The Arcadia Area Shoreline in 1873

This is part of a map from Atlas

of the State of Michigan by

Alexander Winchell published in 1873. This map shows the Lake Michigan shoreline between southern Benzie County and northern Manistee County.

In 1873, the only piers identified in this entire area are the Huntington Pier south of Arcadia and Turner’s Pier in

Pierport.

Construction on Arcadia’s pier would begin in 1880. Arcadia’s safe harbor o

Bridge Pier at Pierport

Note the small railroad engine pulling cars. This was the western end of the Bear Lake and Eastern Railroad. At one

point, Pierport had two bridge piers extending into Lake Michigan. The first one was built in 1866 by the Turnersport Pier Co. The second one, probably the one shown above, was built in 1879 by the Bear Lake Pier Co.

Bridge Pier Probably in Arcadia after 1880

Unlike Pierport, Arcadia’s railroad did not extend onto its pier, but as the two tracks in this photo indicate, a wagon or

carriage of some kind was used to haul goods to and from the end of the pier.

Burnham, north of Arcadia This is part of a plat map of Manistee County published in 1903 showing the Lake Michigan

shoreline for Arcadia Township.

Note the town of Burnham to the north. Founded in 1882, Burnham had a bridge pier used primarily to haul lumber from

the Burnham Wood & Pier Co.

sawmill.

The Burnham pier is not shown in the 1903 map. The Burnham Wood & Pier Co. closed around 1895. It is li