It’s hot! When Mother Nature turns up the heat Port Huron is a great escape. Known as the Maritime Capital of the Great Lakes, Port Huron offers waterfront parks, beaches, a river walk and breathtaking views of Lake Huron on 7 miles of shoreline. We drive straight to the Thomas Edison Parkway, this is where the St. Clair River and Lake Huron meet, the iconic Blue Water Bridge provides a spectacular backdrop for photos as it connects the United States to Canada. We park the car and begin our walk toward the bridge; it’s a gorgeous, sunny day, a cool breeze blows in from the lake. Fishermen have baited their poles and locked them into place, a bell will signal them if there’s activity on the line, a net is kept close by in anticipation of catching a big one. We pass the lightship Huron, once a floating lighthouse, now a museum ship. Power boats wearing fancy paint jobs zip by at speed, there’s some pretty big ones out here today. The girls on the Jet Ski look like they’re having a blast.
Signs are posted here and there along the riverwalk filling us in on interesting facts about the area. Did you know Port Huron is located at the 43rd Parallel? That means when I am standing here I am actually closer to the Equator than I am the North Pole. Thomas Edison moved to Port Huron with his family when he was 7 in 1854, the St. Clair River is 39 miles long, oh, and the water that flows through the Great Lakes ends up in the Atlantic Ocean. You can also read about native fish, shipwrecks and sacred grounds. A Coast Guard boat is keeping an eye on all of the activity, a diver down flag bobbing on the river’s surface tells us a scuba diver is looking for sunken treasures below. A train moves slowly down the waterfront track, I bet it just came from the Domtar paper mill. The anchor is from the John S Martin which sank in 1900. A monument dedicated in remembrance of the Great Storm of 1913 stands on the other side of the train tracks; 19 ships and 250 lives were lost in the storm, an additional 50 ships were damaged. On the north end of the parkway is my favorite statue, the Blue Water Maiden, she was moved here in 2010 and greets all who travel the waterway.
The Midwest Sculpture Initiative (MSI) has put together a sculpture exhibition along the riverwalk for the last 3 years. Ken Thompson, an artist and sculptor himself, formed MSI to provide innovative exhibitions that feature outdoor sculpture throughout the midwest. Let’s take a look. I stand in one place and look out over the open-space gallery, bright colors, geometric shapes,rusty, shiny, large forms and goats fill my sight. In no particular order Kris and I traverse the landscape to see each piece. 6 metal forms are grouped together to form Old Orchard, I think they’re apple trees. Crescent Song has a coyote howling at the moon, I follow the sound of wind chimes to Madame Butterfly, look at all the butterflies gathered around her head, she looks happy.
Each sculpture has a plaque with the name of the piece, the name of the artist and the price, some names are obvious; Curves, Falling Pyramids, R&B. I like the colors of Red Green Construction, I totally follow the yellow bounce of bouncing ball. A close look at the goats reveals found objects integrated into the sculpture; chains, wrenches, a hood hinge, what do you see? Icarus is a complex piece, a figure hangs by delicate fingers from a bar, unattached wings to the sides, the expression somber. There’s a horse on a rainbow and a whimsical figure named Daphne who has a tree growing from the top of her head, I bet the kids love to play on the Morning Glory Whisper Bench II. If you like sculpture be sure to check out MSI’s website to see other exhibitions in the midwest. If you’re looking for more Michigan art, check out the MI Amazing Art Tour app, available for iPhone and android.
We’re having lunch downtown at the Port Huron Office Center building. Rix’s Roof Top restaurant owned and operated by a local family, is located on the 6th floor, this is actually the old Fog Cutter space, ring a bell? The elevator takes us to the top floor, the dining room is surrounded in glass, chandeliers of electric candles glow dimly, ceiling panels are black, the floor is dark, the decor is the panoramic view outside the windows. We’ve arrived during Happy Hour, well drinks are just $2. When the cocktails arrive we place our order, we watch freighters pass while eating warm bread slathered in butter. The burger and steak bites arrive together as we requested, the food is good; steak bites are tender, burger is prepared well. The service was great and the view unbeatable.
The Exquisite Corpse Coffee House opened in 2012, last December new owners Maggie and Nathaniel took over and have really made the place their own. The space is beautiful, warm, welcoming, the coffee is excellent; they have added baked goods, light sandwiches and bagels to the menu. Art is still in the front part of the space, works are by local artists, a counter in the front window allows patrons a glimpse of the goings-on outside. Choose a seat at the large community table or relax in a comfy chair, play one of the many available board games with friends.
There’s always something going on in the coffee shop these days; ballroom dancing lessons, yoga, magic shows, music and hypnosis demonstrations. We’re here for the coffee and the company. We drink our cold brews as we catch up on the latest Port Huron news; they’re making progress on the new City Flats hotel, new businesses are coming soon, Boat Night is July 13, the Port Huron to Mackinac Race is July 14, the International Boat Show is September 14-15. We prefer coming on just an ordinary day, the water is always blue, the breeze is cool, the food is good and the people are friendly.
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