Our Vacation | Cheboygan

      While we were in northern MI, we went to Cheboygan.  My Parents moved from Detroit, Michigan to Cheboygan in 1966 and we lived there until 1969.  We lived in an old  white farmhouse and there was a barn on the property.  We had a couple of pigs and a calf named "Baby".  I loved to walk in the field next to the barn and pick wild flowers. Mama would put my bouquet in a vase when we returned home.  I remember going to the beach and picnic area at the state park for a family reunion with my aunts, uncles and cousins who lived "up north" before we moved away from Cheboygan.   I recall how clear the water was, and that there was a school of tiny fish swimming near the shoreline.  What is more, I vividly  remember how excited I was about going to the county fair and how long it seemed to get over the bridge to get to the fair.  When we decided to go to Mackinac Island for our family vacation; I asked Keith if he would mind if we planned it when the Cheboygan county fair was happening, and spend a day on a quest of places from my earliest childhood memories.  And he said, "Let's do it!"

                        Our first stop was at the US Post Office in search of Route 426 Box #1. 

        Well, 45 years later, there are no route & box #'s and no record of what the street name would be now.   The nice lady at the post office confirmed my memory of the county fair being on the other side of the bridge, and also that Pampers diapers were made at the tissue mill  that is still in operation.  We passed through the industrial area where the tissue mill is at and I don't think that has changed much at all.  Boy, passing through there---- was like stepping back in time.  Our next stop, the county clerks office and there is no record of route & box #'s on file.   After we left the county clerks office we drove down a couple dirt roads, but nothing looked familiar to me.  The farmland is very beautiful and I enjoyed looking at the countryside.

      Mama took my brother Terry and me to see 'The Jungle Book' at the Kingston Theatre.  Mama said I cried so hard when I thought that Baloo died and that it was hard for her to console me. Mama said that I was so happy when I realized that Baloo was okay.

I Wanna Be Like You:  Baloo Scat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEEPaYD5KZE 

 There's "my lake"! ( Duncan Bay Beach Cheboygan State Park)

Erich and Keith enjoyed playing in the sand. 

Fort Duncan

Erich loved swimming in the bay.

 The water is still clear and Keith spied a school of tiny fish.

  

      Photograph taken in 1969 of Terry and me at Duncan Bay Beach area in Cheboygan State Park.

     When I think of living in Cheboygan and going to the beach, I think of Herb Alpert's version of 'Girl From Ipanema'.  My parents had all of Herb Alpert's LP's and played them on their Hi-Fi stereo.  My mother said that my brother and I both loved going to the beach and that we had no fear of the water and that we would walk into the water and keep going.  When we were older we would swim for hours at our aunt Betty's beach, and also at the pool at our local civic center when we were growing up. 

On our way back to the cabin, the boys spied some "rusty gold".

Rare Vintage Audi

                                                                               Ford      

Dodge

Hudson

                                                                 Chevrolet Biscayne

                                            We went to O'Reilly's in Mackinaw City for dinner.

                               We went back to the Cheboygan for the County Fair after dinner.

                                              The bumper cars are the best ride at the fair!

                                                        

Awww------ a cute 'lil bun-bun.

Baby Goat

Baby farm animals are soooo cute.

                                           Erich liked checking out the farm vehicles.

      Another stellar day in northern Michigan.  It was surreal for me to return to my early childhood hometown and confirm some of my earliest memories.  The boys seemed to enjoy the quest of Cheboygan venues and the discovery of "rusty gold".   

                                                                      ~Marcie