Petoskey State Park

Petoskey State Park is a public recreation area covering 303 acres (123 ha) on Lake Michigan in Bear Creek Township, Emmet County, Michigan. The state park is located three miles (4.8 km) northeast of the city of Petoskey on Little Traverse Bay. It is surrounded by heavily vegetated sand dunes that are excellent examples of parabolic dunes.[4] Michigan's state stone, the Petoskey stone, can be found on the park beach.[5]

Petoskey State Park
IUCN category III (natural monument or feature)[1]
Beachfront along Lake Michigan
Location in Michigan
LocationLower Peninsula, Emmet County, Michigan, United States
Nearest cityPetoskey, Michigan
Coordinates45°24′05″N 84°54′30″W[2]
Area303 acres (123 ha)
Elevation630 feet (190 m)[2]
DesignationMichigan State Park
Established1961[3]
AdministratorMichigan Department of Natural Resources
WebsitePetoskey State Park

History

The park occupies part of the site where William Wirt Rice (1833–1891)[6] built a tannery in 1885 at the mouth of what came to be called Tannery Creek. The tannery occupied 180 acres that were eventually divided between Petoskey State Park and the commercial district on U.S. Highway 31. At its peak, the tannery employed some 200 workers and processed over 1000 hides—primarily buffalo—per day.[7] The tannery closed in 1952, and its buildings were torn down in 1963.[8] The City of Petoskey purchased a portion of the tannery's land north of Tannery Creek in 1934 and created the Petoskey Bathing Beach. The state of Michigan purchased the beach in 1968, took title in 1969, and opened the park's campground in 1970.[5]

Activities and amenities

The park offers a mile-long sand beach for swimming, a trail that ascends the Old Baldy sand dune, picnicking facilities, and a 178-site campground.[5]

References
  1. "Petoskey State Park". IUCN. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  2. "Petoskey State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  3. "When were Michigan state parks and recreation areas established?" (PDF). Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  4. "Dune Systems" (PDF). Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  5. "Petoskey State Park". Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  6. "William W. Rice". USGenNet Inc. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  7. E. Lillard et al. (April 2013). "Tannery Creek Watershed Management Plan" (PDF). Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council. Retrieved July 11, 2018.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  8. "Fifty Years Ago Today: Tannery buildings razed". Petoskey News. July 31, 2013. Archived from the original on July 12, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
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