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City by the Lake.org, The Voice of Michigan City, Indiana _ City Living _ Michigan City Summer Memories
Posted by: Tim Jun 28 2008, 01:33 AM
We all have memories of summers in Michigan City - let's share some!
I worked for the Port Authority in the mid-70's. This was about the time the alewife fish problem was bad - there would be huge die-offs and the dead little guys would wash up on shore. We would have to clean them out from the boat ramp into the basin - so about four of us would pull up with lawn rakes and snow shovels and get to work. There would be just a blanket of dead fish - about eight feet out and a foot thick. Usually we'd fill about 7 of those big steel trash cans - and take them to the dump out off 20. Now - this was in the blazing hot sun - so by the time we got to the dump - them fish was ripe! Many a lunch was lost on that job!
Okay - perhaps a more pleasant memory would be welcome -
Go!
Posted by: Ang Jun 28 2008, 12:00 PM
I remember when the water came all the way up to the board (concrete) walk, the big posts had chains running between them and the water was about 4' deep. At night we would walk out to the lighthouse (when the foghorn still blew) and people would be lined up from the parking lot all the way out to the lighthouse with lanterns, blankets, nets and coolers of beer smelt fishing. It was so pretty to see it all lit up with lanterns all the way out to the lighthouse with people laughing and having a good time.
My family would go to DQ then out to the beach. We would eat our DQ's while we walked out to the lighthouse and back. Mom & Dad would stop to talk to people along the way. Sometimes they would see someone they knew and we would sit with them for a bit before moving on. That was our favorite family thing to do.
Then the lake started to recede and people couldn't smelt fish anymore. (sigh)
Posted by: Tim Jun 28 2008, 06:35 PM
I remember when the water came all the way up to the board (concrete) walk, the big posts had chains running between them and the water was about 4' deep. At night we would walk out to the lighthouse (when the foghorn still blew) and people would be lined up from the parking lot all the way out to the lighthouse with lanterns, blankets, nets and coolers of beer smelt fishing. It was so pretty to see it all lit up with lanterns all the way out to the lighthouse with people laughing and having a good time.
My family would go to DQ then out to the beach. We would eat our DQ's while we walked out to the lighthouse and back. Mom & Dad would stop to talk to people along the way. Sometimes they would see someone they knew and we would sit with them for a bit before moving on. That was our favorite family thing to do.
Then the lake started to recede and people couldn't smelt fish anymore. (sigh)
That's a beautiful memory. So many of our memories are tied to the lakefront, I think. When I was REALLY young - like 4 or 5 - I remember my dad taking me fishing out on the pier. When the fog horn would go off it would rumble right through you, being so close to the lighthouse. I still try to walk out to the lighthouse every time I'm home.
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Jun 30 2008, 10:50 AM
When I lived away from MC, I would always drive by just to see the lake when I was back here visiting. It is like tagging up.
One year we were here on leave from overseas, and I was just out of 8th grade. We were renting a cottage on the lake, and there was a quite interesting girl from Illinois down the street. Ah, summer love...
Posted by: Tim Jul 1 2008, 02:35 AM
When I lived away from MC, I would always drive by just to see the lake when I was back here visiting. It is like tagging up.
One year we were here on leave from overseas, and I was just out of 8th grade. We were renting a cottage on the lake, and there was a quite interesting girl from Illinois down the street. Ah, summer love...
Now that's what I'm talking about! So, Rog - tongue?
Anyone every make-out - or better - up in the Washington Park Tower whilst gazing out on Our Fair City?
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Jul 1 2008, 07:01 AM
A writer may hint, but a gentleman never tells.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Jul 1 2008, 07:27 AM
Tell me more, tell me more, did you get very far?
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Jul 1 2008, 08:19 AM
They were staying just about a block away, so not that far.
Posted by: Ang Jul 1 2008, 09:01 AM
Roger, did your hair ruffle a little when SSder's comment flew over your head?
Nope, never made out in the tower. It was closed during that time in my life. I did make out behind the lighthouse on a really foggy night once, with the foghorn blowing. Talk about good vibrations!!
Posted by: januarygirl63 Jul 1 2008, 02:41 PM
I remember when the water came all the way up to the board (concrete) walk, the big posts had chains running between them and the water was about 4' deep. At night we would walk out to the lighthouse (when the foghorn still blew) and people would be lined up from the parking lot all the way out to the lighthouse with lanterns, blankets, nets and coolers of beer smelt fishing. It was so pretty to see it all lit up with lanterns all the way out to the lighthouse with people laughing and having a good time.
My family would go to DQ then out to the beach. We would eat our DQ's while we walked out to the lighthouse and back. Mom & Dad would stop to talk to people along the way. Sometimes they would see someone they knew and we would sit with them for a bit before moving on. That was our favorite family thing to do.
Then the lake started to recede and people couldn't smelt fish anymore. (sigh)
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I remember those days too, Ang. We would occasionally go out to the pier and do some smelting ourselves , gee....that seems like ages ago and it had to have only been in the early '80s. But, yeah, I remember when the lake came up to the concrete walk years ago as well.
Posted by: Ang Jul 1 2008, 03:20 PM
I'm thinking it was more like the 70's.
Good to see you back JanGirl
Posted by: Tim Jul 1 2008, 05:46 PM
Roger, did your hair ruffle a little when SSder's comment flew over your head?
Nope, never made out in the tower. It was closed during that time in my life. I did make out behind the lighthouse on a really foggy night once, with the foghorn blowing. Talk about good vibrations!!
The Tower was closed during my, er... experience as well - that never stopped us!
Perhaps I should leave it at that......
Posted by: southsider2k7 Jul 2 2008, 07:49 AM
I never made out in the tower, but it was a favorite hobby to sneak into the zoo through Hungry Hollow and go check out the elephants and climb up to the top of the tower.
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Jul 2 2008, 08:18 AM
Actually, the 'do got askew when I ducked the question!
Posted by: Ang Jul 2 2008, 08:33 AM
Aaahhhh......
I see how you are!
Posted by: Tim Jul 3 2008, 08:28 PM
Happy 4th Of July!
My dad's mother's birthday was the 4th of July - so when we were little kids we'd all go out to my uncle's house. He lived at Stop 33 in Duneland Beach. We'd walk down and spend the day at the beach - then go back and have a cookout. I seem to remember sparklers being the extent of our fireworks - but we had great fun!
When I was nine I joined the Maple City Cadets drum and bugle corps - so every 4th after that was spent marching. We'd march in the LaPorte parade, then get right on a bus and go somewhere in Illinois and march in another parade. One year we marched in three parades and two shows like the show at Ames Field.
Other 4th memories?
Posted by: digger262 Jul 21 2008, 01:52 PM
My favorite summer memories of MC have to do with the beach and pier. When I was 12-15, we would ride our bikes to the pier and 'dive' with masks by the rocks through 'caves' Once or twice I would get caught in rocks and for a moment think I would drown down there. Some other times we would take our bikes out on the pier and ride them off at the lighthouse after checking for rocks. Not the smartest things to do but definitely good memories.
Then as I got older, stop 2 was the place to be. Sometimes, we'd spend the whole day there and cap it off at night with a bonfire/cookout. And once we ever spent the night sleeping on towels in the sand.
Posted by: ChickenCityRoller Jul 21 2008, 02:01 PM
Then as I got older, stop 2 was the place to be. Sometimes, we'd spend the whole day there and cap it off at night with a bonfire/cookout. And once we ever spent the night sleeping on towels in the sand.
LOL, some things never change.
I used to see kids swimming around those rocks on the pier all the time. I never did. I heard there are tunnels going from one side of the pier to the other that you can swim through. NO THANKS!!
Posted by: southsider2k7 Jul 21 2008, 02:10 PM
My favorite summer memories of MC have to do with the beach and pier. When I was 12-15, we would ride our bikes to the pier and 'dive' with masks by the rocks through 'caves' Once or twice I would get caught in rocks and for a moment think I would drown down there. Some other times we would take our bikes out on the pier and ride them off at the lighthouse after checking for rocks. Not the smartest things to do but definitely good memories.
Then as I got older, stop 2 was the place to be. Sometimes, we'd spend the whole day there and cap it off at night with a bonfire/cookout. And once we ever spent the night sleeping on towels in the sand.
Welcome to the site!
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Jul 21 2008, 02:58 PM
Aren't those tunnels where the lampreys would wait to grab young people trying to swim through?
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