NETSCAPE and FIREFOX OR MOZILLA USERS: See it in
"gallery" below
(just click on the
image to see it - then click
"BACK " on your browser to return to the gallery)
A
Brief History of Mackinaw Mill Creek Camping
Mackinaw
Mill Creek Camping started after a 10,000 mile “fact finding”
camping trip by Richard and Rose Rogala.Originally opening as “Mackinaw Campground” over 35 years
ago with 19 sites.
This
one room cabin in the north woods (with no indoor plumbing) was the
Rogala’s families new residence. Leaving behind suburban comforts,
Richard, Rose and their 3 son’s under the age of five moved in to
start work clearing brush and trees with hand tools. A 4thson
was to arrive soon!
Originally
printed on pale yellow card stock this card advertises campsites for
$1.00 a night! Notice the “Tee Pee” symbol and the old
campground name, both which were appropriated by area campgrounds.Is imitation the sincerest form of flattery?
Richard
Rogala bent the pipes, welded them into picnic table legs at his
workshop near Romeo, MI, and trucked them to Mackinaw where he
finished the assembly of the tables
Richard
Rogala assembles a spinner made from recycled auto parts in his
workshop in southern, Michigan (where the Rogala’s resided prior
to moving lock stock and barrel to Mackinaw).
Tiring
of shooing children off of his equipment, Richard came up with the
idea of installing some “retired” tractors on the playgrounds.They were an instant hit!
The
tractors on the playground became such a signature of the campground
that they were featured on these vintage postcards (when the
campground was still called “Mackinaw Campground”).
Now
with the lake at record lows – it is hard to remember that the
lake threatened to claim much of the campground’s lakefront in
years past – notice the posts extending out into the lake-that was the road to the boat launch
(its platform see barely above water level.
The
lakeside campsites are no more in this photo.You can see the water crossing the road.Hard to imagine – now with the waterline retreating so far
out.
This
is the same road that in the previous slide was covered with water.The logs have now been replaced by posts and tree planted to
separate the sites.
Mackinaw
in the 60’s and 70’s used to get a generous dose of snow with
the snowbanks sometimes reaching 2 stories tall. See the shower
buildings at the end of the road in the wooded area?
The
lake freezes all the way across to the Island most winters
Huge
blocks of ice (in the foreground a piece the size of a grand piano)
are blown into huge heaps and can destroy anything its path.
Looking
out from the front office window after a fresh dusting of snow.
See
the campground sign on U.S. 23 as you look north towards Mackinaw up
U.S.23
Among
the many awards won by Rose and Richard’s Mackinaw Mill Creek
Camping was the State Award by the Keep America Beautiful
Association
This
is one of the many articles written about the campground that captures
much of what campers enjoy most about the campground and reflects the
confusion faced by many visitors when they are mislead by area
campgrounds trying to masquerade as
The
Detroit News Picks us as tops!
When it comes
to Michigan camping, everyone has a favorite site, a magical place
whose blend of stunning scenery, nature experiences, campfire
camaraderie, kid-pleasing activities and overall ambience come
together to spark memorable family getaways. The following 15
destinations, a mix of public and private campgrounds for tents and
recreational vehicles, surface repeatedly when seasoned campers name
the state's most family-friendly sites: 1. Mackinac Mill Creek Camping,
Mackinaw City. Views of the Mackinac Bridge and Mackinac Island,
plus free shuttle to ferry make this 600-site private campground a
popular spot.
One mile of Lake Huron shoreline.
Heated pool.
Minigolf, playgrounds and camping cabins.
Call (231) 436-5584
Today,
still operated by the Rogalas’, the campground has 600 sites and a
one-mile of shore line facing the Straits of Mackinac! Despite
regulatory and economic pressures the Rogala’s strive to keep the
land available as a campground for enjoyment of the people who have
made a visit to Mackinaw Mill Creek Camping a family tradition.
A
Brief History of Mackinaw Mill Creek Camping
