AARrCcHhIiBbAaLlDd J OJNoEnS e s & & THE BENZIE CO. RIVER IMPROVEMENT CO. The Benzie Co. Riv er Improvement Co. DEDICATION OF HISTORICAL SITE MARKER DEDICATION OF HISTORICAL SITE MARKER CRYSTAL LAKE OUTLET, BENZIE COUNTY, MI CRYSTAL LAKE OUTLET, BENZIE COUNTY, MI SATURDAY, 22 AUGUST 2015, 10 A.M. SATURDAY, 22 AUGUST 2015, 10 A.M. ArcAhricbhAiblaldd JJoonnese (1s4 ( S1e4p s 1e81p1 -1 8151 1M -a y1 518 M90A) y 1890) President of the Benzie County River Improvement Company, president of the benzie county river improvement company, and responsible for the enterprise that resulted in and responsible for the enterprise that resulted in the lowering of Crystal Lake in August, 1873. (*) the lowering of crystal lake in August, 1873. (*) The man who (allegedly) pulled the plug at Crystal Lake. The man who (allegedly) pulled the plug at crystal lake. “He builded better than he knew.” “he builded bet ter than he knew.” [(*) Original ink drawing by Glen Wolff, 2014, based on[ a(* p) h Ootroiggrianpahl ,i nBke ndzriae wBianngn beyr 3G6le(4n6 W), 6o l(ff16, 2J0u1l 149, 31).] based on a photograph, Benzie Banner 36(46), 6 (16 Jul 1931).] ExCERpT FROM THE LUSIAD “… Long thus, and various, ev’ry riv’let strays, Till closing, now, their long meand’ring maze, Where in a smiling vale the mountains end, Form’d in a crystal lake the waters blend: Fring’d was the border with a woodland shade, In ev’ry leaf of various green array’d, Each yellow-ting’d, each mingling tint between The dark ash-verdure and the silv’ry green. The trees, now bending forward, slowly shake Their lofty honours o’er the crystal lake; …” - - The Lusiad of Luís Vaz de Camões, Book IX KNOw SOMETHING “Why aim such blows at the mercurial Celt ? Is he not useful in the shops of trade ? Does he not pave the roads with iron bars, And link the lakes and rivers with the sea, …” “Here sunbrowned toil with shining spade, Links lake to lake with silver ties, Here builds huge palaces of trade And heaps the granite to the skies.” -- Samuel R. Phillips (1824-1880), Know Nothing, 1854. “From lake to lake these wondrous waters flow, As human love from heart to heart should run, Uniting them with ties as bright and true As those which bind in peace the pure in heart.” -- Samuel R. Phillips (1824-1880), Nebraska, 1854. 2 pROGRAM wELCOMING REMARKS INTRODUCTION OF CONTRIBUTORS THE “TRAGEDY” AND THE “COMEDY” DEDICATION THE pULLING OF THE pLUG THE wEDDING OF THE wATERS 3 wELCOMING REMARKS Good morning and welcome to all as we celebrate this We are gathered here today to dedicate an historical site historic occasion. One hundred forty-two years ago at marker to acknowledge Archibald Jones, President of the this very location (*) our forefathers experienced an event Benzie County River Improvement Company, and to unique among all inland lakes of northern Michigan. commemorate his accomplishments that initiated this event The dramatic and precipitous lowering of Crystal Lake that has so transformed our local environment. was seemingly ill-fated in its beginning, but fortuitously evolved into a serendipitous conclusion of becoming a [(*) The Crystal Lake Outlet Dam controls the level of fortunate happenstance with a pleasant surprise. - known Crystal Lake to enhance recreational interests in the summer, colloquially as the “Tragedy” / “Comedy” of Crystal Lake. to minimize shoreline damage in the winter, and to regulate downstream flow to minimize streambank erosion and sediment Leonard Case, a passionate promoter of local history, took redeposition in the Betsie River and Betsie Bay.] an especial interest in attempting to determine the original level of Crystal Lake: “The event was so epochal in its nature and has such a permanent bearing on the subsequent development of Benzie County that it is rightly considered as one of the major incidents of the county’s early history.” -- Leonard L. Case, A Bicentennial Reader, 1976. INTRODUCTION OF CONTRIBUTORS Through the intervening years many persons within and Members of the Greater Crystal Lake Community beyond the confines of Benzie County have contributed to the success of this event. Benzie Area Historical Society Beulah Boosters Honorary “Stockholders” (Past & Present, 2010 – 2015) Benzie Conservation District The Jones, Case, Hubbell, Bailey, and Torrans Families Crystal Lake & Watershed Association Florence E. Bixby Friends of Betsie Bay Harold & Linda Saffron Friends of the Betsie Valley Trail Joe Evancho Friends of Point Betsie William Milliron Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy Harold R. Bruning Benzonia Public Library; Darcy Library of Beulah; Alfred M. Beeton Benzie Shores District Library “Doc” Stuart Shapiro Village of Beulah; Village of Benzonia; Jim Laarman City of Frankfort Meredith and Robert “Bob” McNabe The Littorians of Crystal Lake Edith Overlease The Citizens and Visitors of Benzie County Governmental Officials Dedication Committee (Archibald Jones Day Committee) Village of Beulah Dr. Stacy Leroy Daniels (Master of Ceremonies); Village of Benzonia Al Bryant; Vicki Carpenter; Dr. Louis Yock Crystal Lake, Lake, and Benzonia Townships Land & Lake (Erection of the Marker); Benzie County Drain Commissioner Jon Mead (Photography); Olivia Buzzell (Recording) Benzie County Road Commission Michigan Department of Natural Resources 4 THE “TRAGEDY” AND THE “COMEDY” Why to we celebrate a singular esoteric event like the “Tragedy” Benzie Co. River Improvement Company. Stock was subscribed / “Comedy” of Crystal Lake? All northern Michigan lakes share with enthusiastic support of local citizens, Dredging of the commonalities of geological histories, physiological features, Betsey River commenced and continued up to the Outlet of hydrological behaviors; climatic influences, visual beauties, and Crystal Lake. recreational pursuits. Our visions are of clear waters and bright On the very morning when he intended to square hue timber sunshine glittering from gentle waves lapping against pristine and drive spiles to construct permanent locks at the Outlet, the beaches ringed by wooded hillsides scented of pine and, exuding worst storm of 1873 blew over the Lake and a temporary dam a spirit of place. We escape the congestion and “hustle-bustle” was washed away. “ The waters of the lake had at last gotten the pace of our cities by vacationing at our special lake to experience upper hand of any and all of its would-be human masters and the carefree living, roughing it, returning to the simple life, and tragedy was truly appalling.” For several weeks, the flood poured communing with nature. downstream into the swamps and washing clean the harbor at Peculiar to Michigan in the 19th Century were needs to improve Frankfort, The shore line continued to widen as the level of the the land-locked entrances of drowned river mouths along the Lake lowered until finally the fury of the torrent was spent. eastern shoreline of Lake Michigan (the West Coast of MI) by Case concluded, “By this time the water was many feet lower creating “harbors of refuge” for shipping, and inland waterways than at the present time and its whole appearance was strangely to access the interior of the State. Other “improvement projects” changed.” “All around the lake where the water is now shallow, included canals, dams, locks, docks, and/or other appurtenances there was a wide waste of bleaching sand and rock.” “And so it for transporting timber, powering saw- and grist-mills, and was – that this one time beautiful Crystal Lake was quickly shorn irrigating newly cleared fields. Many natural river outlets were of her glory and became for a time at least, just a desolate looking straightened and new channels dredged to navigable depths common inland lake or mill pond.” “With a sense of total failure to connect nearby inland lakes by “slack-water” canals to Lake in what seemed to them a worth-while enterprise, most of these Michigan. These included: Saugatuck, Holland, Grand Haven, pioneer boosters went to their final account, little thinking that Muskegon, White Lake, Pentwater, Ludington, Manistee, in an entirely different way they were giving a great public service Portage, Frankfort, Charlevoix, and Petoskey. The attempt to to the next generation.” connect a canal from Frankfort Harbor to Crystal Lake proved to be the most ambitious of all. The Rev. Harlow Spencer Mills, an astute observer of the Benzie community, wrote a thoughtful introduction to the “Tragedy”. The “Tragedy” / “Comedy” is a well-known story of the lowering He doubted the appropriateness of calling it a “tragedy” i.e. “a of Crystal Lake, in Benzie Co., MI. Archibald Jones founded melancholy event in which human lives, or human interests are the Benzie County River Improvement Co. in 1873, to improve sacrificed”. The lowering of the lake resulted in no sacrifice of water-lots on Crystal Lake, remove obstructions and construct human life, and it is doubtful to those of us now living that any slack-water canals between Crystal Lake and Lake Michigan, “human interest” really suffered. and build a steamboat to facilitate shipping of settlers and goods to and from the interior of the County to the nearby port of Rev. Mills also suggested a repository of “Crystalana” to preserve Frankfort. Ensuing events were unique among large inland lakes the history, literature, and traditions of Crystal Lake. “I suppose of NW Lower Michigan. The dramatic lowering of a very large that every community has an interesting history, if only it were inland lake and the ensuing creation of a perimeter of sandy fully known and truly told—a history that would be well worth beach insured the future of Crystal Lake as a prime recreational recording because the community is composed of human beings, area. and every human life is fraught with intense interest. But it would seem that for some reason this Crystal Lake region has William L. Case, a boy of 18, witnessed and later chronicled more than its share of charming scenes and attractive localities, the event in a classic pamphlet, “The Tragedy of Crystal lake” and that in its early settlement and its succeeding history there in 1922. has been an unusual number of stirring events. Perhaps it seems He began his story by describing the appearance of Crystal Lake so only because we know about them, but be that as it may, they during early settlement days when the level of the water was are well worth describing and recording.” [“The Benzie Book”. much higher. “Almost its entire circumference it reached to the Benzie Banner 28(12), 1 (16 Nov 1922); Ibid, “Crystalana”, BB woods and the foot of the hills that surround it, so that for the 29(36), 1-2 (04 Aug 1927). greater part of the distance, one could not walk dry shod between “It is true that the lake must have presented a scene of sylvan the water and the overhanging trees.” (Case, p5) beauty as the high bluffs dipped their feet in its clear waters, and He then described the arrival of Archibald Jones, “a man of the overhanging trees were mirrored in its crystal depths. But the patriarchal appearance with a long white beard and endowed with sandy beach with which it is now bordered, affording a road bed boundless energy and enthusiasm”. During a chance encounter for the rail road, and space for the fine stone boulevard which is with the Rev. James Barr Walker, a founder of the Benzonia such a favorite with the automobile riders, is practically much Colony, he was convinced to move north, where he conceived an more useful, if not more beautiful. I am sure we should all prefer ambitious plan for an inland waterway from Frankfort Harbor Crystal Lake in its present condition rather than as it was in the through the Betsie River, to Crystal Lake, and beyond through early days, before it was lowered, though in some places the beach Long and Rush Lakes to the Platte Lakes, He organized the is wider than either beauty or utility require.” 5 But what of the man who inspired the event? Was he to and increased both uniquity and commonality for Crystal be cast as a scapegoat for the “complete failure” of an “ill- Lake. In 1873, the level of Crystal Lake was dramatically advised project? lowered in an attempt to construct a slack-water canal between it and Lake Michigan. Most other canals had The role of Archibald Jones, “the man who (allegedly) differences in level of only a few feet, while the original level pullBeudt twhhea tp olfu tghe a mt aCnr wyhstoa iln sLpairkeed” t,h ein evvoenlvt?e dW tarsa hvee ltso boef caa tsty apsi ac ascla pegoat for the “complete failure” of an “ill-advised project? of Crystal Lake was 38 feet above Lake Michigan which Am erican family in the 1800’s, searching for opportunities, The role of Archibald Jones, “the man who (allegedly) pulled the plug at Cmryasdtael iLta eksep”, eincviaollvlye da ttrtarvaeclts iovfe a ftyopri caa lc Aanmaelr.i c aUnn fafmoriltyu inn athtee l1y8,0 t0h’se, experiencing adventures, and facing vicissitudes posed by searching for opportunities, experiencing adventures, and facing vicissituwdehs iptoesceadp b yw tahvee osp oenf iCngr yofs tthael LAamkeer iwcaans Mheiddw oeustt. Aa t “eTmragpeodrya”r dye dpiacmts the ao ppreontaignogn iostf otvheerc Aommee bryic saunpe Mrioird fowrcees to.r cAir c“uTmrsatagnecdey; a” “dCeopmicetdsy ” depicts a laughable person involved in a blunder without pain or disaster. before a permanent canal could be completed. The level of a prTohtea lgoowneirsintg o ovfe Crcryosmtale L bakye s huaps eerleiomre nfotsr ocfe b ootrh c-i rac suermioustsa bnegcien;n ain g with a happy ending with perceived foibles of human nature and realized the Lake dropped precipitously by 20 feet and 76 billion uninteBnudte wdh caotn osfe tqheu menacne ws hoof binoslpdir vede nthtue reev. ent? Was he to be cast as a scapegoat for the “complete failure” of an “ill-advised project? “Comedy” depicts a laughable person involved in a blunder gallons of water poured irretrievably from the Lake down its without Tphea rionle oof rA rcdhiisbaasldt eJro.n eTs, “hthee mlaonw wehroi (nalgle goedfl yC) pruyllsetda tlh e Lplaukg eat Crystal Lake”, involved travels of a typical American family in the 1800’s, In summary: the story of the“Tragedy” / “Comedy” of Crystal Lake seemOedu dtelestti n(eadn dto ubencnomotei cae sainbgluyl arra eissointegri tch eev elnetv, e blu ot fi nLstaekaed iMts uicnhiqiugiatyn searching for opportunities, experiencing adventures, and facing vicissitudes posed by the opening of the American Midwest. A “Tragedy” depicts has healse bmeceonmtes aonf obbjoetcht le-s saon s teor iboeu esx tbraepgoilnatneidn tgo owthiethr l aak ehs.a pUpnyiq uity of opportunity brought Archibald Jones to Crystal Lake. The Benzie a protagonist overcome by superior force or circumstance; a “Comedy” depbicyts 0a .la2u gohfa balne p ienrsconh i!n)v. o lv eTdh ine a cbalunnadle rs wyisttheoumt p waina osr ndiesavseterr . realized, endCinogu nwtTyih teRh lio vpweree rrIimcngep iorvfo eCvderym fstoeanil btL aClekose. hoimafs p ehrluoemvmeednat nsu op fno bnao ttNhu a-r teau sraeenr,i odaun srd be eianglicinzrneeiandsg e wdi tbho at hh aupnpiyq eunitdyin agn wdi tcho pmermceoinveadli ftoyi bfloers oCf rhyusmtaaln Lnaatkuer.e aInn d1 8re7a3li,z etdh e level of Crystal Lake was dramatically lowered in an attempt to construct a slabcuk-t wthatee rl ocwanearli bnegt woefe tnh iet aLnadk Lea ekxep Moiscehdig aa n2. 1 M-mosti loet hpeerr ciamnaeltse hr aodf unintenduenidn tcenodnedse cqonuseeqnucenecse so off bbooldl dve nvteunret. ure. differe nces in level of only a few feet, while the original level of Crysstaanl dLyak be ewaacsh 3 w8 hfeeerte anboovnee L haakde Mpricehviigoaun swlyh iecxhi smteadde. Tit hesips emciaaldlye In sauttmracmtIniva seru ymfo:m r a arty hc: aethn eas lst.t oo rUryyn o ffo otrhfteu “ntTharatege“elydT,y rt”ah /ge “e Cwdohymi”tee dc/ya ”p “o Cfw Caorvymestsae lod Lf yaC”kre y ossetfea ml eLdpa dokesesst iiwnbealdseh t:oe t dbh eoecuo mft oeau atn esimdngipunolgraar roeysfo dtteahrmiec eVbveeifnloltra, e bg uaet pionefstr eBmaaedn uitelsna uthn ci,q atunhiatyel ccooumldi nbeg complheates db.e cTohmee l aenv eolb ojefc tth lees Lsoank teo dbreo epxptreadp oplaretecdip tiot oouthsleyr lbayk e2s.0 Ufeneiqt uaintyd o 7f 6op bpiolrltiounni tgya bllroonusg hotf Awractheibr aplodu Jroende si rtroe Ctrriyesvtaalb Llya kfero. mTh teh Be eLnazikee down its CryOstuatll eLtC a(oakunnedt y su eRnenivmoetrie cIdmea pdbroleyvse trmianeisneitnd gC totoh. ie mb lpeervcoevole modf ueLp aoakn es Ni Mnatgiucurheli, gaaarn nde bsinoyc t0ree.2arsi oecdf abnoo tihnf cuthnh!i)eq. u rTitahyie la rcnoadna cadol,m s iymnsotsentamalil wtlyaa tfsoi onr eCnvr eyorsft r aetle aLllaeizkgeedr. a, Ibpnu h1t8 ta7hn3e,d ltoh twee ellerevipneglh oooff n thee l iLnaekse, evenext,p o bseCudrt ya si tn2a1ls -tLmeaakildee wpitaessr idumranemtieqartu icoiaft lyslya nhlodawyse brbeeedac cionh m awn hea etatreenm npootbn teoje chcoatnd slt erpusrcsetov ain os ulasclkyd- eewvxaietsetlroe dcpa. mnTahlei sbn emtt wadeoeefn p ilto asasknibde lsLeia:d ktehe e M rfioecushonigdratinns. g, M ocof ostth noets htVerriu lclcaatngiaeol sno hf aBdoe fu la1h,,1 t0he0 differences in level of only a few feet, while the original level of Crystal Lake was 38 feet above Lake Michigan which made it especially to bceo meixntgart aotrpfa tcohtlieva ert aefoidlrr oata ocd a,on iantlhs. t eaUrlln alfoatirkotunen soa.ft e tlUeyl,e ntghireqa wuphhiti tayen cdoa pft ewoleappvpehsoo onrfet Cu lirnnyiesttsay, ld Leavkceeolo wtptamasgheeendst ,oo ufa tl laalk tecesmoidpneon rraeerscyo trdetasdm, c obbneysfot rrauen cat ipoiennr mforfaa 1ns,e1t0nrt0u c ccaotnutatlra ecgo euosl, dfa lblpe c eorninmecetteedr by an infrastructure of perimeter roads and trails - the multitudinous benefits that we all share today. brought coAmrpclehtiebd.a Tldhe lJeovenl eosf thteo L aCker dyrsotpaple dL parekceip.i to uTslyh bey 2B0 efenezt iaen d 7r6o baildliosn agnaldlo nst roaf iwlsa te-r ptohuere dm irrueltrtiietvuadbliyn foroums t hbe eLnakeefi dtosw nth itas t we all Outlet (and unnoticeably raising the level of Lake Michigan by 0.2 of an inch!). The canal system was never realized, but the lowering of the Lake County eRxpiovseerd aI m21-pmriolev peemrimeentetr oCf" Lsoai.fn ed iiyms baep tarrcaohgv ewedhdye rweu hnpeoonne ns eh eaNnd ipanrt ecuvlorioesue,s -luy pes,x hbisuatetr dea. cTtohomids emadyay.d ein p loosnsigb-les:h tohte." f o -u-n Cdihnga rolfi eth Ceh Vaiplllaigne of Beulah, the coming of the railroad, installation of telegraph and telephone lines, developmen t of lakeside resorts, construction of 1,100 cottages, all connected by an infra“stLruicfteu ries oaf pterr“aiTmgheeetde lroy rn ogwa dahsn aednn tdh tserea seihlnso - r itthn oef cmmluoylt sliietfu-edu hinpao,su hsb abudetn i etasfi ttcsr aothgmaetd ewidee sya al lin sndh a ilrtoes nctoogdm-asyeh.d ioets..”” – “-A- .JC.” h(Aarrclhieib Calhd aJponliens) "Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot." -- Charlie Chaplin “The long and the short of my Wlifhee hn ashso huladd l iitttosr itarnasg beed pieust iann adn oiltds- cfoolkms heodmiees ?.” – “A.J.” (Archibald Jones) Fill up their lake. Offer a teaspoon, teacup, and bucket. “The long and the short of my life has had its tragedies and its comedies.” – “A.J.” (Archibald Jones) Ask them to empty their lake. When should littorians be put in an old-folks home ? When should littorians be put in an old-folks home ? Fill up their lake. Offer a teaspoon, teacup, and bucket. Fill up their lake. Offer a teaspoon, teacup, and bucket. Ask tAhske mthe mto to e emmpptyt yth etihr elaikre l. ake. A normal littorian would use the bucket. A normal littorian would use the bucket. It’s bAig ngoermr tahl alintt othriea ns pwooounld o ur steh teh ete bauccukpet. . Right ? It’s biggIte’sr b itghgaern t htahne th sep spoooonn o ro trh et theeac utepa. Rciugpht. ? R ight ? No. A nNoor. mA anlo rlmitatlo lrititaonri awn owuoludld j juusstt ppuulll tlh teh pel upgl !u g ! No. A normal littorian would just pull the plug ! Do you want a bed near a window overlooking the lake ? Do you wDoa ynotu wa abnte ad b ende naera ra a wwiinnddowo owve orlovoekrilnogo thkei lnakge t?h e lake ? 6 DEDICATION It is fitting that we hereby dedicate this historical site marker: DEDICATION To Archibald Jones: “the man who (allegedly) pulled the plug at Crystal Lake”, and to his family, and to his contemporaries, It is fitting that we hereby dedicate this historical site marker: the pioneer settlers of Benzie County, without whom there would be no story; To Archibald Jones: “the man who (allegedly) pulled the plug at Crystal Lake”, and to his family, and to his contemporaries, the pioneer settlers of To the Case’s: William L., Walter F., Alden B., Leonard L, & their descendants; and to the Hubbell’s and the Bailey’s, and Benzie County, without whom there would be no story; to the Rev. Dr. James Barr Walker, and others, for keeping the story “alive”; To the Case’s: William L., Walter F., Alden B., Leonard L, & their descendants; and to the Hubbell’s and the Bailey’s, and to the Rev. Dr. James Barr To many Individuals: who provided “new” story facts and suggestions to the whole of the story; Walker, and others, for keeping the story “alive”; To the Citizens of Benzie County: who made suggestions and continue to support the story; To many Individuals: who provided “new” story facts and suggestions to the whole of the story; To the Visitors to Crystal Lake: who appreciate the consequences of the story; and To the Citizens of Benzie County: who made suggestions and continue to support the story; To you the Friends of Crystal Lake: who have participated in living the story. To the Visitors to Crystal Lake: who appreciate the consequences of the story; and THE PULLING OF THE PLUG To you the Friends of Crystal Lake: who have participated in living the story. “I have often said, and oftener think, that this world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel – a THE PULLING OF THE PLUG solution of why Democritus laughed and Heraclitus wept.“ -- Horace Walpole, letter to Horace Mann (1769) . "I have often said, and oftener think, that this world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel – a solution of why Let us now symbolically “pull the plug the historical site marker: Democritus laughed and Heraclitus wept.“ -- Horace Walpole, letter to Horace Mann (1769) . (Unveiling of the Historical Site Marker.) Let us now symbolically “pull the plug the historical site marker: THE wEDDING OF THE wATERS (Unveiling of the Historical Site Marker.) Archibald Jones, having been a toiler on the Clinton ditch (Erie Canal) in his boyhood, saw a fine opportunity to make a THE WEDDING OF THE WATERS slack-water canal between Crystal Lake and Lake Michigan via the Betsie River. Perhaps he sought to emulate the earlier creation of the Erie Canal as a water link between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean via the Hudson River. On Archibald Jones, having been a toiler on the Clinton ditch (Erie Canal) in his boyhood, saw a fine opportunity to make a slack-water canal November 4, 1825, Governor DeWitt Clinton poured water from Lake Erie into the ocean at New York in a ceremony between Crystal Lake and Lake Michigan via the Betsie River. Perhaps he sought to emulate the earlier creation of the Erie Canal as a water link celebrating the “Wedding of the Waters”. It is most fitting, therefore, that we echo this same spirit in wedding the waters between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean via the Hudson River. On November 4, 1825, Governor DeWitt Clinton poured water from Lake of Crystal Lake with the waters of Lake Michigan. Erie into the ocean at New York in a ceremony celebrating the "Wedding of the Waters". It is most fitting, therefore, that we echo this same spirit in wedding the waters of Crystal Lake with the waters of Lake Michigan. This is a story of an epochal event that occurred at a lake of crystal waters: This is a story of an epochal event that occurred at a lake of crystal waters: Where its waters commenced; When its waters were transported; Where its waters commenced; How its waters rose and fell; When its waters were transported; Whether its waters are tending; and How its waters rose and fell; What its waters have effected in myriad quintessential ways, Whether its waters are tending; and What its waters have effected in myriad quintessential ways, by affecting myriad individuals, perchance a few times, with dashing whitecaps; by affecting myriad individuals, perchance sometimes, with lapping waves, but a few times, with dashing whitecaps; sometimes, with lapping waves, but oftentimes, with subtle ripples. oftentimes, with subtle ripples. “The smallest bark on life’s tumultuous ocean "The smallest bark on life's tumultuous ocean Will leave a track behind for evermore; Will leave a track behind for evermore; The lightest waves of influence set in motion, The lightest waves of influence set in motion, Extend and widen to the eternal shore: Extend and widen to the eternal shore: We should be wary, then, who go before We should be wary, then, who go before A myriad yet to be; and we should take A myriad yet to be; and we should take Our bearing carefully, where breakers roar Our bearing carefully, where breakers roar And fearful tempests gather; one mistake And fearful tempests gather; one mistake May wreck unnumbered barks that follow in our wake.” May wreck unnumbered barks that follow in our wake." -- Burton Rensselaer Jones, “Incidents in the Life and Labors of Burton Rensselaer Jones, 1909, Preface Chap. 1, page 13. -- Burton Rensselaer Jones, "Incidents in the Life and Labors of Burton Rensselaer Jones, 1909, Preface Chap. 1, page 13. Thank you for your attendance and kind attention. Thank you for your attendance and kind attention. (Conclusion of the Dedication) (Conclusion of the Dedication) 7 AppENDICES William L. Case (1856-1933), a local businessman Bruce Catton (1899 - 1978), the renown historian, raised and former state representative, masterfully told what in Benzonia, also wrote eloquently of Crystal Lake, and was believed to be the authentic story based upon his of development: recollections made almost 50 years after witnessing the “Crystal Lake will always be something special for me, event as a 17-year old boy (*). because it symbolizes an emotion that goes beyond time “As far as the writer knows there is no written or printed and space.” … “It (Michigan) is wood and water, golden record of the tragedy of the lowering of Crystal Lake in sand and blue lakes, emptiness and memories and the sort 1873 and of the enterprise and activity of the Betsie River of isolation which it is hard for a city man to come by, Improvement Company in connection with it. It is now these days.” … “This is good country to come from and almost half a century since those events occurred and this it is even better to go back to. It is a land of memories chronicle is prepared from information furnished by a and also a land of escape; a place where you can be utterly few old timers that were living here then, and by careful idle in more pleasant ways than any other place I know.” digging into the personal recollections of the narrator.” – – Bruce Catton, The Real Michigan, Holiday William L. Case, 1922 Magazine 22(2), 26-39 (Aug. 1957). [(*) Case, William L., “The Tragedy of Crystal Lake, with “Crystal Lake is a noble body of water, eight miles long by Some Sidelights, By a Survivor”, 1st Ed., J.W. Saunders, two or three miles wide, … so crystal-clear that you can Beulah, MI, 1922, 17pp; 2nd Ed., 1947, 23pp; 3rd Ed., count pebbles on the bottom where it is twenty feet deep. 1962; reprinted, 1976, 22pp.; reprinted, 2007, 24pp. It is surrounded by low green hills, and when the sun is Special editions), 1941, 22pp; 1978, 28pp.] out its color is a breathtaking, incredible, picture-postcard Stacy Leroy Daniels (1937 - ), a Frankfort native and long- blue; spring-fed, it is deep and cold, and only the hardiest time littorian on Crystal Lake, read the “Tragedy” as a would care to swim in it at any time except midsummer, young boy. After becoming a professional environmental but when the weather is warm to go into this water is like engineer, he came to wonder more about the uniquity dipping into the fountain of youth. A nice beach runs all of Crystal Lake: What caused the lowering of the Lake? the way around it, stony here and there but mostly white Who was Archibald Jones – a scapegoat to be blamed for sand, and that beach exists because the good people of an ill-conceived project, or a “bootstrap engineer” to be Benzonia made a profound miscalculation (sic) back in celebrated as a hero? (**) 1873.” “The “Comedy” of Crystal Lake, is a continuation of the – Bruce Catton, Waiting for the Morning Train, An “Tragedy” of Crystal Lake. American Boyhood, Doubleday, Garden City, NY, 1972, Part I. The Lowering of Crystal Lake is a critical 260pp, Chap. Three, pages, pp 49-50. review of recorded legends, contemporary accounts, “Development becomes compulsive. It is never possible and historical records that include: the original Stock to call a halt. Once you take the first step, even if the Certificate, the Articles of Association, the Map of last step goes straight off the edge of a precipice. It is Proposed Improvements, and the Court Proceedings fairly easy for man to assert his mastery over his earthly for the Benzie County River Improvement Company environment, but once he has asserted that mastery he from the 1870’s. has to go on exercising it no matter where the exercise Part II. The Biography of Archibald Jones is takes him. The age of applied technology has one terrible an accounting of the accomplishments of an aspect – each new technique has to be exploited to its entrepreneur and “bootstrap engineer” enjoined in absolute limit, until man become the victim of his own the settlement of a new territory filled with challenges skills. The conquest of nature cannot end in a negotiated and opportunities.” – Dr. Stacy L. Daniels, 2014 peace.” [(**) Daniels, Stacy Leroy, The “Comedy” of Crystal Lake, – Bruce Catton, Waiting for the Morning Train, I. The Lowering of Crystal Lake; II. The Biography of An American Boyhood, Doubleday, Garden City, Archibald Jones, Being a Summary Chronicle with Many NY, 1972, 260pp. Chap. One, page 5. More sidelights, written in Two Parts, of a seemingly Ill- Fated Historical Event, so epochal in its nature as to have had a permanent bearing upon the development and future of Benzie Co., Northwest Lower Michigan, together with myriad viewpoints of its diverse characters and sundry locales, &c, &c., Flushed With Pride Press, 2015, 496pp. ISBN 978-0-692-21715-3.] 8 ts nt n, enmema me vs eot ovmprraf rD osed Impunty River IHubbell, po d Proenzie CB. C. s anhe Bby onor to., bstructivements fment C e Omproove thd Ipr me of Proposever Im873. Sond Ria. 1 ther with bstructions ae County nia, Mich.”, c Togehe OenziBenzo nzie County, er with Some of tawn for the Bbell, Draftsman, s, BeTogethMI, drC. Hub ery, B. Rivuntia, by e and Betsie Rivers, Benzie Copany, Benzonmprovement Co., of the Platte and Betsie ment Comounty River I ourses the PlattmproveBenzie C p Showing Sources and CShowing Sources and Courses of he Benzie County River Iany, Benzonia, MI, drawn for the onia, Mich.”, ca. 1873. “Ma“Map for tompCBenz 9 HISTORICAL SITE MARKERS HISTORICAL MARKER SITE In 19H7IS6T,O LReICoAnaLr SdIT EL M. ACRaKseE,R pS roposed a project “to definitely Conservation Department staff, and members of the Benzie deter mine the original level of the lake as nearly as possible, to Area Historical Society, were unveiled in ceremonies on August (Location: Crystal Lake Outlet at Mollineaux Road, identInif 1y9 7it6 , wLeitohna srdu iLt.a Cbalese ,a pnrodp opseedrm a parnoejenctt “mto adrekfienriste luyp doente rwmihniec thh e or2ig7i,n a1l 9le7v8el. o fT thhee lyak aer aes nloeacraltye ads paots s(ib1l)e , dtoo iwdennttoifwy int wBitehu sluaitha bolne the Benzie Co., Crystal Lake Twp, T26 N R15 W, Sec 29. 44.636222,-86.147203 ) http://goo.gl/maps/h1YYh and permanent markers upon which suitable inscriptions could be engraved, and to set them up at several locations on the lake’s shore”. Three suitable inscriptions could be engraved, and to set them up at SE shore of Crystal Lake, (2) the corner of Crystal Drive and identical historical site markers were located by the County Surveyor, Soil Conservation Department staff, and members of the Benzie Area severHali sltoorciacatilo Snocsi eotny, wtheere l uankvee’si lsehd oinr ec”e.r e Tmohnrieees oind Aenutgiucsatl 2 h7i, s1t9o7r8i.c Tahl ey aWrea lrorceante dR aot a(1d) ,d oownn ttohwen BNeuEl ashh oonr teh eo SfE Cshroyrest oafl C Lryasktael, Laanked, (2(3) ) in site tmhea crokrneHersIrS oTfwO CReryrICest AallL oD ScrIaTivEtee M danA dRb WKyE aRrtrShe ne RoCaod,u onn ttyhe NSuE rshvoeryeo orf, C rSyostial l LaBkee,l alonwd (s3 )P ianr Bke ollonw tsh Pea rSkW on tshheo SrWe oshfo Crer oyf sCtaryl sLtaalk Lea.k e. In 1976, Leonard L. Case, proposed a project “to definitely determine the original level of the lake as nearly as possible, to identify it with suitable and permanent markers upon which suitable inscriptions could be engraved, and to set them up at several locations on the lake’s shore”. Three identical historical site markers were located by the County Surveyor, Soil Conservation Department staff, and members of the Benzie Area Historical Society, were unveiled in ceremonies on August 27, 1978. They are located at (1) downtown Beulah on the SE shore of Crystal Lake, (2) the corner of Crystal Drive and Warren Road, on the NE shore of Crystal Lake, and (3) in Bellows Park on the SW shore of Crystal Lake. CRYSTAL LAKE MDNR MDNR BOAT LAUNCH OUTLET DAM BCRC ThisT hoisr iogriingianla lt teexxtt wwaass f afcatucatul, ablu, t bduidt ndoti dre fnero tto raes ftehre t“oTr aagse dtyh, ed id nCort ynsatamle LAarkceh ibhaalsd bJoeennes aonr thene dBuerniznieg Ccoounnttryo vReirvseyr fImorp rmovoerme etnht an a OUTLET CREEK “TraCgeodmyp,a dnyid, a nndo td inda nmote c oAntracihni tbhael sdp eJcoinfice sd aotre othr oer iBgiennazl ilea kCe oleuvnelt (y*) . Imcepnlitcuartiyo!n Tthhaet t“hCe opmrojeedcyt ”w caos n“itlil-naudevsi!s]ed” and “complete failure” “in respect to its accomplishing its original purpose” did not tell the whole story. River Improvement Company, and did not contain the specific In April 2013, Stacy Le roy Daniels proposed a new historical date [(o*)r H oarroi gldi nBarlu nliankge, al kenvoewl l(e*d)g.e a b Ilem lopclaicl asutrivoeny otrh caotn ctlhudee dp rthoajet ctht e lesvietle o mf thaer kLeark”e twoa sb aet tfhuen fdooetd o fa tth teh meo nloucmaeln lte(sv) eolr ~an 6d10 e freeect tbeadse adt the PRIVATE was u“piolln- ahdiTsv htriiass evoderil”gs iannaadnl dtoeb xst“e crwvoaamst ifoapnclste uatarelo , ubfnuadti l duthirdee n”Lo atk“ reien. f e Br rateoss epadse utchpteo n“t Toard adgiteitsdi oyn, adli dre nseota rncahm feo rA thrceh “ibCaolmd eJdonye”s, tohre t horei gBinenazli lee vCeolu onft yth Re iLveark eIm cporuolvde hmaevnet Company, and did not contain the specific date or original lake level (*C). rImysptlaicla tLioank thea tO thue tplreotje, ctw whaes r“iell -tahdvei se“dT” raangde “dcoym” pl/e te“ Cfaiolumree” d“iyn” all accormeapclhieshd itno gth iet sto opr oifg tihnea ml ponuurmpeonste(s”) odri ~d 6n1o5 tf eteetl. l Etihthee wr whaoyl,e t hsetroer iys. s till enough beach and enough water to be shared by all! Establisrhemspeenctt otof aitcs caecpctoambpleli slheivnegl (ist)s foorri gCinryasl tpaul rLpaoksee” h daids bneoet nte alln t heen dwuhroinleg s bctooernygt.a r onv eornsy Afour mguorset t2h3an, a1 c8e7n3tu.r yT! Thhee n“Cewom hedisyt”o croinctainl usietse!] marker is a [(*) Harold Bruning, a knowledgeable local surveyor concluded handsome two-sided bronze monument containing images of [(*) Harold Bruning, a knowledgeable local surveyor concluded that the level of the Lake was at the foot of the monument(s) or ~ 610 feet based In April 2013, Stacy Leroy Daniels proposed a new historical site marker” to be funded at the local level and erected at the Crystal Lake Outlet, MDNR that the levuepl oonf htihs ter aLvaelks ea nwda osb saetr vtahtieo nfos oarto oufn dt h teh em Loakneu. m Beanset(ds u) poorn ~ad ditiAonraclh riebseaalrdc hJ ofonr tehse, “JCro.,m aednyd”, tthhee o rBigeinnazli lee vCel oo.f tRhei vLeakr eI cmoupldr ohavveem ent where the “Tragedy” / “Comedy” all began on August 23, 1873. The new historical site marker is a handsome two-sided bronze monument M-115 610 cfeoentt abinairsneeagdc ihumepadog tneos t hhoife s At otrrpca hovfi ebthlasel da m nJoodnn uoemsb,e sJnertr.,( vsa)an odtri ~toh n6e1s 5B a ferenoezuti.e n E Cdito h .e tRhr iwev eaLry a,I tmkhepe.rr eo vise Csmtioelln. e,tn Croeuosg.,p hre. b,s ep a.T, c Thhh aeen tdte eexxnt otd uedgshecr swicbaretiesb rte htsoe b ptehr osehj eapcrter dao sjb eayc watle la!l ls- cao nwceeilvle-dco pnlacne ived HISTORICAL Establishment of acceptable level(s) for Crystal Lake has been an enduring controversy for more than a century! The “Comedy” continues!] Basedby u ap voisni o naadrdyi “tbiooonta-ls trraepse eanrgcihn e efro trh atth ree s“uClteodm ined ay m”,o stth qeu a loirfiiegdi nsuaclc essp wlaelnl wboyr tah yv oisf iaocnclaariym .“ boot-strap engineer that resulted in a most MARKER level of the ILna Akper icl o2u0l1d3 , hStaavcey rLeearocyh eDda ntioe ltsh per otpoops eodf at hneew m hoisntourimcael nsitt(es m) arkqeru” atoli bfiee fdu nsduecdc aets tsh ew leolcla lw leovretlh ayn do efr eacctcedla aitm th.e Crystal Lake Outlet, or ~ 615 feweth.e r eE tihthe e“rT rwagaeyd,y t”h /e r“eC iosm setdily l” eanllo bueggha nb eoan cAhu agnusdt 2e3n,o 1u87gh3. Th e new historical site marker is a handsome two-sided bronze monument containing images of Archibald Jones, Jr., and the Benzie Co. River Improvement Co., resp., The text describes the project as a well-conceived plan water to be shared by all! Establishment of acceptable level(s) for by a visionary “boot-strap engineer that resulted in a most qualified success well worthy of acclaim. The Outlet Dam (scene of The “Tragedy” / “Comedy” of Crystal Lake[Acknowledgement to David Penny, http://www.coheadquarters.com/PennLibr/BenzieCounty/IndexBenzie.htm 10