East Central Michigan Tourism
East Central Michigan Tourism on MichiganBeautiful.com. East Central Michigan Tourism Region - your East Central Michigan Travel Guide to Vacations, Attractions and Events
Minibeast Zooseum and Education Center - Lansing, Michigan
The Minibeast Zooseum and Education Center Offers Big Bug Fun. The Minibeast Zooseum and Education Center, located in Lansing, Michigan has a number of wonderful things to offer visitors. The Center is perfect for people of all ages who want to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the insect, invertebrate, and spider world.
Thomas Edison Depot Museum - Port Huron, Michigan
Thomas Edison Depot Museum - Port Huron, Michigan
At one time Thomas Edison worked as a news butcher in the Fort Gratiot depot built in 1858 and occupied by Edison from 1859 to 1863. Here the trains connected Port Huron with the rest of the world and hauled freight between Port Huron and Detroit and Point Edward/Samia (Ontario).
The depot was converted into the museum to display Edison's multi-faceted story of creativity, family support, adversity, perseverance, and ultimate triumph as one of the greatest inventors of our times.
The museum has hands on exhibits allowing you to re-create period environments for you to become participants in the story of Edison and to apply your own creativity and ingenuity as you learn about Edison's life and his inventions.
Bramble Museum (Retired Coast Guard Cutter) - Port Huron, Michigan
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Bramble Museum (Retired Coast Guard Cutter) - Port Huron, Michigan
Commissioned in 1944 the Coast Guard Cutter Bramble is now a museum for you to learn about its life in war time.
At the time it was commissioned the cost was just over $925,000. Today it would certainly cost a great deal more.
The Bramble participated in "Operation Crossroads" following WWII. This was the first test of an atomic bomb’s effect on surface ships, at Bikini Island.
In 1957 the Bramble and the cutters Spar and Storis headed for the Northwest Passage, they traveled through the Bearing Straits and the Arctic Ocean for 64 days through 4500 miles of partially unchartered waters to reach the Atlantic Ocean. These vessels were the first to circumnavigate the North American Continent which was something that mariners had been trying to do for over 400 years and not succeeding.
Huron Lightship Museum - Port Huron, Michigan
Huron Lightship Museum - Port Huron, Michigan
Lightships were like floating lighthouses anchored in areas where it was too deep, expensive or impractical to construct a lighthouse. The Huron Lightship Museum is the last lightship on the Great Lakes and has now been converted into a museum for the public to see.
The lightship was stationed at different locations on Lake Michigan until 1935 when it was transferred to Lake Huron. The next 35 years it was a guide ship for mariners into the narrow dredged channel of lower Lake Huron leading to the St. Clair River.
These floating lighthouses displayed a light at the top of a mast to guide the ships. During times of fog they also sounded a fog signal and radio beacon to assist in the safe passage of the ships. Fog signals have been of many different types over the years from bells, whistles, trumpets, sirens and horns. The Fog horns were powered by steam in the early days and then by the modern air compressors. The Huron Lightship sounded its horn in 3 second blasts every 30 seconds and was known locally as "Old B.O." because of the familiar sound of its horn.
Fort Gratiot Lighthouse - Port Huron, Michigan
Fort Gratiot Lighthouse - Port Huron, Michigan
This lighthouse is the oldest in Michigan still operating with its green flashing light (automated in 1933) which can be seen for seventeen miles! It helps to keep watch over Lake Huron at the entrance to the St. Clair River.
The original lighthouse was built in 1825 at a height of 74 feet. The first lighthouse, built in 1825, was poorly constructed and toppled over during a storm in 1828. The second lighthouse was built in 1829 of much better construction techniques and materials. The white painted brick tower was extended to its present height of 86 ft. in the early 1860's.
Crossroads Village & Huckleberry Railroad - Flint, Michigan
Crossroads Village & Huckleberry Railroad - Flint, Michigan
Come back to the 1800's and visit the small town that was built on the edge of Mott Lake. Well, actually the buildings were moved here from different locations to make up the village of Crossroads. There are 35 buildings in the community that offer you the opportunity to see what life was like in the 1800's.
There is the Master Cider Mill that is certainly a place where everyone wants to visit, to take the time to see how cider is made. There is a barbershop where the locals gather for a game of checkers and to catch up on the latest talk around town. The opera house has musicians warming up for their performance and a lady gathering flowers from her garden. The sawmill cranks out the planks used for building and the Atlas Mill turning wheat into flour beneath the big grinding stones.
