Fred Dye Nature Sanctuary
| Fred Dye Nature Sanctuary | |
|---|---|
Ozark, Michigan | |
| Coordinates | 46°05′55″N 84°55′52″W / 46.0986°N 84.9312°W |
| Area | 36 acres (15 ha) |
| Established | 1970 |
| Governing body | Michigan Nature Assoc. (non-profit) |
Fred Dye Nature Sanctuary, commonly referred to as Fred Dye, is a 36-acre (15 ha) nature sanctuary located in
Geologically, the site consists of dolomitic karstland, with hard rock close to the earth's surface and little opportunity for trees to grow deep roots. A prairie opening has taken this parcel for its own, with grasses, wildflowers such as the purple coneflower for which the Sanctuary was once named, butterflies such as the monarch, and small birds such as the ruby-throated hummingbird.[1]
The Sanctuary land parcel lies along the historic roadbed of the Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway (DSS&A), an active railway during the Upper Peninsula's lumbering era. Developers platted a townsite on this spot, and entrepreneurs built a saloon and a general store. The site is now the ghost town of Kenneth, Michigan; the foundations of these buildings form part of the sanctuary.[1]
The roadbed of the DSS&A has been torn up and its right-of-way repurposed as part of the St. Ignace–Trout Lake Trail. An active State highway, M-123, runs adjacent to the Fred Dye Preserve and serves the site.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d "Fred Dye Nature Sanctuary". michigannature.org. Michigan Nature Association. 2020. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
- ^ "Association News & Views: Calendar" (PDF). Wildflowers: Wildflower Association of Michigan. 9 (3): 3. Summer 2004. Retrieved November 22, 2020.