Postcards from the Lake: Roadtrip to the Asylum and More

When talking with Rick about birthday celebrations, I said, "There's one way I'd really like to spend my birthday." And he said, "You want to go to the asylum?"

The man knows me well.

Background first. My great grandfather, Henry, was -- I learned, in my genealogy studies -- the secret my grandfather never shared. He was an inmate at the Northern Michigan Asylum in Traverse City, Michigan, from 1900 until he died in 1913, only a few days after my aunt, Iris -- the oldest of her sisters -- was born. In a long (and ongoing) journey through records, I was able to land my hands on his commitment papers. (Three months later and they would have been sealed.)

I've wanted to visit this place ever since I learned about Henry. And I was so grateful I could share that experience with Rick.

I'll post more about the site itself separately. But I can say that if I had to have a relative in an asylum in the early 1900s, I'm glad he was here. In fact, it could have been a very happy place to spend one's last years. It was that innovative for the time.

But our day wasn't just the asylum!

We enjoyed champagne and dinner at the Apache Trout Grill in Traverse City and it was delicious.

Our table had a view of the bay and it was a perfect blue-sky day.

Then we drove out onto the Mission Peninsula. Many of the vineyards from the Grand Traverse region are located here. (Don't bet the farm on the reds.)

But it is gorgeous territory. I'd never been out on the peninsula before so it was a wonderful experience.

Great old buildings as well as the water views and the hilly vineyards.

At the tip is a lighthouse. Well, you know I'm a sucker for lighthouses!

There's also a restored log cabin, similar to the kind the early settlers would have had. It wasn't open but we got a good peek at early life through the windows.

There were loads of people there, especially considering that we were approaching dusk. Lots of families were enjoying the water.

And of course, there was lovely woodland.

This is what 67 looks like.

Very, very happy.

A wonderful end to a wonderful day.

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