The final destination of our northern get-away was ironically the place we first intended to start. Even though we had deviated from our original plan and had a go-with-the-flow attitude, we still had a chance to explore it in the end.
I love poking around small towns and Manistee did not disappoint. When it came of age in the 1800s during the lumber boom, it had more millionaires per capita than anywhere else in the United States. The flourishing economy gave way to elegant mansions and ornate public buildings; it is easy to see why it has been dubbed the “Victorian Port City.”
One of the treasures we discovered was the historic Ramsdell Building. Named for the Honorable T.J. Ramsdell who commissioned its construction, the building located on the corner of River and Maple Streets was built in 1891 to house a bank and offices.
The Victorian architecture, the stained glass windows and the elaborately carved woodwork were painstakingly renovated in 2003; the mural depicting Manistee history painted by Ramsdell’s son, F. Winthrop Ramsdell, still greets visitors in the reception area. A boutique hotel now occupies the building’s upper floors and TJ’s Pub (where we grabbed a late lunch) the lower level.
I can certainly understand why Manistee has been selected as one of the 200 Most Charming Towns in the U.S. and its entire central business district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A visit to this delightful city on the shores of Lake Michigan was a great way to end the day!
2 comments:
Only in Michigan would they have a town called MANistee and then have a picture of them worshipping a woman.
That Bo Dashus is a complete moron!!!
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