Beulah’s Day Dock
HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF WITH INSTALLATION OF NEW BEULAH DAY DOCK
Since the 1880s, the small community of Beulah has hugged the eastern shoreline of Crystal Lake – considered to be one of northern Michigan’s premiere vacationland gems. Early on, a long dock extended from Beulah Beach, beckoning vacationers, cottage owners from around the lake’s perimeter, and residents of Frankfort to visit Beulah by boat. Details of those times are wonderfully described in the adjacent inset, excerpted from the book “Waiting for the Morning Train” written by Benzie County’s esteemed native son and Pulitzer Prize Award winning historian & author, Bruce Catton. The advent of the car and building of roadways changed how people came to Beulah. Sadly at some point the long dock and all it imported into Beulah disappeared.
‘Build it and they will come.’ An initiative – sponsored by Beulah Boosters, Inc. – installed a new Day Dock at the downtown beach. An anonymous Booster generously loaned the organization funds to purchase the dock, which was then gifted to the Village of Beulah by Beulah Boosters, Inc. in June 2010. The handsome new eight-slip, 100-foot day dock was installed on Crystal Lake’s Beulah waterfront in early August 2010. At the time, this historic event was marked by a special CELEBRATE THE DAY DOCK & PIG ROAST. Over 400 people stood on the beach for the dock dedication and stayed to enjoy a delicious Beulah Booster Pig Roast, setting the stage for an annual event.
As in the past, people flock to the dock’s benches that lend a peaceful spot for viewing the incomparable and beautiful summer sunsets over the northern & western highlands surrounding Crystal Lake. From late April through October, the day dock secures the canoes, kayaks and motorboats tied up by folks who have traveled across the lake to enjoy all that Beulah has to offer in the way of restaurants, lounges, art galleries & framing stores, delicatessens, coffee shops, ice cream shops, knitting & beading shops with classes for the public, outdoor sporting goods, bait shop, gift shops, hairstyling salon, upholstery services, a copy shop, professional offices for law, real estate companies, financial services, dental and orthodontic specialists, land survey firm, title insurance & companies, and county soil conservation office – to name a few.
Waiting For the Morning Train
A Must Read for all who love Beulah and appreciate its history! Authored in 1972 by Bruce Catton, Award winning Pulitzer Prize author of “A Stillness at Appomattox: The Army of the Potomac Trilogy”
Following is an excerpt from Chapter 3:
In the Morning, at the junction where Bruce Catton speaks of his walking trips to Beulah to swim, etc.
“Whatever we did in Beulah, we always went to Terp’s place (Terp’s Waterfront Pavilion & Boat Livery built on Beulah Beach in 1900). Anyone who wanted to go fishing could get a boat from Terp, and if he needed bait Terp would sell him a bucket full of minnows. In a shed somewhere Terp had a gasoline tank, to service the summer people who came in by launch. He also sold cigars and cigarets, and against the wall by the soda fountain there were two slot machines. They seemed singularly innocent, and it never occurred to the authorities to proceed against them as gambling devices. In later years, when I read that Chicago gangsters had taken control of the slot machine trade, I found it hard to believe; surely there could not be important money in this business of getting people to risk a few pennies now and then? I understood at last the ways of the Chicago speakeasies were not at all the ways of Terp’s pavilion.
If we were in funds, which was not often the case, we bought ice cream sodas, or pop; if we were not, there was always something to see. There was steady coming and going out on the dock. The summer people who had cottages at various places around the lake relied on the launch rather than the automobile to come to town and do their marketing. The automobile age had not yet reached northern Michigan, and the road that went around the lake was nothing but a track through the sand and an automobile that tried to follow it was almost always certain to get stuck; so the cottager who wanted to go to the grocery or the drug store came down the lake by boat and tied up at Terp’s dock. Terp himself owned two launches, open boats with canopies overhead, and side curtains that could be let down if it rained. Anyone who wanted to give a picnic party somewhere on the beach could hire one of these, and Terp had regular twice-a-day schedule to the far end of the lake. There were more or less regular stops at different cottage colonies along the way, the round trip took about two hours, and as regular commercial carriers operating on fixed schedules these boats were periodically examined by Federal steamboat inspectors, each vehicle had a formal certificate tacked up near the steering wheel, and these were good to look at. They made the whole business seem important.
For all that there was so much coming and going by water, the lake was quiet. The day of the outboard motor had not yet arrived, and all of the power boats on the lake were displacement hulls, not planing craft; there was no loud whining of high speed engines, and the painful process of evolution had not yet brought forth the water skier. People went from cottage to town and back by boat because that was the only way to do it, and it was pleasant to go loafing along on that clear lake with the peaceful hills all around it. Nobody was in a hurry and nobody could go fast if he had been in a hurry. Instead of detracting from the general peace the powerboats somehow emphasized it.”
Big Dig in Beulah
The long-awaited upgrade to Beulah Beach began in early April 2012, when heavy equipment and materials arrived to begin the Big Dig. The Lake Street Waterfront Project began moving full speed ahead. Beulah Mayor ProTem Jim Kilgus noted at the time that work began with site preparation and removals, and would be concluded with restoration and landscaping. Beulah Beach again became available for public use by Memorial Day Weekend and the project fully completed by June 30,2012.
A project drawing by Gozling-Czubak Engineering Sciences, Inc., included in the most recent Beulah Newsletter – spring 2012.
The pictures taken during construction show the in-process construction that stretched from Lake & Prospect Sts. (adjacent to playground & bathhouse) north to the boat launch at Clark & Lake Street. A low wall rises above the east edge of this continuous walkway – a built-in safety measure – separating beach visitor from the one-way motor traffic & the new bike lane on Lake Street. Semi-circular seating pods are located across the beach for lakeside relaxation. A small plaza, erected at the center of the beach walk at the end of Commercial Street, offers seasonal placement of planters & tables for picnics and sunset views. North of the plaza a pedestrian bridge crosses over Cold Creek where it flows into Crystal Lake. The area located north of this bridge – just south of the boat launch – was raised and recontoured for a large seating pod, new turf & landscaping.
Although the Beulah boat launch was not reconstructed at this time, the areas surrounding and leading to it were amended and are much improved.
A key component of this project addressed how storm and water run-off drains into Crystal Lake. In the first step of a long range plan, new and sophisticated filtration systems were designed to replace the old-fashioned storm drains above the beach that for years caught and drained any unfiltered water directly into the lake. The new filtration drain components, covered by permeable surfaces under the west edge of Lake Street, are the first point where rainwater & water run-off are filtered. Next, huge boulders arranged in circles form several settling basins along the beach. They are the final point for run-off filtration before it seeps into the beach sands and reaches the lake. The two-part upgrade goes a long way to insure that the high quality of Crystal Lake water, and that the Crystal Lake Watershed continues to be vibrant.
Future plans for Streetscape; the removal of old sidewalks and replacements by new curbs and sidewalks; the removal and replacement of streetlights and their wires; and possibly reconstruction of new streets will include further efforts to deal with water runoff that is caused by storms and melting snow in different parts of the village where new drains and filtering systems will eventually be placed.
The Great Lakes Trust Fund for Waterfront Revitalization awarded $277,700 to Beulah in December 2010. Additional monies from the Village added to that brought the project total to about approximately $305,000. What all began as a big dream is now a reality.
Acting as the Village liaison, Charley Kinzel worked diligently with members of Beulah Booster, Inc. – Phil Downs, Vicki Carpenter and Joan Duggan. This consortium devoted almost 4 years, researching and gathering the data required for a grant application. Meetings with Department of Natural Resource officials were attended, and other State and local government departments were required to weigh in on the project. In addition, the committee spent many hours in extensive planning sessions with project designer/manager and engineering firm, Gosling-Czubak. Over those years, Beulah Boosters sought the opinions of residents through surveys and open meetings. This allowed citizens an opportunity to prioritize issues they felt were key to beautifying their village and strengthening its economic base. Finally, required hearings were held by Village Council and at long last the grant was sent to Lansing.
Beachfront Celebration
June 30th, 2012 dawned with brilliant sunshine, blue skies dotted by scoops of white clouds, and sparkling gems twinkling atop the waters of Crystal Lake…..a perfect backdrop for the Beulah Beach Waterfront Celebration. The event was kicked off by a special mid-morning dedication ceremony, attended by local & state officials, visitors, and local residents.
The Beach Reclamation Project for the new waterfront was funded by a sizable grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund/ DNR, and in part, by monies from the Village of Beulah. The handsome new waterscape boasts a beautiful board walk; seating pods for relaxation & viewing Crystal Lake; a plaza with tables & seating for picnics; a pedestrian bridge over Cold Creek’s outlet into the Lake connecting the boardwalk to the boat launch; a new bike path next to the wall of the beach promenade, as well as bike racks;; and many new trees and green plantings. One of the more serious aspects of the project was the development of a double filtration system that eliminates lake pollution by filtering storm waters & water runoff of debris before it reaches our lovely lake. Beulah’s beautiful sandy beach remains a great place to drop your beach towel, swim in the crystal-clear waters of the lake or read a beach novel under one of the shade trees that lines the waterfront.
Visitors lingered throughout the afternoon, enjoying our lovely little village, nestled along the eastern shore of magnificent Crystal Lake. Many folks took advantage of planned activities, featuring kayak, stand-up paddle board and tennis clinics; an enormous chess board with huge playing-pieces for a ‘large game’ of chess on the village green. Restaurants and delis offered many specials, for carry-out as a delicious picnic at the beach and park. For example, Jonathan Clark, owner of L’chayim Deli grilled fabulous brats with phenomenal toppings; samples of wonderful catering appetizers were prepared by Nelsl & Karen Nelson of East Short Market; and Cold Creek Inn offered appetizers outside their restaurant. Retail merchants showcased selected items – both in shop and on the sidewalk. The sounds of Uncle Ted’s Crawlers ensemble floated through the village, topping off a perfect day in Beulah.
Fourth of July Activities & Celebration
Each year our Nation’s birthday finds crowds of people flocking to Beulah for a truly authentic Fourth of July experience. The Crystal Lake Community Business Association sponsors activities for kids and the Greased Pole Climb in the Park. Beulah Boosters assists the CLCBA with some of these activities. Food concessions scattered around the village offer popcorn, fresh-squeezed lemonade & limeade, hotdogs, specialty sandwiches, sweet toasted nuts, and more. Shortly after noon, people find the best a spot to view the Fourth of July Parade – about 45 minutes – unless it’s an election year – then it’s longer. The Boosters’ float joins many others decorated by area agencies/organizations. High school marching bands, police & fire fighters with their special equipment & vehicles, mounted horses, tractors, and antique cars all take part. This parade is a kid’s best dream. After dusk, a phenomenal fireworks display – big city style- flashes over the Beulah Beach for the enjoyment of those seated there, as well as others watching from their cottages on the lake.
NOTE: Beulah Boosters, Inc. supports other community activities sponsored by the Crystal Lake Community Business Association. CLCBA, an extremely active group, has been making things happen in Beulah for a long time. Please go their web link on to discover what they do to promote a better life for those who live in the community.
Annual Meeting
You’re invited to join the Beulah Boosters for their Annual Membership Meeting & Election of Board of Directors and Officers TBA.
President Vicki Carpenter will announce Board positions that are open due to any term expirations. If you are interested in serving in one of those positions, please phone Vicki Carpenter, at 231-383-1120. Please leave a message your contact information expressing your interest in joining Beulah Boosters.
After the meeting, Booster members usually gather for drinks and/or dinner, good conversation and fun. Residents and Summer Friends of Beulah are encouraged to attend. If you are new to Beulah, this is a great opportunity to meet people and make friends, as well as lending a hand to make Beulah a great place to live year-round!