Saturday, May 16, 2015

5 Brand New Reasons to Visit Fayette Historic Townsite!


Five new reasons to visit Fayette Historic State Park! These are the five brand new interpretive signs installed at the ball diamond. Turn left toward the campground and look in the field to your right. These signs explain the sporting events common at Fayette from 1867-1891, 100% funded by the Friends of Fayette Historic Townsite. Thank you to our donors! You made it possible!

Friday, January 9, 2015

Trail Experience Coming January 31

Grab your Saturday date and head over to Fayette!


Join us for a unique winter experience at Fayette Historic State Park. Old-fashioned kerosene lanterns will illuminate the Bluff Trail for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and hiking. Visitors are asked to park in the plowed area near the contact station. From there, a friendly fire will mark your starting point, and hot chocolate and marshmallows will be available upon your return. For more information, please call the park at 906-644-2603.

Fayette Historic State Park - Lantern-Lit Skiing, Snowshoeing and Hiking Trail
Date:  January 31, 2015 
Time:  06:00 PM - 08:00 PM
Location: Fayette Historic State Park, 4785 II Road, Garden, MI 49835

Monday, November 17, 2014

New Fence at Fayette

Your Donations Doubled; New Fence Installed


Last year, we received funding from donors and from the Passport Match program to pay for a new fence behind the furnace complex. The Friends’ funding of $5,573.37 was doubled, and $11,146.74 was available to pay for the project. This September, the new 600-foot fence was installed! Photos below show the beautiful results. Thank you to our donors, who made it possible!







Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Trillium

 Trillium Time at Fayette
Spring has finally sprung! The woods are alive with the white and green carpet of a storybook fantasy. Come see! It won't last long!

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Lantern-Lit Trail Event Jan. 25 6-8 PM


Fayette Historic State Park
Saturday, January 25, 6-8 PM

Join us for the lantern-lit trail event!
Walk-Ski-Snowshoe your way around the trail at Fayette Historic State Park. Warm up by the bonfire. Make yourself a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy some cold weather camaraderie! See you there!

Friday, December 13, 2013

Christmas at Fayette in 1878

Last time we learned about an incident at a turkey shoot on Thanksgiving Day 1879. 

From the Escanaba Iron Port of January 11, 1879, we learn about an accident at a turkey shoot that took place on Christmas Day of 1878:

"We regret to learn that Capt. Colwell, of the tug Joe Harris, met with quite a severe accident at a turkey shoot given at Fayette on Christmas day.  It appears that while waiting for his turn to shoot, the Captain had rested his Winchester rifle on his foot, muzzle downward.  In some unaccountable manner it was discharged.  The ball went partially between the toes, but the wound was very much lacerated and burnt by the closeness of the gun.  He is now doing as well as could be expected, but it may lay him up some time yet."

Kind of makes you wonder about the Fayette men of yesteryear and their marksmanship skills.


Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Thanksgiving Day, 1879, at Fayette

When we think of the olden days and men going out to shoot a turkey for Thanksgiving Day, we envision them heading off into the woods, rifles in tow, tracking the whereabouts of Mr. Tom and carefully taking aim.

You’d think that could have happened at Fayette during the company town era from 1867-1891, and indeed turkeys were shot there, but it’s not what you expect.

At Fayette, they had a rifle club and a range and some live turkeys. They fastened the birds, one at a time, to a target, and then someone took aim and killed the bird. Not exactly sporting.

In 1879, evidently the weather did not cooperate for the annual Thanksgiving Day turkey shoot. The newspaper reported that due to an all-day rain, half the turkeys provided for the shoot were left at the end of the day and were to be auctioned off on Saturday night.

In addition, a “close call” was reported as follows in the Escanaba Iron Port issued on November 29, 1879.

“One of the men attending target on Thursday [Thanksgiving Day] had a very close call.  He was kneeling at the target fastening a turkey, when a shootist let drive and killed the bird in his hands.  He didn’t tend target any more, fancying the occupation unhealthy.”

So there you go. That’s how it was done at Fayette.