Tawas Point State Park

Tawas Point State Park
Tawas Point Light
Map showing the location of Tawas Point State Park
Location in Michigan
Location Baldwin Township, Iosco County, Michigan, USA
Nearest city East Tawas, Michigan
Coordinates 44°15′20″N 83°26′46″W / 44.25556°N 83.44611°W / 44.25556; -83.44611Coordinates: 44°15′20″N 83°26′46″W / 44.25556°N 83.44611°W / 44.25556; -83.44611 [1]
Area 183 acres (74 ha)
Elevation 581 feet (177 m) [1]
Established 1961
Governing body Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Website Tawas Point State Park

Tawas Point State Park is a public recreation area located on Lake Huron in Northern Michigan near the city of East Tawas, Michigan. The state park encompasses 183 acres (74 ha) at the end of a sand spit that forms Tawas Bay. It has been referred to as the "Cape Cod of the Midwest" and is a notable bird-watching site. The park is home to the Tawas Point Light, which, although it has been remodeled several times, serves as the sole representative of a true Victorian-era style station built on the Great Lakes.[2]

History

The park was created in 1961 after the property was declared surplus by the United States Government. At that time, the state of Michigan purchased 175 acres on Tawas Point for $29,250.[3]

Birding

The park is located along the Lake Huron Flyway. This is considered to be an especially good locale for birding.[4] It is said to be the most important "migrant trap" in the Saginaw Bay area, and some 300 species have been seen in and around the park. A fairly complete list of migratory birds that frequent the area is available.[5] Described as a "bird watchers' paradise,"[6] it has been recognized as an important bird area by the National Audubon Society because it "[s]upports an incredible diversity and abundance of passerine migrants each spring and fall."[7]

Activities and amenities

The park features a campground on Tawas Bay and water that is shallow and warm for swimming. The lighthouse is seasonally open for tours and climbing. Tawas Point Celebration Days, held the second weekend in June, celebrates American cultural heritage with activities including historical and educational displays, demonstrations of traditional crafts, muzzle loader demonstrations, period encampments with reenactors in period dress, spinning, traditional music, weaving, and wood carving. The weekend is sponsored by the Friends of Tawas Point State Park.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 "Tawas Point State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. 1 2 "Tawas Point State Park". Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved December 12, 2006.
  3. ↑ "Twenty-First Biennial Report 1961–1962". State of Michigan Department of Conservation. pp. 2–4. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Tawas Point State Park". Wildernet.com. Retrieved February 14, 2008.
  5. ↑ Bruce M. Bowman (January 8, 2011). "Bird Checklist for Tawas Point State Park". Retrieved February 14, 2008.
  6. ↑ "Tawas Point State Park: Bird Watcher's Paradise". Nordic Sports. Retrieved February 14, 2008.
  7. ↑ "Tawas Point State Park". Important Bird Areas. National Audubon Society. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.