• Wednesday-What'sUP June 17 - 07:27 am

The view from Esrey Park, on the way to Copper Harbor, is an often photographed vista, but I don't recall seeing it framed like this shot snapped by Marilynn Bachorik. Stepping back like she did to include the stepping stones at the top of the wall there, makes it quite unique, adding dimension to the scene. Marilynn also snapped a shot of the steps that take you to the top, moving in close so you get a real "feel" for all the cracks and crevices of those mossy stones. Her last photo is something that many jam enthusiasts covet.... the ever-popular thimbleberry blossoms. Serious berry pickers don't ever give out the location of their favorite patch, but seeing this is right there in the open at Esrey Park, it's safe to say it's not someone's secret berry spot. When those blossoms turn into bright, red berries, more than likely this little patch will end up being a snack for a hungry bear or someone passing by. First come, first served...

So often when I publish a new day's Pasty Cam with pictures Mary has prepared the night before, it turns out to be a place I have recently been, often thinking, "I wish we could capture the feeling of this place to share with Pasty Central folks". Well, it just so happens I was in Esrey Park last night, seeing those thimbleberry blossoms everywhere. It was a quick trip up to Agate Harbor to drop off a DSL modem for some Pasty.NET members we were switching over from wireless. On the way back I stopped at Esrey for a few minutes to see the sunset, and then head up to Brockway for maintenance on our wireless relay.

We are still awaiting word on our funding request for Fiber-to-the-Keweenaw, a project that would bring faster, more dependable connectivity throughout the Peninsula. In the meantime, we continue to hook up folks wherever we can send a Pasty.NET signal. Hopefully this summer we will add coverage for Lake Medora, Cedar Bay, and some other spots currently with nothing but dial-in.

Oh, by the way, if you sit in Esrey Park pointing back toward Agate Harbor - and open your laptop - you may see a Pasty.NET HotSpot (although I can think of a lot more exciting things to see along this beautiful Lakeshore :o)

'Happy Burthday' to my brother and I still miss him so much.

Is the gazeebo-seating still at the top when you climb up to the top? I really do not remember seeing it the last time we drove past it.

Birthday, NOT Burthday, Either way he would have gotten a kick out of burthday. LOL LOL ;O)

These pictures are awesome! I love it when I have time to get in here in the morning! Now I must get ready for work.

Have a wonderful day!

I just LOVE this spot! Very good "capture", Marilynn, thank you!

A very pretty area! With all the rain we are having, our backyard is going to look something like that.

Looking at today's photos from Esrey Park got me to thinking, as Charlie said, that there are better things to do than surf the net along the lakeshore; one of which is to look for these at Esrey Park:

Anyone know if Esrey Park is a result of the CCC or WPA like the wall along the Keweenaw Lodge property--how is it possible that that has lasted so long without topling over? I was up in the Keweenaw last night, amazed at thimbleberry bushes in blossom all over the place! Looks like maybe a bumper crop.

The gazebo's still there. I got a nice picture of it, too, but
haven't been able to load it into my gallery this morning. I'll
try again later.
Thanks for the nice comments about my pics. My husband,
Dennis, and I love Esry Park and spend time there every time
we're lucky enough to be in the Keweenaw.

The gazebo is not only there, but two of my friends got engaged there about a year ago. It's a beautiful place for such a thing! :)

One of my favorite places to be!

That is such a nice park. There are so many good places to stop up here.

One of mine and my families most favorite places! We will miss it this year!! Picture this, Uncle Chuck cooking hot dogs on the BBQ with a plastic fork at Esrey Park, just next ton the steps!! They were very yummy!!

That is one of our favorite places, as well! Norma, that sounds awesome! We have some nice pictures that we took about 3 years ago. We had a nice little picnic that trip.

Capt Paul, thank you for the tip on the agates there! We will be lucky enough to get up that way in August, when we take our youngest son up to Da Tech to start his Freshman year. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate while we are up there. The last time we were up there, in May 2008 (for oldest son's graduation from Da Tech), it was very cold and rainy the whole time.

I love the lighting in the last photo, Marilyn! Thank you for the memories!

Thimbleberry blossoms in the middle of June?!?! Wow, that's unheard-of early! Still can't get over how low the lake is, either.
Always liked Esrey - nice place to watch the Nordern Lights from, too.

Sunday the 13th, we lost another member of the " Greatest Generation ", My father-in-law Allen R. Cogan, Sr. Father was 87, He was a B-29 pilot and also a tranier during W.W.II. He will be missed.

After a quick google the concensus seems to be that Esrey Park was a WPA project builit in 1933. It is an MDOT site maintained by our friends from the Keweenaw County Road Commission. I'd love to hear from folks who have more information from first hand experience or from their relatives.

This is a favorite of ours, too. I have a photo of that big outlined shoe print on one of the rocks on the path on top of the ledge. Anyone know the significance of that?

I remember sometime back, somebody painted a line of steps across the parking lot and over the top. Like bigfoot going down to the lake for a swim.

Our sincere condolences in the passing of your father-in-law, Allen R. Cogan. May he always live on in happy memories....

These are more reasons the Keweenaw is so scenic + beautiful.

I've never had any luck finding agates but this is a favorite park and the history of the WPA project in 1933 makes it very interesting.
I think there was a marker telling of this in the rock? The entire drive on M-26 is outstanding. I'll be doing it again this September and staying at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge.

Way ta go U.C.! Minding the "red hots".

Darn Janie! There goes my chance of finding a hot Yooper gal! lol Just kidding hon, first pic, Sis Norma, her son, my nephew Ben, and my lovely wife of 30 years Aunt Vic! I can cook what ever your pleasure is on those grills, sunsets are extra! Thanks Mary for the memories!


UC

P.S. Not to be forgotten, Norma's Husband, my brotherinlaw, Charlie taking the pictures of my fat XXX!

P.S.S. The blonde in the first pic with her back to her dad, is my niece Erica, Norma & Charlie's daughter, Ben's sis, shame on me for forgetting, we just need a pic of her husband to be Joey.

Thanks for letting me explain!

UC

I love those thimbleberry blossoms. Just 15 more sleeps til I get to
go home to the UP. My dad is champing at the bit. Too bad the
school year in Toronto doesn't end until June 30th. Loved the pics
of Norma and of Uncle Chuck's families.

Well darn; and here I always pictured in my mind Uncle Chuck as more of a Fabio looking figure..... LOL J

Dean, My condolences on the loss of your father in law, cherish your memories! Keep your head up!


Capt.Paul, thanks buddy! lol just too much good U.P. livin I guess!

Esrey Park is our neighbor, can't wait to get back U.P. for the summer. I think M26 lake shore is the most beautiful place and drive in the whole U.P...but I'm kind of partial being able to live there part of the time and enjoy all of the beauty!!

As a historical footnote, the creation of Esrey Park was not a WPA project (WPA, as a federal entity, did not even commence operations until April, 1935). Rather, Esrey Park stemmed from the fall, 1933, donation of 10 acres of land to Keweenaw County by Etta N. Esrey of Chicago, Illinois, the same in memory of her sister, Anna Scott Block.

The Esrey Park property donation was one of three different gifts of property [the other two being, 1) C&H's late, 1932, donation of land for use as a public park at the NE corner of Lake Bailey, and, 2) Daniel and Julia Hebard's donation of 10 acres-1,000 feet of Lake Superior frontage to create part of what soon became Hebard Park] to Keweenaw County and the State of Michigan in order to "prime the pump" for the State Highway Department's take-over of the Lakeshore Drive construction project.

That said, there was WPA-sponsored work conducted at Esrey Park during the 1937-39 era; this work primarily entailed the construction of the park's stone steps, the building of picnic tables, the building of the Esrey Park 'gazebo,' as well as miscellaneous landscaping.

Paul LaVanway