Lumbertown Series #4 LbNA #9872
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Aug 5, 2004 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Muskegon |
| County: | Muskegon |
| State: | Michigan |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Planted by: | Keltic Kara  |
|---|---|
| Found by: | Beach Wanderers |
| Last found: | Mar 14, 2009 |
| Status: | FFOFFFFFFFa |
| Last edited: | Aug 5, 2004 |
Lumbertown Series #4 (of 4)
Ryerson Creek Park, Muskegon
Named for lumber baron Martin Ryerson, the entire length of Ryerson Creek through the City of Muskegon is a designated greenspace/park.
A bit about Martin Ryerson (from http://www.rootsweb.com/~mimuskeg/Ryerson.html)
"Martin Ryerson was born January 6, 1818, near Paterson, Passaic
county, N. J. At 16 years of age young Ryerson made his way to Detroit, and there took the position of clerk with an Indian fur trader named Trouttier. He worked for the trader two or three years and made the most of his opportunities to learn all the details of the trade with the Indians. He saw there a large profit in the business and saved his wages until he was able to start in for himself. Then with a stock of trinkets and gaudy notion he began to tramp the State of Michigan from one end to the other. At first he sold his furs in Detroit and afterwards made his headquarters at Grand Rapids.
He next went to Muskegon, and in 1839 entered the employ of Theodore Newell, who owned a small sawmill and kept a general store. After two years he purchased the store of his employer and subsequently became owner of the sawmill. It was about 1843 that Mr. Ryerson began to manufacture lumber on his own account. His mill was small and he did business at first upon a very limited scale. He steadily and rapidly extend into partnership with Robert W. Morris, the firm name being Ryerson & Morris. The firm prospered and in the course of a few years they owned two good size mills, one at the village of Muskegon and the other at the foot of Muskegon Lake."
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Your search begins at the parking lot on the east end of Wesley School, located on Wesley Avenue east of Getty in Muskegon. Walk across the open field to the woods behind the high ropes course to find the trailhead.
Clues...
"My name is John. I was born in New York, and moved west to work in the lumber camps. Now I work for the Ryerson Mill, and I've been sent out to find a very special tree. Come along, if you'd like.
I begin at the trail which seems strangely barricaded. I find six black wheels buried part-way in the ground, although I can't make out what these wheels are made of. Oh well, the wheels aren't my concern.
I continue on, following the trail down the hill.
Along the trail I find a series of what appear to be dead trees. I can't imagine what mill would leave these bare, straight limbs standing in the ground. I come to one that's marked with the number 266. I don't know what company claims that mark. If I weren't looking for a particular type of tree, I would be tempted to cut down one of these and be done for the day. But I have a special assignment, so I keep searching.
I need to get to the creek, so I bear to the left along the trail covered with woodchips. There it is. I think I'll head upstream.
As I follow the creekside trail, I notice many interesting trees growing on my left on the hillside. Many of these specimens seem promising, but I think I'll keep on looking before I pick my prize.
As I hike along I pass a few trails that lead up the hillside. I keep to the creekside trail, but I eventually reach a spot where the main trail seems to turn uphill. As no clear path continues along the creek (it's thick with swampy-type plants at this point), I follow the path up the hill.
As I near the top I reach a "Y" intersection. I can go left or right. A large, white structure looms in front of me, directly north. It looks like a big, white bubble. It reminds me of the water towers I saw in towns back east, but those mostly looked like large, wooded barrels. Maybe the folks back in town know what this thing is. I can't stop to find out now, though.
At the intersection I veer left. I pass what appears to be another old trail that veers right, but I keep left. Walking along the creek I spotted some promising trees on top of the ridge, which I want to check out.
I reach a large, sandy clearing. I keep to the left of the clearing, and part way through I find a trail that leads back down to the creek. From here I think I can get to some of the promising trees I noticed growing on the hillside.
I think I see it, the tree I've been looking for. I walk ten paces down the hill towards the creek, turn left (east) and walk about eight paces off the trail to reach it. It's a nice hardwood – a red oak, I think. Not too large, but large enough for a team of horses to haul out. I place my mark low on the tree in the roots. All in a day's work.
Time: 35 – 45 minutes
Terrain: Easy – Moderate, a few wooded hills
NOTE: Pace = 2 steps (a step being the casual stride of a 5'4" person)
Ryerson Creek Park, Muskegon
Named for lumber baron Martin Ryerson, the entire length of Ryerson Creek through the City of Muskegon is a designated greenspace/park.
A bit about Martin Ryerson (from http://www.rootsweb.com/~mimuskeg/Ryerson.html)
"Martin Ryerson was born January 6, 1818, near Paterson, Passaic
county, N. J. At 16 years of age young Ryerson made his way to Detroit, and there took the position of clerk with an Indian fur trader named Trouttier. He worked for the trader two or three years and made the most of his opportunities to learn all the details of the trade with the Indians. He saw there a large profit in the business and saved his wages until he was able to start in for himself. Then with a stock of trinkets and gaudy notion he began to tramp the State of Michigan from one end to the other. At first he sold his furs in Detroit and afterwards made his headquarters at Grand Rapids.
He next went to Muskegon, and in 1839 entered the employ of Theodore Newell, who owned a small sawmill and kept a general store. After two years he purchased the store of his employer and subsequently became owner of the sawmill. It was about 1843 that Mr. Ryerson began to manufacture lumber on his own account. His mill was small and he did business at first upon a very limited scale. He steadily and rapidly extend into partnership with Robert W. Morris, the firm name being Ryerson & Morris. The firm prospered and in the course of a few years they owned two good size mills, one at the village of Muskegon and the other at the foot of Muskegon Lake."
*****************************************************************
Your search begins at the parking lot on the east end of Wesley School, located on Wesley Avenue east of Getty in Muskegon. Walk across the open field to the woods behind the high ropes course to find the trailhead.
Clues...
"My name is John. I was born in New York, and moved west to work in the lumber camps. Now I work for the Ryerson Mill, and I've been sent out to find a very special tree. Come along, if you'd like.
I begin at the trail which seems strangely barricaded. I find six black wheels buried part-way in the ground, although I can't make out what these wheels are made of. Oh well, the wheels aren't my concern.
I continue on, following the trail down the hill.
Along the trail I find a series of what appear to be dead trees. I can't imagine what mill would leave these bare, straight limbs standing in the ground. I come to one that's marked with the number 266. I don't know what company claims that mark. If I weren't looking for a particular type of tree, I would be tempted to cut down one of these and be done for the day. But I have a special assignment, so I keep searching.
I need to get to the creek, so I bear to the left along the trail covered with woodchips. There it is. I think I'll head upstream.
As I follow the creekside trail, I notice many interesting trees growing on my left on the hillside. Many of these specimens seem promising, but I think I'll keep on looking before I pick my prize.
As I hike along I pass a few trails that lead up the hillside. I keep to the creekside trail, but I eventually reach a spot where the main trail seems to turn uphill. As no clear path continues along the creek (it's thick with swampy-type plants at this point), I follow the path up the hill.
As I near the top I reach a "Y" intersection. I can go left or right. A large, white structure looms in front of me, directly north. It looks like a big, white bubble. It reminds me of the water towers I saw in towns back east, but those mostly looked like large, wooded barrels. Maybe the folks back in town know what this thing is. I can't stop to find out now, though.
At the intersection I veer left. I pass what appears to be another old trail that veers right, but I keep left. Walking along the creek I spotted some promising trees on top of the ridge, which I want to check out.
I reach a large, sandy clearing. I keep to the left of the clearing, and part way through I find a trail that leads back down to the creek. From here I think I can get to some of the promising trees I noticed growing on the hillside.
I think I see it, the tree I've been looking for. I walk ten paces down the hill towards the creek, turn left (east) and walk about eight paces off the trail to reach it. It's a nice hardwood – a red oak, I think. Not too large, but large enough for a team of horses to haul out. I place my mark low on the tree in the roots. All in a day's work.
Time: 35 – 45 minutes
Terrain: Easy – Moderate, a few wooded hills
NOTE: Pace = 2 steps (a step being the casual stride of a 5'4" person)