat- State Park Commission in 1920. purposes,” Armour wrote. “Michigan ed under the Mackinac State Park Today, the state park system that the had no state park system, but the state Commission and was not placed un- commission started 100 years ago has Legislature acted quickly, and by joint der the Michigan State Park Commis- grown to 103 parks that attract 28 resolution on May 31, 1895, created sion, there is more than one answer to million visitors each year. the Mackinac Island State Park Com- the “first state park” question. Mackinac Island State Park: mission to manage Michigan’s first Interlochen State Park: The Mackinac Island — historically a state park.” Michigan Legislature paid $60,000 gathering place for Native people and The lands of the military reserva- for the land that became Interlochen then French fur traders and mission- tion, Fort Mackinac and the national State Park, located southwest of Tra- aries and later the home of soldiers park were formally transferred to the verse City, in 1917. stationed at Fort Mackinac — had be- state Sept. 16, 1895. As recorded in the Biennial Report come a popular tourist destination by “The state had acquired a treasure,” of the Public Domain Commission for the late 19th century. Armour wrote. 1917-1918: “At the last session of “By the time of the Civil War, lake Today, Mackinac Island State Park State park memories: Babe Ruth the Legislature Michigan purchased boats were bringing visitors to Mack- includes the 14 original buildings of Babe Ruth, the famous New York Yankees slugger, was not as one of the few remaining parcels of inac to enjoy the ‘healthy air’ or ex- Fort Mackinac, which were built by good a fisherman as he was a ballplayer. During the summer of 1926, virgin pine timber to be found in this plore the island’s natural wonders,” the British military starting in 1780, he violated Michigan’s game and fish laws by fishing at Island Lake State, the same being Interlochen David A. Armour, who served as as well as several other historic struc- Recreation Area before the fishing season officially had begun. Babe State Park, … between two beautiful deputy director of the Mackinac Is- tures and about 1,800 acres of land. went fishing with teammate Pat Sexton from the porch of the Island lakes in Grand Traverse County. land State Park Commission for many More than 80 percent of Mackinac Lake Hotel and was caught with 25 bass and bluegill before the offi- Duck Lake on the east covers some 3 years, wrote in his book “100 Years Island is state park property, managed cial June 16 start of the fishing season. The game warden arrested square miles and Green Lake on the at Mackinac: 1895-1995.” by the Mackinac Island State Park both of them and seized their tackle, but not their catch. They were west is of slightly less extent, the dis- Armour continues: “Such was the Commission. released and even made it back to the game in Detroit that afternoon. tance separating the two being but growing reputation of Mackinac Is- More than 800,000 visitors come to In August 1926, Babe was summoned to appear in court in one-half mile. The property has a land that Thomas W. Ferry, a Mack- the island each year. The park features Brighton by A.B. Wilkinson, the conservation officer for Oakland shoreline of three-quarter mile on the inac boy who had grown up to be- a variety of historic and natural re- and Livingston counties. Babe was charged with three violations: former and one-half mile on the latter, come a U.S. Senator, spearheaded a sources, including historic landmarks, fishing without a license, fishing out of season and taking undersized all of which is high and dry and very move to have Congress designate the breathtaking vistas, spectacular rock fish from Island Lake. Wilkinson held a warrant for Babe when the desirable for camping purposes.” government land on Mackinac Island formations, quiet forests and inspiring latter came back to Detroit to play a game. Wilkinson even threat- Its location between two well- as a national park. He succeeded, and nature trails. ened to arrest Babe if he did not “make a satisfactory answer.” On known fishing and swimming lakes, in 1875, three years after Yellow- To learn more about Mackinac Is- Aug. 5, when the Yankees came to Detroit from Cleveland, Babe Green Lake and Duck Lake — Inter- stone had become the United States’ land State Park, visit Mackinac- went right to bed. He was awakened to be told that he might be ar- lochen means “between the lakes” — first national park, Mackinac became Parks.com. rested. Babe’s response? Go back to bed, of course! Evolving car industry drives state parks growth Michigan’s state parks sys- tem started out small. Be- tween 1919 and 1921, the Michigan State Park Com- mission established 23 state parks. Initially, many of these parks had been wilderness ar- eas or old industrial land — like Hartwick Pines — that were converted to park land. In many cases, railroads pro- vided visitors access to the parks system. Begining in the 1920s, cars became an increasingly pop- of the state. In 1919, the state Michigan also was one of ular form of transportation – Legislature authorized the the first states to introduce an especially important trend highway department to pub- roadside parks and recreation for park development, as peo- lish and sell a tourist map. By areas. This occurred after ple began to travel in their 1922, that map included state Herbert Larson, an engineer cars to state parks. parks, and by 1923 the map for the Upper Peninsula’s After World War II, when also contained information Iron County Road Commis- car ownership increased fur- on recreation sites, campsites sion, had difficulty finding a ther, the interstate highway and ferry schedules. picnic spot while on a vaca- system brought people, cars Needless to say, roads and tion trip to northern Wiscon- and parks closer to each oth- cars had a big impact on park sin in 1919. er than ever before. The im- attendance. In 1922, state With most of the state’s pact of this accessible road parks welcomed 220,000 population concentrated in network was significant. visitors, but by 1930 — just the south and southeast, and The changes were evident eight years later — saw a 40- parks located primarily in the on state road maps. In 1912, fold increase as state park at- north and northwest, automo- Michigan’s highway depart- tendance soared to more than bile travel enabled easier ac- ment issued a free road map 8 million people a year. cess to parks.