Beaver Island (Lake Michigan)

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Captain who were making the trip with him. Strang sees them and has him put on his boat and struck for the harbor with them but on the way one of the girls jumps overboard and they think she was drowned and went on but she swam back to the schooner and got a hold of the bob stays and there she was a-hanging when two Irishmen seeing the schooner and thinking she might be in trouble, rowed out and found the girl almost exhausted. Well, she told them her story and they took her back with them. One of the men was married and his wife took care of her and the fellow who wasn't married went to the nearest Mormon house and with two loaded pistols, stole a horse and rode as fast it could run right up Strang's big palace and went in and made them all put their hands up except the girl, who he told to go out and get on the horse and as soon as she did he backed out still keeping their hands up. There was old Strang and his five wives and some others and he got out and on the horse and rode with the girl. He later married her."

3863: 1842:, gave the designation of sanctuary, stating the Sanctuary is one of "the most remote (and often darkest) places in the world, whose conservation state is most fragile." Thus recognizing Beaver Island as one of the best places in the world to see the stars and a place actively working to preserve those conditions. In honor of Beaver Island being involved in the Dark Sky Project, Beaver Island Community Center creates events to bring the community together to view various phenomena such as constellations, meteor showers, and the Northern Lights. 368:), is an unusually symmetrical 397-foot diameter stone circle consisting of approximately 39 (up to 150) stones and boulders of various sizes, from 2 feet to 10 feet with a ground height of 6 inches to 4 feet, with some stones presenting the appearance of hand-carved symbols and incised lines, hieroglyphs or pictographs including: geometric shapes, Algonquian thunderbirds, bulls, feathers, human faces/heads, human figures, and early Celtic writing. An example of these face/head markings, the Carved Face Rock, is on display at the 453: 56: 398:

Christian Feest, Austrian ethnologist and ethnohistorian that specializes in the Native Americans of Eastern North America and the Northeastern United States. The site has been protected/owned since 1988 by the LTBBOI (Public Law: 103-324), and interpreted by the Amik Circle Society, a 501(c)3 organization (EIN: 81-3233690) originally formed in the 1990s and dedicated to understanding and protecting "the many stone circles, mounds and burial sites found in the Islands."

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success of the 'Saints'. As usual, the truth is likely somewhere between the two extremes. There is a persistent rumor of treasure on Beaver Island. As the old tale goes it is part of King Strang's ill-gotten gains and is 'buried' in Fox Lake in a large chest. Over the years, people have searched for it without result, but of course, if someone did find it, is it wise to announce it to the world or just keep mum?"

800:. Mackinac's own Sheriff Julius Granger, who also kept the Grove House, took both shooters into custody and lodged them at his boarding house. Bedford and Wentworth were briefly ‘tried,’ fined $ 1.25 each for the judges service and released to a cheering supportive, and sympathetic crowd. No one was ever convicted of Strang's murder. Following the ‘trial’ the freed men departed Mackinac Island for Green Bay, Wisc. 4711: 3237: 1673: 1723: 3625: 1851:

festival is typically during the third week of July, and it lasts three days. Some of the well-known performers of the festival include Sponge, an American rock band founded in Detroit; Lipstick Jodi; The Burney Sisters; etc. The Beaver Island Music Festival involves local businesses and community members to establish itself as a community-wide organization.

63: 571:, which was named in honor of Strang. They constructed a road denominated "King's Highway" into the interior of the island that remains one of its primary thoroughfares. The Strangites cleared land; constructed cabins, farms and other improvements; and attempted to establish themselves permanently on the island. 372:. The site is located on the northwestern side of the island bisected by Mrs Reddings Trail, south of Angeline's Bluff Lookout, near Peshawbestown, a historic Native American village. It is considered a sacred site by the Anishinaabemowin and Anishinaabe culture, as explained in 1990 by Frank Ettawageshik, 672:

Ivan Walton, one old sailor later recalled, "Old Strang was a bad one. One time there was a fine old schooner anchored down here in Sand Bay to wait out a blow. She was a fine old schooner and when it came dark, them Mormons came done on her and murdered the whole crew except the two daughters of the

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during most of the year. Daily service is available from May through September, and a more limited service is available from October through mid-December. The ferry runs on a seasonal schedule where the number of daily trips ranges from one to four trips departing from Charlevoix to the island. The

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and Fresh Air Aviation. Airplanes are twin-engine propeller airplanes for 6–10 passengers. The flight to the island takes approximately 20 minutes, are available multiple times a day throughout the year and reservations often are accepted with only brief notice. Luggage generally is included in the

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Logging, which was always an important part of the insular economy, greatly increased with the formation of the Beaver Island Logging Company in 1901. Docks, housing, railroads and a mill impacted the local scenery, while fishing continued as the primary economic activity. The collapse of the Great

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According to Frederick Stonehouse, "Whether Strang and his Mormons were guilty of the charges of piracy and murder their enemies levelled at them or not is unknown. In today's more politically correct climate, the feeling is that the charges were trumped up by their enemies, who were jealous of the

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The 24-room King Strang Hotel was built in 1901 by Capt. Manus Bonner. Originally named the Beaver Hotel by Bonner, in the 1930s the new owner, Everett Cole, renamed it the King Strang Hotel after James Jesse Strang, the Mormon leader of Beaver Island in the mid-19th century. The hotel was sold in

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The validity of the site has been scrutinized and disputed since its discovery as being a misinterpreted common geological phenomenon, such as a random scattering of rocks or glacial deposits by other archeologists like Dr. Charles Cleland, Michigan State University Anthropology professor, and Dr.

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Strang and his adherents often conflicted with their neighbors on the island and adjacent locales. While claiming dominion of only his church, Strang tended to exert authority over non-Strangites on the island also and was regularly accused of forcibly seizing their property and ordering physical

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The Beaver Island Bike Festival allows bikers to enjoy the scenery of Beaver Island at their own leisure. The festival occurs during the third week of June. Biker can bike 20 to 42 miles of self-paced biking. Campgrounds, rest stops, food, drinks, and restrooms are provided for those attending.

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The Beaver Island Music Festival brings music artists from around the world to perform in the wilderness of Beaver Island. Founded in 2003, the festival is centered around combining music and wilderness together. The Festival is catered to all ages but is centered around nature at the core. The

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ferry is closed from January through March. Travelers are advised to verify the weather before boarding because rough waves can cause sea sickness. Visitors wishing to transport their own motor vehicles must make reservations in advance as ferry space is limited. Two ferry boats are in service,

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Historically, the primary industries in the island are fishing, logging and farming. Presently the economy centers in governmental services, tourism and residential and cottage construction. Recreational opportunities abound in the insular harbor, beaches, inland lakes and the state forest that

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In addition to King Strang, the Island became the residence of two other locally famous persons. Father Peter Gallagher, a priest from 1865 to 1898, was a colorful and charismatic leader who dominated insular society. He once engaged one of his parishioners in a fistfight in the insular chapel.

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entered the harbor of St. James and Strang was invited aboard. As Strang walked along the dock the two Mormon flogging victims followed by several other disaffected Strangites repeatedly shot the Mormon king from behind and pistol-whipped him as he lay dying. The shooters, Thomas Bedford and

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owns and operates a research facility in the island, denominated the "CMU Biological Station". The station hosts classes and workshops for students and researchers. CMU also owns a former Coast Guard Boathouse on Whiskey Point in the northern part of the island and part of Miller's Marsh.

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The Odawa population on Beaver Island was so large that a fur trading post was established there in the late 1830s. Despite Federal legislation criminalizing the sale of alcohol to Native Americans, the former location of the trading post is still known, revealingly, as "Whiskey Point".

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that his disciples erected persists as the only Strangite-era building still existing on Beaver Island. The Mormon printing shop now houses a museum of local history. The Strangite church continues to exist, though not on Beaver Island, and numbers a maximum of 300 adherents.

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The island's second site discovered by M. T. Bussey in 2014, Fairy Stone Circle, is located on the northeastern side of the island bisected by East Side Drive, north of Mike Boyles Beach Road, and shows similar astronomical alignments as the Beaver Island Sun Circle.

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Founded in 2001, Baroque on Beaver is an event where orchestral and vocal performers come to Beaver Island during the end of July and beginning weeks of August. This event is presented by the Beaver Island Performing Arts Alliance (BIPAA), where they strive to bring

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Meanwhile, one former Strangite later recalled that more and more Mormon families were, "leading a double life, seemingly good Mormons, but only waiting for the opportunity to get away". The beginning of the end came when Strang ordered all Mormon women to wear

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cost of a ticket, with a "pounds per person" limit, and additional luggage is charged according to its weight in pounds. Pets may be transported also, with prices of such tickets premised on the size of pets. Island Airways' airplanes depart from Charlevoix to

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After the expulsion of the Strangites, local government in Manitou County, which included Beaver Island, almost ceased. Court sessions and elections were rarely held, county offices were often left vacant, and the region acquired a reputation for lawlessness.

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The island has several small to moderately sized lakes, including Lake Geneserath in the southeast, Greenes Lake and Fox Lake in the central part, and Font Lake, Egg Lake, Round Lake and Barneys Lake in the northern part. There are only two named streams:

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Indigenous peoples as a solar and lunar medicine wheel calendar or for navigation. The site is astronomically aligned with the midsummer solstice, the center stone positioned under the North Star, and appears to chart constellations like the Big Dipper.

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Meanwhile, ships sailing near Beaver Island routinely, "sailed into a crack in the Lake", even during the summer, when shipwrecks in the region were highly unusual. During Strang's rule and for decades afterwards, allegations of Mormon acts of

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The site was discovered in 1985 by Dr. Terri Bussey, of the Grand Rapids Inter-Tribal Council, who would spend 32 summers researching and documenting the site. It was further investigated in 1988 at Bussey's request by Dr. Donald P. Heldman,

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and Odawa population, on the other hand, fled to nearby Garden Island, where they sided invariably with the Strangites' enemies to the point that Strang later alleged that the Indians had been, "armed and hunting me for my life."

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affirmed this reputation in 1877 when he advocated for abolition of the county. A bill was introduced to this effect yet failed to be enacted. A second attempt in 1895 was more successful, and Beaver Island was incorporated into

976:. The research area is mostly undeveloped, with some relictual homesteads within the township that were constructed in the clearings of successful farms of the nineteenth century. In 2010 the township had a population of 292. 4313: 597:

After first decreeing eleven days before the election that, "every Gentile family must come to the harbor and be baptized into the Church of Zion or leave the island within ten days", Strang was unanimously elected to the

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March 1982, and was reopened as the King Strang Hotel Club, a private club where each member owns a share of stock in the club. The local club members consider it an escape and refuge from the Detroiters in the summer.

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archaeologist, and Dr. Elizabeth B. Garland, Western Michigan University Anthropology professor. The stone circle construction date has been estimated to be approximately 1,000 years ago, possibly produced by the

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through the use of false light beacons and the cutting of anchor cables by Strangites on skiffs, the mass murder of male shipwreck survivors, and the subjecting of attractive female shipwreck survivors to

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returned, expelled the Strangites, and retook the island, which is now a popular vacation and tourist destination. Portions of the island and surrounding archipelago are protected as part of the

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Bikers can also visit the scattered historical sights and monuments throughout the island. There is also a downtown party to conclude the festival where music and entertainment is provided.

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ceremony. On him was bestowed a crown that a witness described as "a shiny metal ring with a cluster of glass stars in the front", a royal red robe, shield, breastplate, and wooden scepter.

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for decades. By the middle of the 1880s the Island became the largest supplier of freshwater fish consumed in the US, yet overfishing and technological change ended this dominance by 1893.

2923: 502: 295: 2264: 755:. Even before the new County's creation, Strang was powerful enough to order the Treasurer of Mackinac County to surrender one-tenth of Beaver Island's tax revenue to his church. 3791: 574:

In fact, Strang became powerful enough to force the "Gentiles", or non-Mormons, of Beaver Island to pay tithes to his church. "Gentiles" who refused were allegedly subjected to

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flourished under their Prophet's rule and, due to the Island's strategic location, they became both an economic and political power in the region at the expense of nearby

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James J. Strang proclaimed himself "King of Heaven and Earth", and was crowned on 8 July 1850 inside a large log "tabernacle" that his adherents erected, in an elaborate

2646: 4765: 3344: 4735: 3910: 680:, there are numerous well-documented cases of groups of Strangites, who saw non-Mormons as the enemy, making marauding raids in settlements around the shores of 4815: 4770: 894:. He served as a local doctor and friend-to-all while living as a recluse in a cabin in the interior of the Island. Protar died in 1925 and left many admirers. 2800:"Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Peaine and St. James townships, Charlevoix County, Michigan" 996:

region that has great seasonal differences in temperature, with warm to hot, and often humid, summers and cold, even severely cold, winters. According to the

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Alexander Wentworth, then boarded the gunboat, which refused to surrender them to the Mormon Sheriff and instead sailed away and disembarked both men in

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Irish Americans on the island, who were not welcome in St. James, first moved to a new settlement around Cable Bay, on Beaver Island's southern tip. The

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by deep sea ships during the 1940s and '50s also caused the exodus of most of the residents, until tourism in the 1970s renewed interest in the Island.

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After meeting and falling in love with 17-year-old Elvira Field during a mission trip in 1849, Strang declared that God had commanded him to become a

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Although Beaver Island is known today mostly for its beaches, forests, recreational harbor and seclusion, previously it was the site of a unique

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