In the mid 19th century a number of sturdy immigrant families settled and built farms along lake Michigan near Pyramid Point. By 1862 the people had built a dock and named their small settlement Port Onieda after one of the first ships to visit the village, the SS Onieda. By 1908 all of the original farms, except one, in Port Onieda had been abandoned. New families arrived and the village thrived until World War II. Today only a few families live in the immediate area.
Today the village is being restored as one of two historical districts by the National Park Service, in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. I had the chance to spend an afternoon driving around the village and photographing some of the wonderful farm ruins and relics. I hope you enjoy the results.
The outhouse on the Carsten Burfiend Farm c. 1893
Here is a close up of closure hardware on one of the Burfiend farm out buildings
A small shed on the Martin Basch Farm c.1880s
A detail from the Miller Barn c. 1855. the Miller Barn is also shown in the picture at the top of this post.
This one is the detail of a shed on the Echart Farm built about 1862.
Detail of the old farm house on the Eckhert property. Obviously this one needs work.
This historical site is well worth the visit. I could easily spend hours here making images of an interesting past that was an important part of the Northern Michigan experience.
The Sleeping Bear Dunes are located in Benzie and Leelanau counties in Northern Michigan. the National lakeshore is a treasure of natural beauty and historic discovery. Visit them on the web at www.nps.gov/slbe/index.htm
© 2010 Tim Marks all rights reserved
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