Orchard Beach State Park is a public recreation area covering 201 acres (81 ha) on the shore of Lake Michigan in Manistee Township, Manistee County, Michigan. Situated on a bluff three miles north of the city of Manistee, the state park offers camping, hiking trails, and scenic views over Lake Michigan.[2]
History
The park was developed by the Manistee, Filer City and Eastlake Railway Company and opened in 1892. After the company stopped trolley service to the park, the site was purchased by the Manistee Board of Commerce and deeded to the state to become part of the Michigan state park system in 1921.[3]
The Civilian Conservation Corps was active in the park in the 1930s. Corps efforts included construction of several limestone structures including a pavilion, toilet, line house, and pump house.[4] In 2009, the park was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places,[5] being cited as "one of the most intact examples of a Michigan state park developed in the 1930s and 1940s under National Park Service guidelines.... retain[ing] the majority of its CCC-era buildings and physical layout."[3]
In 2019, the high levels of Lake Michigan were eroding the sandy bluff on which the CCC-built pavilion stood, threatening its destruction.[6] The pavilion was moved away from the shore in December 2020.[7]
Activities and amenities
The park offers three miles of hiking trails, picnicking facilities, and a 166-site campground. The beach has been closed due to high lake levels.[2]
^ ab"Orchard Beach State Park". Weekly Highlight. National Park Service. December 18, 2009. Archived from the original on April 15, 2012. Retrieved December 26, 2009.
^Paul E. Janostak (2009). "Orchard Beach State Park"(PDF). National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. National Park Service. Retrieved December 26, 2009. (26 pages, with map and 11 photos)
