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Naturally Curious
LUDINGTON'S HISTORY
Through all of my investigation on Ludington's history, most of my research led me to one name: Father Jacques Marquette, a Jesuit missionary spreading his religion across different cultures. If this rings a bell, it might be because it sounds familiar to the Pere Marquette River, which is located throughout Ludington and is named after this missionary. Before he migrated to Michigan, the name of this river was called “Notapekagon” meaning “head-on-sticks.” This name sounds rather gruesome, and that might be because it was named after a tribal battle, where the heads of the defeated were placed on stakes at the mouth of the river to warn outsiders what might happen if they trespass. However, in 1675, Marquette fell ill and requested to pass at the mouth of this river. His legacy of founding Saint Ignace and being influential on the area of what’s now known as Ludington lives on by the change of the name of the river. Even for several decades, Ludington was also once called Pere Marquette.
This change of name comes from the man James Ludington. Ludington wasn’t in the picture, however, until the mid 1800s when the white pine-logging business was booming, and there was a huge demand for lumber. While Burr Caswell was the first settler at the mouth of the Pere Marquette River, creating a small village, it was James Ludington who built this village to the top, where his industry produced 162 million board feet and 52 million wood shingles, according to Pure Ludington. His contributions to the industrial boom in this county allowed Ludington to be as successful as it is today; therefore, a name change of the city is well-deserved for this man’s hard work and dedication.
Ludington is also located at a prime location for a Great Lakes shipping port, and in 1914, it became known as the place with the “million dollar harbor.” For centuries, Ludington has transported cargo and excited tourists across Lake Michigan for business along with recreation, and it had even turned into the largest car ferry port in the world by the 1950s.
HOUSE OF FLAVORS: A SWEET TOURIST ATTRACTION
A trip to Ludington without an ice cream run to House of Flavors is one that couldn't live up to its full potential. Walking into this cute diner is like traveling back in time to the 60s with the checkered floors, the juke box, the black-and-white photos, and the colorful booths. This has always been my favorite part about Ludington, and after long days at the beach, the perfect way to end the night is a mint chocolate chip cone in my hand. This diner is a staple part of Ludington's allure, so including one of my favorite places in its own section something I couldn't go without.
Like every other Northern Michigan place I've done more research on thus far, I found out some interesting information on House of Flavor's history and how it came to be the booming business and talk of the town that it is today. What started out as Miller's Dairy (that produced all sorts of dairy products, including vanilla, chocolate, lemon, blue moon, and french vanilla ice cream flavors as well as cottage cheese, milk, and butter), turned into what's known and loved as House of Flavors, a business whose annual ice cream production exceeds 25 million gallons. That's comparative to just under 38 Olympic-sized swimming pools!
Now, what exactly sets House of Flavors apart from every other ice cream parlor? Answering this question isn't very difficult; while their aesthetic is one that appeals to most, they also set out to break the Guinness World Record for the World's Longest Ice Cream Sundae back in 2016. This sweet treat set out to be 2,970 feet long, or half a mile full of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and maraschino cherries, all with the help of 12,000 community members. Unfortunately, this record was rather short-lived, for Moo-ville Creamery overtook their sundae with a dessert that spanned 3,656 feet. Record or not, House of Flavors to me is one in a million!
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A WALK DOWN BUDZYNSKI LANE
I'd give anything to pay one more visit to see my Up North cabin with the green carpets. This quiet and beautifully peaceful place sat just 20 minutes away from Downtown Ludington, and while my family and I spent only several weeks at this cozy cabin each year, the majority of my best childhood memories originated from my never-ending Northern adventures. Having such wonderful recollections of this place through spending time with my three rambunctious cousins, who, in fact, had a cabin right next door to ours, flying through the trails on our Polaris Rangers, and finishing the night off by telling ridiculous stories out at the bonfire allowed me to see Ludington in its purest and most beautiful form. Because of my incredible memories, I might be a little biased when I say that Ludington is the best city in Michigan.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Find Out More on Upcoming Events In Ludington