Dog sleds on their way to Mackinac.
Winter is closing in on Omena. The ice is forming on the bay…and on boats left too long on the water. In the 1850’s they welcomed the ice as it made travel easier. Roads were no more than paths, and after the snow fell became impassable as it got deeper. Travel over the frozen bay was often done, with sometimes disastrous results.
Courtesy A History of Leelanau Township
From Rev George Smith’s diary, March 2, 1858
“Started 11AM for Traverse City-stopped at Mr. Millers (Omena) an hour, also 1 hour at R. Lee’s …near Mr. Norris’ we broke in water 3 or 4 feet deep. I broke in first (was walking ahead) next pony went down. I carried Annie onto good ice without her being wet, got Mrs. Smith in my arms, and started when down went both of us and the cutter. Mrs. Smith and Annie went into Mr. Norris- they came and helped me get out horse and cutter-they were in water nearly half an hour—We were much favored and thankful that it was not very deep, and it was near a house as otherwise we must have perished. Mr. Norris’ people furnished us with dry clothes and soon we got warm and did not suffer much damage.”
A sled breaks through the ice. This frozen dog did not survive. You can tell bey their faces these men felt badly about that. – Photo credit Kevin Carl Brooks
Chris Verdery tells about six fraternity men in about 1930 who tried to drive across the ice in a model A Ford from South of Lee Point to Old Mission. All six perished in the icy water.
Even later, dog sleds were used to carry mail and goods to Mackinac Island over the ice. Breaking through the ice sometimes did not end well.
But the bay ice became our friend when it was harvested and stored for use in the summer for Omena residents ice boxes. What would ice tea be without ice?
Courtesy: A History of Leelanau Township, Chris Verdery
Recent photo by Rick Allen