Under Re-Construction
1882 Plat Map
This is a portion of a plat map of
Arcadia Michigan dated 1882.
Note the pier extending from the
west end of Lake Street. The thin
red line running from the pier southeast to the sawmill represents the narrow gauge rail used to haul lumber. Also note the original, natural channel
between Bar Lake and Lake Michigan near the north end of Bar Lake. The arrow points to the planing mill. The da
Arcadia Pier and Sailing Ship
This view shows the pier before
it was lengthened. Note the
tracks of a vehicle used to
transport materials to and from
ships docked at the pier.
The Pier Today
At the end of Lake Street you
can still see what's left of the old pier.
Using the Channel
Pere Marquette No. 8 enters
Arcadia's harbor.
Dredging the Channel
A steam-powered shovel
maintains the channel between
Lake Michigan and Bar Lake.
Barges carry sand removed from
the channel's bottom or
materials such as rocks used to
maintain the channel's walls. A
tug assists as needed to move
each the shovel and barges.
The Steam Shovel
The shovel scoops sand from the
bottom of the channel.
Repositioning the Shovel
Tugs move the barge to a new
position in the channel.
In 1905 the federal government
begins maintaining the channel.
However, money is appropriated
to dredge the channel but not
make any repairs to the piers.
Not surprisingly, the channel is
frequently closed. Sand taken
out of the channel is almost
immediately replaced by sand
washing in through defective
portions of the pier. As the piers
deteriorate, the problem grows
worse. It is difficult to enter the
channel in calm weather and
impossible in bad weather.
Eventually the channel is closed
more than it is open, and ships
stop coming to Arcadia.
In spite of a long period of
lobbying by local citizens and
representatives in congress and
occasional stopgap
appropriations, funding stops
reportedly because of the
channel's lack of use for local
commerce.
Arcadia Channel 1937
This is a view looking south across the channel to Lake Arcadia near the Lake Michigan shore. Note the pilings in the
middle of the picture running from left to right. In front of that is sand with established shoreline plants. In the
foreground are pilings from the near edge of the closed channel.
- Postcard photograph postmarked August 13, 1937.
Artvue Post Card, 225 5th Ave., Ne
