- City:
- Ludington, MI
- Site Type:
- Parks and Recreation, Lodges, Ranger Stations and Visitor Centers, Paths and Trails, Campgrounds and Cabins
- New Deal Agencies:
- Work Relief Programs, Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
Description
When the state of Michigan was given 3,500 acres of logged-over land on the shores of Lake Michigan in 1926, it was hoped that the nearby Big Sable Point Lighthouse might become a beacon not only for ships but for tourists as well. Back then, the land was reachable only by foot or boat, and the state lacked money to develop it as a park. That changed in 1933 with the advent of the New Deal.
The Pere-Marquette S-2 CCC Camp quickly went up on the state’s land and the young men of the Michigan Civilian Conservation Corps began shaping the sand dunes, beaches, and skid trails into the Ludington State Park.
Under the direction of the National Park Service, they built roads, retaining walls, campgrounds, hiking trails, the park’s headquarters, and the Lake Michigan Beach House. Many CCC structures in the park are still standing.
Ludington State Park has grown to 5,300 acres and receives nearly a million visitors annually. The Lake Michigan Beach House was added to the National Register of Historic Places this year. A display honoring the men of the CCC who built the state park soon will be installed in the beautiful Beach House they constructed.
Source notes
Information from Susan Ives. https://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/FeatureList.aspx?id=468&type=SPRK https://nwmichigan.secondwavemedia.com/innovationnews/ludingtonhistoric21213.aspxSite originally submitted by Susan Ives on October 22, 2013.
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Kay Riggle
Jamie Knutson
I have been looking for information on the history of the wooden toboggan run that was build in the early days of Ludington, MI State Park. I had older aunts that told me stories of the run. When I was young in the 1940’s it wasn’t used anymore but we used to walk on it in the summer over a small lake that was filled with water lilies.
My mom and uncle also walked the old wooden toboggan run built by the ccc boys. They remember walking to it through the middle camp ground and that there was a playground at the beginning of the run. They have found no one who remembers this and even told the story to the park rangers who had never heard this before!