Petoskey, MI

Originally settled by the Ottawa Indians in the 1700s, the town is named for a local Indian, Petosega. The town began changing when the railroad arrived in 1873. Residents from Chicago and Detroit began moving to Petoskey and converted its industrial squalor to an elegant summer getaway. Historical buildings from the 1800s and 1900s remain in a city that realized the value of protecting them. The Gaslight District defines the downtown and shopping area.

Bayfront Park is a beautiful expanse of green grass along the waterfront. This area offers a marina, playing fields, and numerous walkways along the Bear River. We found the center piece of the park to be fascinating: a four-sided clock tower with a huge bell to ring the hour. The clock rises forty to fifty feet in the air and each of the four clock assemblies is independent of the other clocks, yet all have exactly the same time. This imposing attraction is perfectly positioned in the park entrance and provides a rallying location as well as accurate time.

Our stay in town was relatively short, yet we managed to have lunch, shop, tour the park, visit a General Store, visit a Farmer's Market, and to sit on several of the benches around town. In all, it was a very good day. Petosky is a nice city that deserves move time than we gave it. We can always return.