What an eventful weekend.....

From watching a 1,000' freighter go through the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, MI to the carriage ride through the streets of Mackinac Island, it has been quite a weekend.......in this beautiful land, of ours.

                                                                                                     

The MacArthur Lock (800 ft. long), in the foreground, with the International Bridge, on I-75 in the background, connecting the twin cities of Sault Ste Marie, MI to Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada. The timbers shown, across the canal, remain closed until a vessel needs to pass from, or to, Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes.

The locks bypass the rapids of the St. Mary's River, which is 21 feet lower than Lake Superior.

                                                                                                                                     

The Lockmaster's Tower (like an airport conrol tower) controls the traffic thru the locks.

The 1,000 ft. Stewart J. Cort freighter, slowly approaching the 1,200' Poe Lock, headed toward Lake Superior. This ship was built, in 1970, by Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, MS. Once the vessel is in the lock, it will be raised 21 feet so it can enter Lake Superior.

The Cort is the only 1,000' vessel with the pilot house in the front.

    Riding a bike is good ....no matter where you are, and I'm sure it must beat having to walk the 1,000 feet!

On our way to an afternoon on Mackinac Island.

      Round Island Lighthouse, built in 1895 - automated in 1924 - on the small, unhibited island, in the   Straits of Mackinac.   The lighthouse was abandoned in 1947, and is no longer in service, nor is it open to the public.

 The Main Street, on Mackinac Island, with bicycles galore. I think we've only seen more, in Amsterdam!

No vehicles (other than an ambulance, fire truck and police car - which all belong to the city) are allowed. Horses and bicycles are the mode of transportation. Rollerblades and skate boards are also banned.

Horses and carriage belonging to The Grand Hotel - complete with driver in top hat.

The fire wagon has been replaced by a Fire Truck - one of the three vehicles allowed on the island.

The carriage, with sled runners, is still used in winter during heavy snow.

The Hearse Carriage, still in use.

The Michigan Governor's Summer Residence on a bluff, overlooking the Straits of Mackinac. The home was purchased, by the state in 1944 for $15,000 - the exact amount that it cost to build the house.

The house has eleven bedrooms and 9 1/2 baths.

  The 660' long Porch, at The Grand Hotel, is the World's largest.

The Grand Hotel, from the deck of the boat. Built in 1887, when rooms rented for $3 - $5 per night. There are 385 rooms, of which no two are alike. 

Our carriage and the Belgian Draft horses, taking a break at The Arch Rock. During the season, there are over 500 horses, on the island. Our driver reported that some of the horses are already being transported (by ferry) back to the mainland. The island begins to close, mid-October, for the winter. 

Arch Rock is in front of us, and Lake Huron is behind us.....

A replica, in Marquette Park, of the Birch Bark Chapel used by Jesuit missionary Father Jacques Marquette to preach to the Indians.

Fort Mackinac was built by the British during the American Revolution. As a result of America's victory in the war, the island and the fort became U.S. territory but American troops didn't arrive until 1796, thirteen years after the war ended to take over the Fort.

The first battle, in the United States during the War of 1812 was on Mackinac Island. The British defeated the American Forces, and once again controlled the Fort. When the war was over, negotiators were able to return the island and Fort Mackinac to the United States. 

Today, fourteen of the original buildings are still standing, and the Fort is open to the public.

As we left the harbor the little church, on the edge of the island, seemed to bid us farewell.

Beautiful Mackinac Bridge.....

We arrived in Mackinac City (pronounced Mackinaw), MI about 4 p.m., Eastern time. The temperature had dropped into the high 50s, so a jacket was definitely required. The Mackinac Mill Creek Campground, on the shores of Lake Huron, is a huge facility, with over 600 lots for RVs plus 70 cabins.

The Mackinac Bridge is visible from the campground. This 5 mile long bridge is the third longest suspension bridge, in the world. It connects the Upper and Lower Peninsula of Michigan across the Mackinac Straits. The Straits separate Lakes Huron and Michigan.

Maximum speed for cars traveling on the bridge is 45 mph, trucks (including our RV) are only allowed 20 mph.

So many wonderful things to see, in this beautiful land of ours.....

Cemeteries, and Ancestors, in Indiana.....

Lucille (the GPS), and honey with the map (actually, it was more honey's memory) did quite an admirable job of getting us to where we wanted to be, yesterday. I think every highway and every Interstate, surrounding the city of Indianapolis, is under construction. How nice it will be when completed, but it's really a navigational nightmare right now.

Our trip was to visit Abner's Creek Cemetery about five miles outside Danville, IN where many of Bob's ancestors, on the Gorrell side, are buried. It had been quite a few years since our last visit, and it was very disturbing to see the condition of the cemetery. The last burial was probably the burial of Bob's uncle in 1958. Stones were either sinking into the ground, overturned, or broken. Many of the older stones had become illegible. The cemetery was once a part of the Abner's Creek Regular Baptist Church in Gale, IN. The Church is no loner in existence, but the old cemetery still exists, and sits behind some homes.

                                            Broken, and piled stones in Abner's Creek Cemetery

Bob, looking at the broken stone of his Paternal grandmother - "Maggie" Gentry Gorrell.

Abner's Creek Cemeter, Danville, IN - in a state of disrepair

The house where Bob's father was born, in 1910, still stands, as well as the house of his great-grandparents - across the road.

                                                                                 

The house of Bob's great-grandparents, Harvey and Rebecca Tharp Gentry, still stands - over 100 years old, on Gale Road, near Danville, IN.

Forty-six years ago, we named our oldest daughter 'Gale' ....little did we know, that her great-grandparents, and great-great-grandparents had lived on 'Gale' road, in Indiana!

"I've never been to South Bend"......

started my honey's conversation and was the impetus for a trip west, about 90 miles, from Fort Wayne to the town of South Bend, IN and a tour of the beautiful Notre Dame campus. The person (me) responsible for taking photographs didn't do such a good job - meaning, there aren't many!

The Golden Dome, atop the Main Building, is like a welcoming beacon to all who enter the campus.


















To have both a GPS (with the honorary name of "Lucille"), and a map, we do an admirable job of ending up in the "middle of nowhere" on forgotten country roads. Now, if we were a young couple just dating, this might be okay - but for a couple who tied the knot 50 years, ago - there's nothing romantic about it!

Lucille finally figured out where we were and got us to where we wanted to be - Nappanee, IN and the Amish Acres. What a great little Amish touristy area this was and with delicious food, served family style.
To our delight the Amish buggies, in this area, are enclosed and will certainly give warmth in the terribly cold and snowy winters of Indiana.

The "Threshers Menu" is served family style, and includes an assortment of delectable desserts.

This Amish settlement was one of the first in Indiana and is the third largest in the U.S.

The Cheese Factory at Amish Acres...

                               
                                And, the favorite place for most of us "The Fudgery" .....was closed!!

Cemeteries, Rhubarb Pie and Sweet Tea in Indiana!

Driving through the countryside, what a perfect day it was in Northeastern Indiana with the sun shining, and a brisk, chilly wind blowing the tall corn, ready to be harvested. Many hardwoods had begun to lose their shades of green and were in the process of changing colors, as if ready for fall. An Amish farmer, pulling a mower with four horses wide, was cutting hay.

We were in search of cemeteries, in Allen County, that contained ancestors of my husband. They had come to this area, over one hundred years ago, from Pennsylvania. We were surprised to find that one cemetery was laid out with graves in a semi-circle, rather than in rows with the head facing East. And, there were several large family tombstones with the family buried, in a circle, around the larger stone.

   

We were successful in finding Gorrell gravestones, by looking for variations, in the spelling of the last name, as Goral and Gourelle. I was happy to learn that one of his ancestors had lived to the ripe old age of 129 years!

Our day ended with a second visit to the little Amish town of Grabill, IN, and a trip to a wonderful restaurant that served delicious Pork Tenderloin sandwiches (unknown to the South), Rhubarb Pie (unavailable in the South) and a glass of sweet iced tea (a southern tradition). We toured an antique store, covering a city block, but decided they had nothing we couldn't live without!

Even the buggies have covered parking at the stores, in Grabill. Certainly makes it better for those snowy trips to town, in the winter!

Everything, one ever wanted, for the sweet tooth, but we resisted!

Imagine how the town looked, in years gone by.....amazing that the wooden buildings still stand - weathered, but preserved.

Another beautiful day, in this beautiful land of ours!

Here lies Johnny Appleseed....

On the top of a small hill, surrounded by apple trees, lies the grave of John Chapman better known as "Johnny Appleseed".

As we walked up the hill toward Johnny's resting place, two huge Ground Hogs (probably relatives of Punxsutawney Pete) hurried away to the nearby underbrush.
                                                                                   

                                                                                 

How fitting that Johhny's gravesite sits, surrounded by the very trees that he loved.

Johnny Chapman "Johnny Appleseed"

1774 - 1845

Johnny's grave, surrounded by a simple black iron fence.

His headstone - a piece of rock.

This 'n That.....

Haven't posted in several days ....nothing interesting to report, but since a couple of family members have questioned my laxness....thought I'd better get busy.

We're at a lovely, quiet campground in Fort Wayne across from the St. Joe River. In the evening, we position our chairs outside, under the canopy, so that we can watch the walkers, joggers, bikers, and listen to the High School Band practicing, hidden by the trees across the river. If we're lucky, the ice cream truck makes its rounds thru the campground.

I spend some of my days at the Allen County Library, reputed to be one of the top Genealogy Libraries in the country....and, I have to agree. For many years, I've had a "brick wall", or what's known to those of us digging up bones, an ancestor that has me stumped. My g-g-g-g grandfather Thomas Walker appears to have dropped from the sky and subsequently disappeared from the face of this earth! I had hoped that this library, with all its many holdings, would unlock the closed door for me.

Tonight, we're happy to be able to watch hometown football (USM vs SC) on T.V. up here in Hoosier Land!