Port Crescent State Park is a public recreation area on Lake Huron five miles (8.0 km) southwest of Port Austin in Huron County at the tip of The Thumb of Michigan.[4] The state park covers 640 acres (260 ha) along state route M-25 in Hume Township. The park occupies the site of Port Crescent, a ghost town which once stood at the mouth of the Pinnebog River.[5][6] The park was designated a Michigan "dark sky preserve" in 2012.[7]
| Port Crescent State Park | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Beachfront and sand dunes along Lake Huron | |
  Location in Michigan  Port Crescent State Park (the United States) | |
| Location | Hume Township, Huron County, Michigan, United States |
| Nearest city | Port Austin, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 44°00′17″N 83°03′18″W / 44.00472°N 83.05500°W [2] |
| Area | 640 acres (260 ha) |
| Elevation | 587 feet (179 m) [2] |
| Designation | Michigan state park |
| Established | 1955[3] |
| Administrator | Michigan Department of Natural Resources |
| Website | Port Crescent State Park |
History
editThe park's first 124 acres were purchased by the state in 1956. One of the last visible remnants of the vanished town of Port Crescent, the 120-foot-tall Pack & Woods Sawmill chimney, was razed in 1961, despite the objections of residents who felt the loss of the local landmark. The park was expanded with the purchase of an additional 455 acres in 1977.[5]
Activities and amenities
editThe state park offers swimming, picnicking, canoeing, fishing, 7 miles (11 km) of hiking trails, cross-country skiing, and a 142-site campground and cabin.[4]
References
edit- ^ "Port Crescent State Park". IUCN. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
- ^ a b "Port Crescent State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "When were Michigan state parks and recreation areas established?" (PDF). Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
- ^ a b "Port Crescent State Park". Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
- ^ a b "General Management Plan – Port Crescent State Park" (PDF). Michigan Department of Natural Resources. 2011. pp. A-7, A-31. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
- ^ Foster, Mary Jane. Port Crescent: A Ghost Town. Central Michigan University Term Paper, 1968.
- ^ Hicks, Mark (April 8, 2016). "Michigan's dark sky sites take the spotlight". Detroit News. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
External links
edit- Port Crescent State Park Michigan Department of Natural Resources
- Port Crescent State Park Map Michigan Department of Natural Resources