| By MIKE NORTON
TRAVERSE CITY – It happens every spring. Long before the water is warm enough for swimming, intrepid souls begin walking the long, lonely beaches of northern Michigan, their eyes glued on the smooth, wet sand at the water’s edge.
Every so often, one of them will dart forward with a cry of glee to scoop a glistening gray stone out of the water. Truth be told, these bits of sand-buffed limestone don’t look like much – and they’re even less impressive when they’re dry. But when properly cut and polished, they take on an entirely different character.
They’re Petoskey stones, the state stone of Michigan: instantly recognizable from their trademark pattern of sunburst hexagons. Whether gray, brown or honey-colored, they can be found in gift stores and jewelry shops throughout the state, cut and shaped into earrings, pendants, paperweights and other items — but most people prefer to find their own.
For more than a century, hunting for these odd-looking rocks has been a favorite summer pastime in this land of freshwater beaches and bays. Spring is the best time to look for them, since winter storms and moving ice roll fresh stones up onto the beach from deeper water.
Petoskey stones are the fossilized remains of a prehistoric coral, Hexagonia percarinata, which lived in this region during the Devonian period, 350 million years ago, when this part of North America was submerged beneath the waters of a warm tropical sea. Vast reefs of corals existed in this rich, soupy environment. Broken into smaller chunks by subsequent glaciers, pieces of them now lie scattered on Traverse City area beaches. Actually, they can be found far inland, as well — but they’re much more noticeable along the shore, especially when they’re wet.
Although the stones got their name from the town of Petoskey, about 70 miles to the north, where enterprising youngsters used to sell them to 19th-century tourists, they turn up throughout northwestern Lower Michigan. From the stone-cobbled shore at Peterson Park, near the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula, to the sheltered coves near Old Mission and the East Bay shoreline around Elk Rapids, they can easily be found by sharp-eyed beachcombers.
Stone-hunters who need a little extra training come to the tiny village of Eastport, wedged between East Bay and Torch Lake, a half-hour drive from Traverse City. For the past 11 years, the town has been home to the annual Antrim County Petoskey Stone Festival: a low-key affair on the beach sponsored by the local conservation district and nearby Shanty Creek Resorts that still manages to draw thousands of people.
This year’s festival is scheduled for May 28, and includes a popular Petoskey stone hunt with separate categories for children and adults (these days, the beach is actually “seeded” beforehand with fresh stones donated by local rock shops, since successive festivals have pretty well cleaned the existing stones out) as well as presentations on proper cutting and polishing of stones, a kid’s stone-skipping contest, a 5K run along the nearby park trails, games, demonstrations and lots of local entertainment and food – try the whitefish sandwiches, a local specialty.
“It’s become more and more of a spring community festival, so we’ve added on lots of side activities, especially for the younger kids, and we’re always looking to do more,” said Stan Moore, county director of Michigan State University’s Extension Service, who coordinates the festival. “We get people coming from all over the place, though. It’s become quite the event.”
For information about Petoskey stones and the Antrim County Petoskey Stone Festival, go to www.petoskeystonefestival.com. To learn about other outdoor adventures, culinary treats and attractions in the Traverse City area this year, contact Traverse City Tourism at 1-800-TRAVERSE or on line at www.traversecity.com.
This is a press-ready feature from Traverse City Tourism. Please feel free to use it in any way you like. You may run it in part or in its entirety — with or without byline — or use it as a source for stories of your own. And if I can be of any additional help (photos, for instance) please don’t hesitate to contact me. |
Maralyn D. Hill, M.Ed., The Epicurean Explorer
