On this day in 1977, the stunning Sleeping Bear Dunes, inspired by a Chippewa legend of a mother bear and her cubs, officially became a National Lakeshore. Additionally, 1847 marks the birth of Will Carleton in Lenawee County, known as 'The Bard of Michigan.' His most famous poem, "Over the Hill to the Poor House," explores themes of aging and family.
TRANSCRIPT
It’s one of Michigan’s natural wonders and enduring tales of the Chippewa tradition. That a mother bear and two cubs crossed Lake Michigan, but while the mother made it across the shore, the two cubs were too exhausted to finish and perished. The Great Spirit of Manitou set a giant sand dune for the mother, and the two cubs became the North and South Manitou Islands. And today in 1977, the long-beloved islands and 35-mile stretch on the coast of Michigan’s lower peninsula official became the National Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
And on this day in 1847, Will Carleton was born in Lenawee County. He was called ‘The Bard of Michigan’ and was an internationally recognized poet, editor and lecturer. His most well-known poem remains Over the Hill to the Poor House, about aging and the family unit.