Fort Wilkins State Park, Copper Harbor Michigan, is an U.S. Army fort from the 1800's, offering reenactments, fishing on Lake Fanny Hooe, wildlife viewing, and camping.
Upper Michigan, or as the natives of this area call it, the U.P., is host to many beautiful and interesting sites and attractions. Many of these are gifts of nature and others are manmade. One created from a piece of both, part manmade, part from nature itself, is Fort Wilkins State Park.
At the northernmost tip of the U.P., adjacent to Lake Superior, lies the small town of Copper Harbor. Just east of Copper Harbor sits Fort Wilkins. Encompassing 203 acres, this parks central focus is the fort. Built in 1844 as an U.S. Army post, to protect miners from the natives resentful to their presence, it was in use for barely two years before being abandoned. It was in use again for a very brief period in the 1860's, but in 1923 became an official state park. For anyone wondering what day to day military life of this early time was like, visiting Fort Wilkins can give a very interesting and clear look into this frontier style life. Besides the Fort itself, the park offers many attractions. Fishing and wildlife viewing are at the top of the list.
After entering the park gates, park your vehicle and enjoy a leisurely pre-packed lunch. Picnic tables, restrooms, and playground equipment makes this a perfect destination for a family outing. For those who would like to stay a bit longer than just a day, camping facilities are also available by the beautiful shores of Lake Fanny Hooe. After passing the parks gift shop, you will descend a short path to the gates of the fort. Following the path into the fort area itself will then bring you from today's world into a time thought long past. Upon entering, you pass the first row of buildings; eighteen in total, twelve of these are original structures. As you look through the windows of these buildings, you almost feel as if you are intruding on someone's private lives. Glimpses of what a day's life was like is apparent in the room's settings, everything from soldier's personal affects, to those of the families that accompanied them.
While the park is usually open from April to October, actual dates depend on the weather. If your visit is sometime during late June through early August, you may be treated to a display of military and non-military personnel reenacting the fort lifestyle and hardships.
Milling about you may be lucky enough to encounter soldiers dressed in uniform of the time, playing taps, cleaning rifles, doing whatever tasks were required to keep the forts inhabitants safe and self sustained. Upon a visit, I inquired of a man splitting wood by hand and ax alongside a cabin, whether he was warm cutting in the heat of a very hot afternoon. Dressed in wool pants, suspenders over a long sleeved striped shirt, hat in place, looking as if he had just stepped through a doorway from the 1800's, he replied that wood needed to be split now for the long, cold winter ahead. Snapping his picture, to this day, whenever I look at it, I feel as though I am looking into the past. Women and children in long dresses depicting wives and children of the soldiers are also in attendance. The fort cannon, facing out to the water, is also fired during the reenactments, giving a very real feeling to the whole event.
On your visit, be sure to take a rest on one of the covered porches available on nearly every building. Venture in and out of the buildings, viewing everything from the fort dentist office, to a display of what was being mined from the area. Nearly every building offers a very well kept display of either fort-related items or items of interest to the miners of the area.
If you are the fishing type, be sure to bring along a pole. Some of the best fishing around is said to be available in the waters of Lake Fanny Hooe. Bass, walleye, perch, and trout are just waiting for you to catch them. Make sure to attain whatever license is necessary before reaching the fort. If you are more of the hiking type, a trail approximately two miles long borders the outskirts of the fort with splendid views of both Lake Superior and Lake Fanny Hooe. Bring along your binoculars and camera, as the area is full of wildlife. Coyote and foxes can be seen in the distance, rabbits and chipmunks are seemingly everywhere. Bear are also about and all standard cautionary rules should be followed. Never approach them, offer them food, or leave food behind that would attract future bears. Another small inhabitant that is in abundance is flying squirrels. The native red pine of the park offers these interesting creatures the perfect habitat for their antics. If you are lucky enough to glimpse a flying squirrel gliding from one tree to another, it will be a memory you will keep with you for a long time to come.
Fort Wilkins State Park is the perfect spot for visitors of all ages. Bring your family, or bring yourself, but make sure and stop for a most interesting look at a piece of our history and the nature around it!
