FORD, EDISON, FIRESTONE, ROCKEFELLER, RUTH

Today I stayed in my slip again while Rich and Carol drove off in the car.  They traveled with the owners of Grianan to Traverse City, MI.  Grianan was to leave today but the winds were not to her owner’s liking so they stayed in Petoskey. 

August 17, 2011  Dateline: Petoskey, MI USA

Before beginning my blog for today I want you to see the sign on the slip next to me.  I understand what it means but I could not see anything different about it.  There were no blue lines like in a parking lot or special ramps.  Rich told me that it is government run amuck, what do you think?

There is an 18 mile peninsula that runs up into Traverse Bay called Old Mission.  The area is full of vineyards and wineries.  Rich told me that he had never heard of Michigan wines but there sure were a lot of vineyards.  The grapes had not yet ripened and Rich took a picture of the green ones hanging on the vine.  

 

They drove up the peninsula to have lunch at the Old Mission General Store.  The owner of the store came in and talked with Rich and Carol.  The center part of the store was built in 1830 and the right wing, as you face the building, was built in 1840.  The left wing of the building was built

 around 1900.  It was built by Henry Ford, who financed it with the understanding that it would be used to sell “fuel for internal combustion engines”.  Ford was a frequent visitor to the store and even ran his office out of the building.  Fuel was provided by Rockefeller and was sold as Red Crown Gasoline until the pumps were pulled in the 1990s because of EPA regulations on small gas stations.  Ford invited his friends to Old Mission, those friends included Harvey Firestone, Thomas Edison and of course John D. Rockefeller.  Teddy Roosevelt visited the store as did Warren Harding.  Babe Ruth also visited the store and the Old Mission Inn,which was built in 1869.  Babe was denied alcohol and was banished from the store and had to return to the Inn.  Babe showed his distain by hitting baseballs into Traverse Bay.

The Old Mission Lighthouse is located on the 45^th Parallel on the tip of Old Mission Peninsula.  The 45^th Parallel is half way between the equator and the North Pole.






 

Kate and Greg from Grianan will be going their own way tomorrow morning. They will be heading for Leland and I will be going to Charlevoix. We will miss their good company.